While the site was rezoned over 5 years ago, the Knox United Church site at the Northeast corner of Balaclava and West 41st Avenue appears to be closer to reality, with a development application now submitted for the 72,174 SF site. The site was previously owned by Dubai-based Emaar Group who subsequently sold the site in 2011 to Hon Towers Kerrisdale Ltd.

The plan calls for a redevelopment of the church site and adjacent 4 single family lots with a 4-storey residential building and a 2-storey church annex with offices, multi-purpose rooms and a preschool. The south side of the site will be occupied by the 4 storey residential building. The north side of the site is occupied by the existing Knox United Church, and to the east of it is proposed a new 2 storey annex building containing church functions on the ground floor and a preschool on the upper level.

Details include:

• 77 units targeted to seniors
• A total density of 1.35 FSR
• Conservation of the Knox Church listed as heritage “B”
• One level of underground parking

The controversial project at Helmcken and Richards whose permits were cancelled by a BC Supreme Court judge in January, is now heading back to public hearing.

The City of Vancouver is now reconsidering the application by Brenhill Development that was submitted on April 26, 2013, to rezone the site for a 36-storey mixed-use building including:

• 448 residential units, of which 110 would be market rental and 338 strata-titled,
• a private pre-school and kindergarten, and
• commercial space on the ground floor.

As a public benefit associated with this rezoning application, Brenhill negotiated a deal with the City to provide social housing in a new building on a site it owned at 1099 Richards Street as part of a land swap to replace housing for the residents of Jubilee House presently located at 508 Helmcken Street. The site at 1099 Richards was already above ground with construction at the time of the judge’s ruling in January.

The decision (Community Association of New Yaletown v. Vancouver (City), 2015 BCSC 117) resulted in By-law 10870, which rezoned 508 Helmcken Street, being quashed and directed that a new Public Hearing be held.

Stay tuned for additional documents that will be considered by Council…