Rezoning and OCP amendment applications have been submitted for the Northmount Medical Centre site, located at 123-145 East 13th Street in the Central Lonsdale area of North Vancouver. The site is directly across the street from Onni’s recently completed Centreview project, and just East of Wesgroup’s The Prescott, completed a few years ago.

The one acre site, currently improved with two older medical office buildings, one at 4-storeys and the other at 9-storeys, sold in 2017 to the Millenium Development for $43,500,000. The site is one of only a handful that will allow taller buildings in the Central Lonsdale area.

The proposed redevelopment includes:

• an 18-storey tower on the Eastern side of the site;
• a 7-storey midrise on the Western side;
• 162 residential units;
• 1 studio, 61 one-bedrooms; 53 two-bedrooms and 34 three-bedrooms;
• 18,331 SF of ground floor retail;
• 31,718 SF of office space on the 2nd and 3rd floors;
• a total density of 4.95 FSR;
• a total building height of 187 feet;
• 279 underground parking stalls;
• a total community benefits package of $6.4 Million.

The architect for the project is Chris Dikeakos.

Another rezoning application has been filed under the increasingly well-known Affordable Housing Choices Interim Policy. This one is for a seven-lot, full block land assembly on the East side of Renfrew Street, between East Georgia Street and Adanac Street. The full land assembly totals 25,816 SF.

The proposal is for a five-storey mixed-use building, consisting of:

• • 77 rental apartment units;
  • 56 one-bedrooms, 9 two-bedrooms & 12 3-bedrooms;
  • 7,868 SF of retail space along Renfrew;
  • a total density of 2.96 FSR;
  • a five-storey building height of 58 ft.; and
  • 81 underground parking spaces over two levels.

The application describes the design rationale: “Our concept proposes typical setbacks for Mixed-Use buildings in the City of Vancouver, with approporiate stepping from the lane in consideration of existing dwellings. The commercial uses are setback 2’0” from Renfrew Street, and the townhouses are setback 7-0” from Georgia Street. We designed a 12’-0” setback from the lane to the townhouses comprised entirely of landscaped terraces which will significantly improve the current condition of the lane.

At the third and fourth storeys, the building maintains a 25’-0” setback from the lane, which increases to 40’0” at L5-6. Above L4, we have setback the residential uses 2.5m from the property line, and created street facing patios for residents.

On Level 5, a common rooftop patio amenity has been proposed for residents of the building. We have taken steps to address privacy and overlook issues at the shared amenity, while providing a welcoming and pleasant space for residents. The rooftop is partially occupied with urban agriculture, taking advantage of the solar exposure to provide a practical and sustainable amenity for residents.”

This application is being considered under the Affordable Housing Choices Interim Rezoning Policy.

The site sold in June 2017 for $15,970,000, or $209 per buildable SF based on the application.

The architect for the project is GBL Architects.

The latest on a long list of Kingsway Rental 100 rezoning applications comes for a site at the corner of Kingsway and East 15th Avenue, just West of Fraser Street.

610-644 Kingsway is an assembly of several older lowrise commercial buildings on the South side of the street, zoned C-2C. The curved site totals 13,830 SF. 

Details include:

• 53 secured market rental units;
• 9 studios, 19 one-bedrooms, 19 two-bedrooms & 6 three-bedrooms;
• 7,151 SF of ground floor retail;
• a total density of 3.75 FSR;
• a building height of 69 ft.; and
• 2 levels of underground parking.

This application is being considered under the Secured Market Rental Housing (Rental 100) Policy.

The architect for the project is Studio One Architecture.

The full rezoning application can be viewed here: http://rezoning.vancouver.ca/applications/610kingsway/index.htm

A proposal has been submitted to the City of Vancouver to restore and revive the Hollywood Theatre. 4184 Investments Ltd. has applied for a development permit to add a 6-storey residential building while restoring the adjacent theatre building. The combined site area is 16,743 SF and the site is zoned C-2C which allows a density up to 3.0 FSR and 4-storeys.

The Hollywood Theatre building was originally built in 1935 and closed in 2011 after the building was finally sold by the Fairleigh family. There have been various community efforts to save the theatre since that time.

 The current proposal includes the following:

• • 40 condo units – “The Hollywood Residences”;
  • 6 studios, 13 one-bedrooms, 16 two-bedrooms & 5 three-bedrooms;
  • 4,423 SF of new ground floor retail space;
  • A total density of 3.19 FSR;
  • Building height of 67 ft.;
  • A restored theatre building;
  • Two levels of underground parking accessed from the lane with a total of 47 parking spaces.

Within the application, the owners provide an overview of the plan for the new theatre: “We will re-introduce The Hollywood Theatre back into Vancouver’s consciousness by creating and operating a beautifully renovated, state-of-the-art performing arts centre dedicated to bringing the creative arts to the local community.

As well as live entertainment ticketed events such as live music performances, live theatre, movie screenings, tech events and corporate and private functions we welcome local community producers, non-profit organizations and special interest groups wishing to hold their event at the Hollywood Theatre. This will also include hosting special free to-the public events produced by local producers.”

Full details on their proposed operating plan can be viewed here: http://development.vancouver.ca/3133wbroadway/documents/perspectiveoperatorsbusinessplan.pdf

Under the site’s existing C2-C zoning, the application is “conditional” so it may be permitted; however, it requires the decision of the Development Permit Board. The full development application can be viewed here: http://development.vancouver.ca/3133wbroadway/index.htm

The architect for the project is Marianne Amodio Architecture Studio, Inc.

The City of Coquitlam, YMCA and Concert Properties have entered into a partnership to exchange lands and rezone two sites in the Burquitlam-Lougheed Neighbourhood Plan area to permit redevelopment on both sites. 

The two sites include:

• Burquitlam Park – a 3.96 acre site on Smith Avenue, adjacent Bosa’s Uptown Development
• Whitgift Gardens – a 5.45 acre site on Cottonwood Avenue, directly North of Bosa’s Lougheed Heights development, and West of Cottonwood Park

The sites are located in the Burquitlam-Lougheed Neighbourhood Plan “Core” and “Shoulder” areas respectively. The proposal involves a property exchange between
the City (at Burquitlam Park) and Concert (Whitgift Gardens – an existing older rental residential complex).The exchange involves 2.15 acres of park land from Burquitlam Park to the Whitgift Gardens site to facilitate the expansion of Cottonwood Park and in return, the same area of developable land, with its associated density, is moved from the Whitgift Gardens site to the Burquitlam Park site.

The two components of the proposal include:

Burquitlam Park Site

• A 50-storey condo tower and 30-storey rental tower;
• 275 rental units;
• 435 condo units;
• a new 60,000 SF 3-storey YMCA recreation facility;
• a new community police station;
• total density of 6.30 FAR;
• 930 parking stalls;
• New 1.5 acre Burquitlam Park.

Whitgift Gardens Site 

• Six highrise residential towers from 24 to 48-storeys in height;
• Two rental towers of 37-storeys;
• Four condo towers of 24, 25, 43 & 48-storeys;
• 654 rental units;
• 1,187 condo units;
• 132 seniors market rental units;
• 20-40 below market rental units;
• standalone amenity building;
• total density of 5.50 FAR;
• 2,350 parking stalls;
• Extension of Emerson Street and new East-West road.

The proposed market rental units represent a roughly 3:1 replacement ratio of the
existing rental units at Whitgift Gardens. The total value of all the public benefits including bonus density funds and CAC’s is $120 Million.

The architects for the project are Raymond Letkeman Architects and Endall Elliott.