An application has been filed for a 90 x 132 ft., C-2 zoned property at 540 Victoria Drive in the Grandview Woodlands area of East Vancouver. The proposed plan includes:

• a new 4-storey building
• 2 CRU’s on the main floor (one for a new Bosa Foods store)
• 27 rental apartment units on the 2nd to 4th floors
• A density of 2.38 FSR (1.75 residential)
• 1 level of underground parking

Cornerstone Architecture explains the rationale for the project:

“This development provides a mixed-use residential and commercial building that will stand as a legacy project for the Bosa Foods company, which has been a long term part of the community. The development is to provide a mixture of  1, 2 and 3 bedroom rental suites across the upper 3 storeys.”

A development application has been made for an RM-4 zoned site at the corner of Victoria Drive and Frances Street in the Grandview-Woodlands area. This site are was not identified for increased density in the any version of the Grandview Woodlands Community Plan. The project calls for the following:

• one three-storey and one four-storey multiple dwelling building containing a total of 15 apartment units
• a total density of 1.43 FSR or 17,006 SF (RM-4 allows 1.45 FSR)
• a total of 17 underground parking spaces

Further, the City is requesting that the site dedicate about 7’ of land along Victoria Drive for possible future reconfiguration of the street to provide dedicated bike lanes. It is noted that further assembly was not feasible.

More info can be found here: http://former.vancouver.ca/devapps/pc649victoria/index.htm

A rezoning application in North Vancouver provides a glimpse of what’s to come in the City North Vancouver’s apartment zones and offers some ideas for other municipalities struggling with issues surrounding housing affordability and densification in existing older apartment areas.

The application for 1549 St. George’s Avenue is seeking renovation and expansion of the existing two-storey walkup apartment building built in 1957. The property is located in the Central Lonsdale area and is zoned RM-1 with an OCP designation of Residential Level-5 (allows 1.6 FAR). The proposal includes:

• Full renovation of existing two floors
• Addition of new third and fourth floors
• Increase from 13 units to 29 units
• Total density of 2.06 FSR
• 0.46 FSR bonus in exchange for rental (under 2015 OCP guidelines)
• Tenant relocation plan including first opportunity to move to nearby building of same owner
• Reduction in parking requirement by the equivalent of 9 stalls

More info: http://www.cnv.org/attach/2015%2001%2026%20item%2010.pdf

A plan by FDG Property Management to rezone a site at 161-165 East Keith Road has gone through public hearing. The plan is for a 17-storey, 93 unit residential development, of which 52 units will be stratified and 41 units will be secured as rental in perpetuity as a density bonus. Parking will be provided underground and accessed from East 6th Street. A density transfer is being proposed from adjacent City land (closed road).

Here’s a quick look at the largest deals of 2014. While the announcement of the sale of the Jericho Lands was considered to be among the biggest deals of the year, this is not included as this was not a market transaction.

1. Hyatt Regency ($140 MM)

The sale of the Hyatt Regency hotel in Downtown Vancouver to InnVest REIT last month was the largest deal in Vancouver in 2014. The 644-room hotel sold for $140 Million. According to an InnVest press release: “InnVest funded the acquisition of the Hyatt with a new $70 million, 3.8% floating rate mortgage (three-year term plus two one-year options) and cash on hand”.

2. 1500 West Georgia ($120 MM)

Bosa Properties acquisition of 1500 West Georgia from Morguard was one of the most talked about deals in 2014. The 193,000 SF A Class office building sits on a very valuable and partially underutilized 43,320 SF, full-block site at the Southeast corner of West Georgia and Cardero. Speculation abounds as to future redevelopment.

3. Langara Gardens ($102 MM)

Peterson Group quietly sold a 50% interest in their 621-unit, 21 acre apartment property on Cambie Street known as Langara Gardens to Concert Properties in a deal that would peg the value over $200 Million. The site has been undergoing a preliminary planning process with the City of Vancouver since 2013.

4. 3777 Kingsway ($87 MM)

Another 50% sale managed to make Vancouver’s top deals of the year. The 50% sale of a building that many Vancouverites refer to as the ‘Telus Boot’, a 22-storey office tower near Metrotown, was sold by H&R REIT to Crestpoint for $87 Million.

5. 1444 Alberni & 740 Nicola ($84 MM)

Wall Financial’s acquisition of a full-city block in the West End was one of Vancouver’s largest deals with redevelopment potential. At just under an acre and containing existing apartments and office space, the site has redevelopment potential under the City of Vancouver’s new West End Community Plan.