UBC
UBC Real Estate Development list
University Endowment Lands & UBC
Location of this residential district:
The University Endowments Lands (UEL) is a strip of prestigious properties between the University of British Columbia on the western tip of the Point Grey peninsula and the Regional District of Greater Vancouver directly to the east. The natural forest of Pacific Spirit Regional park is located within the UEL territory. In places, steep cliffs drop near 70 meters to the northern waterfront below. In total, the UEL covers just over 14 square kilometers of prime land. The UBC campus itself also has private housing.
Road Access and transportation:
Blanca St. forms the south-eastern boundary from which several main access routes enter the UEL. Both 16th Ave, 10th Ave, as well as 4th Ave/ Chancellor Blvd enter from Blanca St. Access can also be made via both North West Marine Drive along the beach west of Spanish Banks & Locarno Beach, and along South West Marine Drive coming from points south and south-east. Public transit runs into the western terminus, UBC Loops, on campus via many routes including the #99 B-Line rapid transit, #4 Downtown, #9 Alma, #17 Downtown, #25 Brentwood, #33 29th Ave, #41 & #43 Joyce Station, #44 Downtown, #49 Dunbar, and the #84 VCC express. Bus routes also provide quick access to Richmond.
Main Attractions:
The University attracts a large daytime population of over 40,000 students, faculty and staff when it is in session so many of the facilities developed on campus are also open to permanent residents in the area. These include the indoor-outdoor swimming pool/sauna/fitness center near the Student Union Building, Thunderbird stadium, the Chan Centre for the Arts and Nitobi Gardens. Many libraries, the Belkin Art Gallery and the Museum of Anthropology are also located at the university. The ever popular University golf course lies at the 10th Ave entrance to UBC. The university hospital is right on campus. The University Village and Marketplace provides a convenient variety of small grocery stores, coffee shops and restaurants, a liquor store and postal outlet. Snacks, pharmaceutical needs and groceries can all be purchased in the Village and if a person does not find what they are looking for it is easy to go off campus to the large shopping district along 10th Ave, just outside the UBC gates. Along this much frequented corridor many favorite bakeries, restaurants, bookshops, fish markets, hardware and trendy clothing outlets can be found along side the banks, travel agencies and large grocery outlets. The UEL is also famed as the site of the only nude beach in Vancouver, where sun bathers relax unseen on the sandy beach below the steep cliff along the waterfront of beautiful Pacific Spirit Park. The campus buildings and the park have attracted the film industry to the area and many productions feature locations of UBC and the UEL.
Livability and Amenities:
Covered with green forest and tree-lined streets, and located on top of the seaside cliffs on the western tip of the peninsula, the UEL gets slightly more wind and snowfall than other parts of the city. The crystalline glitter of snow decked forests along the major transportation routes is beautiful. During the summer months, the open parkland and forest paths invite joggers, bicycle enthusiasts and family picnickers to enjoy the outdoor sunshine. As well as the main attractions noted above, the UEL is serviced by police, fire and safety, ambulance and emergency support.
Housing, People and Homes:
In contrast to the large numbers and ever-changing residents of student housing facilities, the permanent population on the University Endowment Lands is relatively small, near 8000 persons including small families. Beautiful and expensive homes are spaced along the streets, avenues and boulevards of this prestigious land. Many houses have wonderful views of the bay to the north-west. Many residents regularly access the extensive recreational and educational resources of UBC. In general UEL residents are culturally diverse high income professionals who enjoy the enhanced urban amenities of UBC within such easy reach, set within the rural feel provided by close proximity to super-natural Pacific Spirit Park.
