In what has become one of the most rapidly densifying areas of Metro Vancouver, two more tower proposals are closer to reality in the Brentwood Town Centre area of Burnaby. Both projects were introduced previously but are now at first reading with the City of Burnaby.

1846-1904 Gilmore Avenue

This 58,234 SF site at the corner of Gilmore and Halifax was originally proposed for rezoning back in 2012, but the application was withdrawn. The current proposal includes:

• a 46-storey condo tower
• a 3-storey townhouse podium on Halifax
• 340 units
• a total density of 5.0 FAR
• 408 underground parking spaces
• outdoor swimming pool

2338-2440 Madison Avenue

Polygon Homes is proposing a new project entitled ‘Fulton House’ on an 80,967 SF site on Madison Avenue, South of Lougheed. The plan was originally for a 35-storey tower in 2014, but the revised proposal now includes:

• a 41-storey condo tower
• below and above-ground structured parking
• 300 units
• a total density of 3.6 FAR
• 349 parking spaces

Intracorp has filed an application for an RM-8N zoned, 5-lot land assembly on Granville Street at Park Drive/West 59th Ave that was rezoned in the Marpole Community Plan in 2014. The plan for the site includes:

• five 2.5 storey courtyard townhouse buildings
• 26 three-bedroom townhouse units
• one level of underground parking
• 41,095 SF
• a total density of 1.20 FSR

The architect for the project is SHIFT architecture.

Two current applications continue a recent trend of redevelopment of older I-1 zoned properties in the Mt. Pleasant area, referred to more recently by some as “Mt. Pixel” because of the many tech companies that are locating in the area. The I-1 zone was amended by the City in 2013 to be more flexible in allowing office uses up to 3.0 FSR in density, and this has spurred several land sales; primarily to developers, either for speculative development or build-to-suits. The pace of recent development applications points to the demand for general office use in an area that was traditionally limited to light-industrial uses.

The two projects are outlined below:

22 East 5th Avenue

This proposal for this site at the Southeast corner of East 5th and Ontario envisions restoring the facade of the existing one-storey industrial building on site, and adding a new 6-storey retail and office building with parking on the first and second floor (due to site slope). Details include:

• manufacturing and retail uses on the main floor
• office space on the 3rd to 6th floors
• total density of 54,389 SF (3.0 FSR)
• 46,537 SF of office space
• a building height of 80 ft.
• 70 parking stalls on the main and 2nd floor

Existing Site Condition

The architect for this project is Christopher Bozyk.

34 West 7th Avenue

An application has also been filed by Chard Development for a site at 34 West 7th, which was purchased for $8,150,000 earlier this year. Preliminary plans call for a 4-storey building with clothing manufacturing uses on the ground floor and office uses on the 2nd to 4th floors, and two levels of underground parking. The total density is not known at this time, but the site would allow for up to 54,350 SF (3.0 FSR).

The architect for this project is Proscenium Architecture.

Westbank has applied to the City of Vancouver to rezone a site in the Joyce-Collingwood area to allow a 29-storey condo tower. Details include:

• 3,530 SF of commercial space at grade
• 191,000 SF of residential space
• 236 apartment units
• A density of 14.33 FSR

The City describes the rationale for the proposed rezoning:

“This site falls within the area of the ongoing Joyce-Collingwood Station Precinct Review. The review is anticipated to provide new policy advice to consider rezoning applications in a focused area around the Joyce-Collingwood SkyTrain Station. The outcomes of the Station Precinct Review will be brought forward for consideration by City Council prior to the Council’s consideration of this application.”

The 63-storey Trump Tower Vancouver is nearing completion. The 63-storey, 218 unit condo and 147 hotel room tower is expected to open in summer 2016.

Photo courtesy 604 City on Flickr