Yuanheng Development has applied to the City of Vancouver to rezone 4099 Cambie Street from C-2 to CD-1 per the Cambie Corridor Plan. Colliers sold the site, which sits directly adjacent the King Edward Canada Line Station, in 2011.

The proposal is for a mixed-use building with retail at grade and residential units on the upper floors, including:

• a density of 3.52 FSR
• a height of 8 storeys with a partial mezzanine contained in the ground floor;
• a total 65 market condo units
• a total of 79 vehicle parking spaces underground.

More information here.

Richmond office market shows ‘slow but steady’ rebound – Richmond Review.

Richmond’s sky-high office vacancy rate has fallen to a five-year low but remains the highest in the region, according to a new report from Avison Young.

The firm’s Mid-Year 2013 Metro Vancouver Office Market Report pegs the vacancy rate at 17.3 per cent—4.5 per cent less than one year ago—demonstrating the local market’s continued slow recovery.

“Continued tightening of the Richmond vacancy rate remains a good news story for the market, which has seen a slow but steady rebound since 2010,” said Darrell Hurst, Avison Young principal, in a news release.

Surrey’s vacancy rate is close behind, at 16.7 per cent. The lowest rate belongs to downtown Vancouver, at 4.6 per cent, while Metro Vancouver’s average stood at 7.5 per cent after the first six months of 2013.

In its semi-annual survey, Avison Young noted vacancy in the Richmond market is at its lowest point since 2008 after peaking at 24.6 per cent.

Here is a look at the 31 rezoning applications in the City of Vancouver that have not yet been approved. The various applications have been ranked based upon the % increase in density.

Some interesting observations:

• The average proposed % increase in density is 157%. (Average existing density is 2.00 FSR compared to the average proposed density of 4.42 FSR)
• The top 7 proposed increases in density are single family assemblies along the Cambie Corridor.
• Outside the Cambie Corridor, the average % increase is relatively modest, only 98%.
• Of the 31 rezoning apps:
  • 21 are on the Westside of Vancouver, 10 in East Vancouver
  • 14 contain some form of rental housing.
  • 19 will likely require some form of Community Amenity Contribution*
  • 13 propose mid-rise or highrise forms (only 6 outside Downtown)