The Salient Group

Vancouver Magazine: The Unlikely Revolutionary
Joel Solomon has put his millions, and those of a powerful circle including Rubbermaid heiress Carol Newell,into a new business-first socialism

Frances Bula
Vancouver Magazine
May 25, 2009

Across from Victory Square, a crowd is celebrating the reopening of the historic Flack Block, a monument to Vancouver’s gold-profiteering past that has been transformed into a home for people who believe in changing the world one socially responsible business at a time. Mayor Gregor Robertson, reading a proclamation honouring the restored building, and several of his councillors are here on the fourth floor. So are a woman with a company that manufactures cloth menstrual pads, a man whose firm delivers organic food to people’s homes, and staff from the collection of like-minded save-the-world enterprises that have decided to bunk at the Flack Block, like Rainforest Solutions Project, IdeaLever, and ForestEthics.

Amid the bustle at what’s now called the Tides Renewal Centre, the man at the centre of the room seems unremarkable. Tall and lanky, with a thin, lined face and rectangular metal glasses, Joel Solomon, 54, is the hypersensitive host preoccupied with making sure that everyone feels good. You wouldn’t guess that this guy in shapeless black jeans, black runners, and a nondescript suit jacket is the force behind this room, this gathering, this restoration. Or that he binds this group, giving them the sense of being part of a grand revolution that will remake Vancouver.

Continue reading “VanMag: Joel Solomon – The Unlikely Revolutionary” »

Globe and Mail – Housing plan flourishes as market slumps
Group seizes chance to ease homelessness in New Westminster with space left over from commercial reno jobs that were put on hold

The economic downturn has resulted in a short-term shot in the arm for affordable housing in New Westminster.

With development plans for a trio of heritage buildings sidelined as a result of a deep chill in commercial real-estate financing, developer Robert Fung has turned over one of the buildings for use as social housing.

The building, which was vacant when Mr. Fung’s Salient Group acquired it in 2005, is to be managed by the non-profit Atira Women’s Resource Society and will provide 23 units for women and children who are homeless or at risk of being homeless.

Provincial agency B.C. Housing has provided some financial assistance to renovate the building.

Salient has committed to the arrangement for at least two years. The neighbouring buildings have interim tenants.

“Philosophically we don’t like vacant space, because it has such a negative impact on the street,” said Mr. Fung, whose company has tackled several high-profile renovations of heritage buildings in Gastown and who sits on the board of Vancouver’s Streettohome Foundation.

Continue reading “Trapp Block: Housing plan flourishes as market slumps” »

New housing helps homeless women
Theresa McManus
The Record
Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Women and children who are at risk of homelessness will soon have a new home in New Westminster.

The Salient Group, which owns the historic Trapp Block on Columbia Street, is making space available to the Atira Women’s Resource Society. The group will provide housing to women and children who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, with priority being given to women and children who are homeless in New Westminster.

“In a nutshell, we did not see that there would be a market for the new project for a little while. We thought it was a real shame to see the units in the Holbrook Block sitting vacant,” said Salient president Robert Fung. “When we bought the building, those rooms were vacant. To have them sit there further, when there is a need, didn’t seem to make any sense.”

Salient’s project would incorporate the Holbrook Block at 660 Columbia St. and the Trapp Block at 668 Columbia St. Atira will make use of 27 rooms in the Holbrook Block that were formerly used for housing.
Fung, a member of the Streetohome Foundation’s housing committee in Vancouver, mentioned the empty space to fellow committee member and Atira executive director Janice Abbott.

Continue reading “Trapp Block: New housing helps homeless women” »

Paris Block, Suite 303 - Click image to see a larger version.

The Paris Block is one of several Salient/Gair Williamson Architects projects that are transforming Gastown into Vancouver’s center of artistic activism. Unit 303 at the Paris Block was conceived and executed by our team as a prototype for inner city living.

Holding a library, study, commercial kitchen, bedroom/gallery, and lounge with a 12’ dinning bar within 702 sq.ft.,  the apartment is only slightly wider than a parking stall.

Functioning as a live-work studio, the bed folds away, transforming the space into a gallery and event venue.

The unit contains a volume of storage that is three times the size of a standard condominium; Closets for coats, laundry, his/hers clothing, and a bathroom with a 10’ high shower.

In the long established tradition for completed GWA projects, a group of 28 B.C artists and film makers celebrated the completion with a spontaneous feast, before releasing the apartment into the community.

Unit 303 is a critical exploration into the larger issues pertaining to the architecture of affordable urban dwelling. This exploration is one of many undertaken in conjunction with Salient as we continue our investigations into urban densification.

Densification is fundamental to sustainable design; however, it often comes at the cost of dignity. As with other Salient/GWA projects, Unit 303 is an interpretation of how we can maximize livability in small urban spaces, within the context of the contemporary city.

To learn more about Gair Williamson Architects, please visit their website.

The City of Vancouver Heritage Commission has awarded four of the Salient Group’s developments for building rehabilitation as follows:

The Flack Block, 163 West Hastings Street, an Award of Honour for structural, seismic and building systems upgrading, sustainable interiors, locally crafted stone façade components, reinstated areaways, extensive exterior restoration, and a compatible contemporary rooftop addition.

The Bowman Block, 528 Beatty Street, as Award of Merit for the mindful, restrained exterior preservation, rehabilitation, and adaptive reuse to commercial and residential, including a compatible contemporary loft addition.

The Paris Block, 53 West Hastings Street, an Award or Recognition for its rescue, rehabilitation and adaptive reuse, and for the social and economic benefit the project provides to the downtown neighbourhood.

The Lumbermen’s Building, 509 Richards Street, an Award of Recognition for its rehabilitation and structural upgrade, including exposing the original banking hall ceiling, and providing high quality ground floor use and office space.

>> See the complete list of our awards on the Awards page.

Salient recently had the opportunity of being and exhibitor at EPIC, the Vancouver Sustainable Living Expo. We were honored to take part in such and exciting event, with so many other interesting sustainable businesses with a strong commitment to doing their part for the sustainability movement. It was great to see a lot of familiar faces and a lot of new faces visit us at our booth, and we would like to thank you for taking the time to visit us and hear more about what Salient is doing as a company, and appreciate your positive feedback.

We look forward to next year’s event!

Visit the EPIC website to learn more.

Mike Telford on his back deck – click for larger image

Meet a member of our tribe – Mike Telford: Mike is a Graphic Designer and a longtime Gastown resident. He has recently moved into Salient’s newest development, the terminus.

Q: Why did you end up purchasing in Terminus?
A:  As a designer, I appreciate quality design and architecture. I’ve lived in Tokyo and in New York, two of the world’s centers for good design. In the Terminus I see qualities that could be found in either of those two cities.

Q: How do you like living in Gastown?
A: Gastown is the juxtaposition of old and new. It is Vancouver’s oldest neighborhood, but really I think we are just seeing the beginning of a new era that will make it one of the most desirable places to live in the city. It has always been a hub of creative businesses and funky residential spaces, and as a resident of the neighborhood for the past 5 years I have noticed the changes that are occurring… great new restaurants, bars, shops, and of course, amazing residential buildings, the future looks good.

Tell us about your home.
It’s very rare that you can tell someone that you live in a condo building downtown and you have a one of a kind home, but that is my place in terminus. I love the fact that I have a truly unique space which is both practical, but stylish as well. The double glass French doors that look out to my huge deck are pretty cool, and of course the building itself, it has a really good sense of community.