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 development application has been filed by Man 6 Holdings Inc., a project company made up of the partners of EKISTICS Architecture. The site is 6,039 SF, zoned I-1 and is located at the corner of West 6th Avenue and Manitoba. The proposed development concept is a new four-storey, mixed industrial and commercial building consisting of ground level Manufacturing use and Office uses on the 2nd to 4th floor. Details include:

• 12,078 SF of office space
• 6,040 SF of light industrial space
• a total density of 3.0 FSR;
• 64 ft. building height;
• two levels of underground parking with 19 spaces.

Ekistics describes the design rationale: “EKISTICS is currently located at 1925 Main Street. We are excited to be designing and building our own studio space within this neighbourhood. We have been actively searching for a new company home for the past four years. We managed to stretch our resources to purchase this land in order to keep our office close to where people live and in a desirable and exciting neighbourhood. We feel passionate about our city, and being part of making it a great place to live and work. Our goal is to redevelop the site to include one floor of light industrial use, and three floors of office use. EKISTICS will occupy 2 of the 3 office floor for its studio. Our intention is to lease the main and second floors to local businesses which will compliment our design work.”

Under the site’s existing I-1 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 Ekistics Architecture Inc.

The site was acquired in Mach 2017 for $5,000,000.

The owner of Lansdowne Centre, Vanprop Investments, has submitted their formal OCP amendment application to the City of Richmond for the purpose of approving a Master Land Use Plan for the 50 acre site, located in the heart of Richmond’s City Centre at the centre of the Lansdowne Village. It is immediately adjacent to the Lansdowne Canada Line Station, and is bound by No.3 Road, Alderbridge Way, Kwantlen Street and Lansdowne Road. Initial plans to redevelop the mall were announced two years ago.

While the density for the site is already established in the City Centre Area Plan (“CCAP”), the Master Plan is required to organize the eventual phasing, massing and heights of the future mixed-use development, as well as the location of the 10 acre park planned for the site. City of Richmond council endorsement means that the proposal can now move toward a community consultation phase. 

The shopping centre on the site was built in 1977 and exemplifies the auto-oriented enclosed shopping centre design popular in the 60’s and 70’s. The arrival of the Canada Line in 2010 with a station right next door and the subsequent CCAP made this site a prime target for future redevelopment, particularly since the surface parking can accommodate immediate development without requiring demolition of the existing mall.

The site has a mix of zoning designations, including Urban Core T6 (up to 4.0 FAR) on the westerly 1/3 of the site, and Urban Centre T5 (up to 2.0 FAR) on the easterly 2/3 of the site. The CCAP also identified the site for a 10 acre linear park running east/west along the southern portion of the site fronting Lansdowne Road.

Here is a summary of some of the concepts identified in the proposed master plan which has already achieved support for moving through the next steps in the process:

• An overall density of 2.77 FAR (approx. 6,000,000 SF)
• 22 residential towers and 2 office towers
• 73% of the density within 400 metres of Lansdowne Station
• A 53,500 SF community amenity building at corner of No.3 Road & Lansdowne
• A new 10 acre park in the centre of the site (revised shape from CCAP)
• Retail/entertainment space with residential and office space above fronting Hazelbridge Way (high street)
• A new civic plaza near the Canada Line Station
• Building heights up to 47 metres
• New north/south extension of Hazelbridge Way and Cooney Road between Alderbridge Way and Lansdowne Road
• New east/west road to connect No. 3 Road and Kwantlen Street
• Target of 2035 for entire build out

Next Steps

The proposed OCP amendment process will require further consultation and refinement to the details in the master plan before final council approval and subsequent rezoning applications for individual phases. Consultation would take place in the spring 2018 with approval likely later next year. Below is the City’s flowchart outlining the process:

Proposed Master Land Use Plan

The architect for the master plan is Dialog.

Thind Properties has applied to the City of Burnaby to rezone a 57,809 SF site at 6525-6585 Sussex Avenue for a new mixed use development including market residential, non-market rental and retail and office uses. The original rezoning application was made over a year ago, but the details have now been finalized and it is now ready to move forward to public hearing.

As detailed in the Burnaby Now, the project is a partnership between Thind, New Vista Housing Society and BC Housing. 

The existing site is located just a few steps East of Metrotown Skytrain Station on Beresford and is comprised of three lots improved with three older walkup apartment buildings totaling 64 units.

The plan calls for rezoning per the Metrotown Downtown Plan to RM5s, RM4 and C2 zoning districts. Details include:

• a 48-storey tower including 10-storeys of office and 38-storeys of residential on the North portion of the site
• 327 market residential units
• 160 one-bedrooms units, 125 two-bedroom units and 41 three-bedroom units;
• 4,700 SF of retail uses at grade;
• 69,515 SF of office space;
• a 14-storey tower with 125 non-market rental units on the South portion
• A combined total density of 8.0 FAR;
• Building heights of 520 ft. and 155 ft;
• 544 underground parking stalls

Somewhat hidden behind the news of the Housing Vancouver Strategy announcement, is a new policy proposal for CACs for commercial and rental-only residential developments. The overall plan proposed in the policy report entitled “CAC Policy Update: Simplifying CACs on New Rental Housing and Commercial Development” is to cease negotiating CACs on commercial rezonings and some rental rezonings.

The City’s proposal is intended to “simplify the City’s development contribution system which includes DCLs, CACs, density bonusing and other mechanisms. The proposed changes will provide greater clarity and certainty on development contributions for rezoning applicants. The recommended changes will streamline the CAC process for both secured market rental and commercial-only rezoning applications to enable a majority of these project types to be brought to market sooner.”

The recommendations in the proposed policy include the following:

Recommendation A – Exempt routine, lower density secured market rental rezoning applications from CACs

The City would exempt rental applications from CAC negotiations where the density proposed is low, or consistent with area zoning. The table below shows where CACs would be exempt for rental based on height guidelines:

Recommendation B – Remove CAC negotiation on commercial-only rezoning 

The City intends on removing the CAC negotiation process (which can prolong the application timeline significantly) for commercial applications in the Downtown, Metro Core, Grandview Employment Area and South Vancouver Industrial Lands. This would not apply for proposed stratified commercial space.

The City will also introduce commercial linkage targets, which are intended to show the correlation between additional commercial space and workforce related childcare spaces and affordable housing. The commecial linkage targets will be fixed $/SF amounts calculated on the net additional density for commercial rezonings in the Downtown and Metro Core areas. 

The interim Commercial Linkage Targets will be as follows:As industry consultation has already occurred for these items, they could take effect almost immediately after Council adoption.

A full copy of the policy report can be viewed here: http://council.vancouver.ca/20171128/documents/a4.pdf