Westbank Projects has applied to the City of Vancouver for permission to develop a site at 33 West Cordova with a 11-storey mixed-use building.The plan, which involves a deal between Ian Gillespie, the Portland Housing Society and BC Housing, was first announced a year ago.

The proposal for the 19,071 SF site that also fronts onto Blood Alley includes the following:

• 214 rental apartments (80 social housing units /134 secured market rental units);
• commercial uses on the ground floor and cabaret underground;
• 163,482 SF of gross floor area;
• total density of 8.57 FSR
• building height of 110 ft.;
• 267 bicycle parking spots.

Under the site’s existing HA-2 zoning, the application is “conditional” so it may be permitted; however, it requires the decision of the Development Permit Board. 

The architect for the project is Henriquez Partners Architects. In the application, Henriquez explains the design rationale:

A two-storey office building at 1525 West 8th Avenue has sold for $19,500,000. The building sits on a 13,680 SF C-3A zoned property and has potential for redevelopment in the future to include residential. Based on the anticipated base density of 3.0 FSR, the price equates to $475 per buildable SF.

The building had been listed for sale earlier this year. Here is a promotional video outlining the property, including a rendering of a potential future condo tower on the site:

1525 West 8th Ave, Vancouver, BC from Cushman & Wakefield | Vancouver on Vimeo.

Here is a construction update for a residential project that is located on a fairly prominent corner across from City Hall at West 12th Avenue and Cambie Street. The Spot is a 125-unit, 8-storey concrete condo project on a former White Spot restaurant site (the site is owned and being developed by parent company Shato Holdings).

Sales for the project began in the spring of 2015, and construction began last fall. The project is now 100% sold out.

courtesy mcminsen http://po.st/lCYJdG via @imageshack

courtesy mcminsen http://po.st/NHH1lp via @imageshack

courtesy mcminsen http://po.st/3t9Hj4 via @imageshack

Here’s an update on one of Vancouver’s most unheard of projects. It’s an 18-storey residential tower on the site of what used to be the Legg Residence, a heritage mansion that was demolished in order to protect a tulip tree on the site.

The project started construction in 2014 after years of delays, and now appears to nearing completion of the exterior build.

courtesy mcminsen http://po.st/eL1TFc via @imageshack

courtesy mcminsen http://po.st/qXukw2 via @imageshack

courtesy mcminsen http://po.st/UGXXYs via @imageshack

courtesy mcminsen http://po.st/2ekvpc via @imageshack

Conwest Residential has applied to the City of Vancouver to develop a new townhouse project on a 13,490 SF RM-7 zoned land assembly in the Norquay Village area of East Vancouver. The site is located on Ward Street, just West of Earles Street. Details of the proposal include:

• 16 townhouse units in two buildings
• a total density of 1.20 FSR (16,188 SF);
• a building height of 37.42 feet
• 12 surface parking spaces having  vehicular access from the lane;

Under the site’s existing RM-7 zoning, the application is “conditional” so it may be permitted; however, it requires the decision of the Director of Planning.

The architect for the project is b2 architecture inc.