Here is an update for an interesting rental apartment project at Oak and West 14th Street. The project, by Aquilini Development, involved heritage retention of an existing 14-unit apartment building known as the Santa Fe Apartments.

As part of the heritage retention, Aquilini received approval for a 10-storey, 50-unit rental apartment building in behind the current structure, with a total density of 2.8 FSR under the RM-3 zoning. The project was unique in that only 14 units existed on a 12,500 SF site.

The project was approved at public hearing in May 2014.

The concrete tower is now topped out, although completion appears to be several months away yet.

courtesy mcminsen http://po.st/k9iCuZ via @imageshack

courtesy mcminsen http://po.st/9zUcFu via @imageshack

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

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

The Vancouver Masonic Centre has submitted a rezoning application for their property at 1495 W 8th Avenue (between Granville Street and Hemlock Street). The plan the 23,983 SF site is to rezone from the current C-3A to a CD zone to permit a new four-storey building on West 7th Ave., connected to an 18-storey secured rental residential building on 8th Ave. The proposal includes:

• 159 rental apartment units (mix of non-market and market units);
• A neighbourhood restaurant on West 7th Ave.;
• A height of 174 ft;
• A total density of 5.96 FSR.

Here is a construction update on an interesting infill project in Chinatown that was approved under the Rental 100 program in 2013. 245 East Georgia St. is a 9-storey apartment being built on a 25-foot lot. As described on Gair Williamson Architect’s website:

“The design is for 40 studio apartments ranging in size from 320 to 360 square feet and a commercial unit at the ground level. All units have floor to ceiling glazing with either juliet windows or a balcony, there is also a communal roof deck providing opportunities for urban agriculture.”

There will also be retail on the ground floor.

Photo courtesy mcminsen http://po.st/GUBcQ6 via @imageshack

Photo courtesy mcminsen http://po.st/etb2h9 via @imageshack

Photo courtesy mcminsen http://po.st/etb2h9 via @imageshack

http://www.gwarchitects.ca/245-east-georgia-street/q9o9orelcnkzsotggn08ksgz4aniul

The site was sold by Colliers in 2012 for $1,150,000.

A development application has been filed for a 49.5′ x 122′ RM-4 zoned site at 944 East 8th Avenue, between St. Catherines and Windsor Streets near Vancouver Community College. Details of the proposal include:

• 4-storey woodframe apartment
• 15 market rental apartment units
• a total density of 1.45 FSR (8,749.3 SF)
• elevator
• a building height of 39.9 ft
• 2 car-share parking spaces

The existing property is a 3-storey walkup apartment with 6 units that sold to the current owner for $1,250,000.

The developer is seeking relaxations on height and parking in order to build rental units.

A development application has been submitted to redevelop a single-storey retail building on four lots on Victoria Drive near East 54th Avenue. The plan for the C-2 zoned site at 7151 Victoria drive is for a 4-storey woodframe mixed use building that includes:

• 25 rental apartment units
• four retail CRU units (5,082 SF)
• total density of 2.50 FSR (25,674 SF)
• 35 parking spaces on two levels of underground parking

The architect for the project is GBL Architects.