Vancouver's Downtown Eastside: Qu'ils mangent de la brioche.

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By Barry O'Regan

"Qu'ils mangent de la brioche", a quote attributed to Marie-Thérèse, wife of 18th  century King Louis XIV of France, who said to the starving peasants who had no bread, "let them eat cake". 

Downtown Eastside residents may be hearing those same words by those involved in the Woodward project converting a derelict 1903 department store into a 375 million dollar showpiece smack dab in the middle of what is described as a criminal drug addled public. 

One aspect of the Woodward gentrification development is a social experiment, having a mix of low income housing and condo suites, with a smattering of retail stores including upscale retail anchor tenants. 

Developers rely on anchor tenants in order to attract others to their building.  The more upscale the anchor tenant, the better for any ancillary tenant who rely on public traffic for their bread and butter. Condo owners looking for a return on investment for their suites will also be attracted to any building that is geared towards the upscale funky crowd.

The Downtown Eastside (DTES) feel a ratio of 536 condo suites versus 200 low income suites is not a fair ratio when it comes to a equitable social mix of tenants, since low income housing is in serious short supply. The inclusion of Simon Fraser School of Contemporary Art as a tenant leaves some wondering if that space would have been more useful as additional low income suites.

Two anchor tenants, London Drugs and an upscale food market, geared for the moneyed. Panhandlers, drug dealers and prostitutes will be coveting a prime spot outside these anchor establishments looking for that easy mark.

London Drugs will be featuring large flat screen televisions for sale. Perhaps not a good idea if a shopper is watched by some in the DTES with criminal intent as the unsuspecting condo owner picks up that big screen TV for their suite. 

Moving day for condo owners will be sweeps week for those in the DTES looking to make some additional income as they make copious notes of desired goods being brought in the building.

It won't be anytime soon we'll be witnessing the DTES citizenry rubbing elbows with the well heeled pondering on whether Ahi tuna will be on the menu tonight, washed down with the farcical promo "Play by your own rules" Yellow Tail wine.

It will be interesting how this well intentioned social experiment will play out, with DTES residents and condo owners sharing the same abode. 

Gentrification is a good idea in principle, sprucing up what is known as a ghetto by some, is home to others and a break in artist's holy grail of good stuff to be had for the taking. DTES has it's share of criminals, but also has hard working people, pensioners and many down on their luck. Painting all residents with the same brush is unfair. Though the criminal element come out at night to ply their trade, most are easy to spot.

DTES may not be pretty, but it's home to many.  It is such a shame a neighborhood unfairly classed as a drug den was once an epicentre of activity and place for all classes of society to mingle is ruined by the criminal element who prey on the unfortunate and now for some unfortunates, may fall prey to gentrification if low income housing ratios are uneven.  

It will be a safe bet most of the condo buyers will not be the residents, preferring to rent out their suites to those who have no qualms mixing it up with a little danger and adventure into the DTES twilight zone.  Anyone who has walked the streets of DTES at night surely know what is implied.

DTES residents will still be eating cake, the exception being, the frosting will be saved for those who can afford a taste.