Vivagrand Developments has applied to the City of Vancouver for permission to develop a 25,931 SF site at 1485 Davie Street, at the Northeast corner of Davie and Nicola in the West End. The site is currently improved with an older 3-storey walkup apartment building.

The plan for the site is a new 22-storey building with a three storey building to the rear. The proposal includes the following:

• 107 condo units on the 4th to 22nd floors;
• 51 social housing units on the first three floors;
• A total density of 5.81 FSR;
• A building height of approximately 190 ft.;
• Three levels of underground parking accessed from the lane with a total 198 parking spaces provided.

The architect, WT Leung., describes the design rationale: “The proposed development of 1485 Davie St. then is for market strata residential units as well as market rental residential units with the rental units replacing the existing 51 rental units now on site at a one to one replacement ratio. Taking advantage of the lay of the land sloping down from east to west, the market units will all be located in a 22 story tower at the lower west half of the site and the rental units located both at the base of the tower in it’s lowest 2nd and 3rd residential floors and also on those same floors in an attached 4 story podium which extends from the tower up the hill to the east end of the site. The street wall of the base and podium of the building frames Davie St. and Nicola St. and includes a landscaped setback to provide some privacy and separation between suites and the sidewalk public realm. Around the back at the Lane, beyond the driveway entry to the underground Parkade and the garbage/loading area which are tucked under the tower portion of the podium, a 3 story block of stacked rental townhouses populates the Lane buffered with a landscaped setback. A fourth story Amenity Room sits atop the Lane townhouse block, but is set back from the Lane façade to allow for better sunlight penetration to the Lane.”

Under the site’s existing RM-5D zoning, the application is “conditional” so it may be permitted; however, it requires the decision of the Development Permit Board.

VivaGrand acquired the site in 2016 for $36,500,000, or $225 per buildable SF based on the gross floor area in the application.

A community open house has been scheduled from 5:00 – 8:00pm on Thursday, February 15, 2018, at The Listel Hoel, Impressionist Gallery, 1300 Robson Street with the applicant team and City staff available to answer any questions.

The full development application can be viewed here: http://development.vancouver.ca/1485davie/index.htm

Cressey Development Group has applied to the City of Vancouver for permission to develop a 24,775 SF site at the Northwest corner of Commercial Drive and East Pender Street in East Vancouver. The site is currently zoned MC-1, which allows a total combined mixed-use density up to 2.50 FSR and 4-storeys.

The site is actually located within the boundaries of the Grandview Woodland Community Plan which allows up to 6-storeys, but Cressey has elected to develop under the existing zoning, rather than rezoning. The site to the immediate North can be built up to 10-storeys per the Grandview Plan.

The development proposal for the site at 485 Commercial Drive is for a 4-storey mixed-use residential/commercial building containing:

• • 8,206 SF of retail space in two CRU units fronting Commercial Drive;
  • 3,226 SF of office space on the 2nd floor;
  • 10 rental units (4 studios, 4 one-bedrooms and 2 two-bedrooms)
  • 31 condo units (10 studios and 21 three-bedroom townhouse units)
  • a total density of 2.23 FSR;
  • an overall building height varying from 46.42 feet – 49.67 feet; and
  • one level of underground parking providing 61 parking spaces, having vehicular access from the lane.
  • 11,493 SF of gardens and decks.

The architect, Gair Williamson describes the application: “The proposed mixed-use development comprises residential, commercial and office units in forms of four discrete building blocks gathered around an internal courtyard. Bounded by two streets, a laneway and a part wall to the west, the development proposes distinct functions and facade treatments on each elevation. Back of house on the laneway serves parking and utilities; the Commercial Drive frontage is dedicated to commercial units, and the East Pender Street elevation accommodates two main lobby entrances for the residential and commercial components, as well as individual entries to the residential units at grade.

A key feature of the proposed development is the courtyard on the 2nd level. Not only does it host entrances to the residential units, but accomodates a safe, semi-private outdoor amenity for families, allowing functions such as communal gathering and playing.”

The application requires a variance to the maximum allowable height by just a few feet.

The full application can be viewed here (for a limited time only): http://development.vancouver.ca/pc485commerical/index.htm

A rezoning application has been submitted for a 40,430 SF, seven-lot land assembly at the Southeast corner of Oak Street and West 64th Avenue in Marpole.  The plan for 988 West 64th Avenue and 8030-8130 Oak Street is to rezone from the current RS-1 zone to allow three 6-storey residential buildings, including:

• 130 market residential units;
• 31 studios, 49 one-bedrooms, 36 two-bedrooms & 14 three-bedrooms;
• a total density of 2.50 FSR;
• a building height of 68.6 ft. from grade; and
• two levels of underground parking with 151 vehicle parking spaces and 169 bicycle spaces.

The application is being considered under the Marpole Community Plan.

The architect for the project is Arno Matis Architecture.

More rezoning applications head to Burnaby City Council next week. Below is a brief summary of some of the larger projects planned which, this week, includes only Metrotown highrise sites (of which there are many!):

6525 Telford Avenue

This 48,553 SF site, owned by Intracorp, is located just south of Beresford in Metrotown and is improved with an older walkup apartment building. Now designated RM5s in the Metrotown Plan, the site is slated for a highrise tower at 5.0 FAR, which will be Intracorp’s ninth tower in Metrotown.

6556-6596 Marlborough Avenue

This 36,361 SF site assembly of five lots is located at the northeast corner of Marlborough Avenue and Grimmer on the East side of Metrotown. The application, by Accorde Properties, proposes a residential highrise with townhouses under the RM4s designation at 3.60 FAR.

5852 Patterson Avenue

This is a 20,000 SF site located mid-block on Patterson between Kingsway and Central Boulevard. The site is in the “Central Park East” neighbourhood of the Metrotown Plan and has an RM5s designation. The plan includes 31 rental units in addition to market condo units. The total density is 4.7 FAR. The developer is Artillery Developments, with development consulting by Brook Pooni. A variance is required as the site is under the 24,000 SF minimum site area in the Metrotown Plan.

5895 Barker Avenue

Yet another Metrotown highrise application!  The fourth highrise tower rezoning application for Metrotown is 5895 Barker Avenue by Concord Pacific. The 46,285 SF site is located at the southwest corner of Baker Avenue and Olive Avenue and is designated under the RM5s high density residential guidelines which allow up to a density of 5.00 FAR (in this case 4.99 FAR). The site is also occupied by an older 3-storey walkup apartment building. The tower will be in the range of 30-40 storeys. 

Intracorp has submitted a rezoning application for a 32,438 SF site in Metrotown at 6438-6468 McKay and 6443-6467 Silver Avenue. The proposal is for a 32-storey residential tower under the RM4s designation provided in the Metrotown Downtown Plan. Details include:

• 298-units;
• 84 studios, 88 one-bedrooms, 94 two-bedrooms and 32 three-bedrooms;
• a total density of 3.6 FAR;
• a building height of 322 ft.;
• 333 underground parking spaces.

The proposal also includes an expansion of Maywood Park to Maywood Street through a density transfer approach that involves Intracorp’s acquisition of the 27,442 SF park site at 4305-4325 Maywood Street).