A rezoning application has been submitted for the “Denny’s” site at 1296 West Broadway. The site was sold in February 2016 to Jameson Development Corp for $26,250,000. The rezoning for the 18,762 SF site call for a 16-storey mixed-use building with apartments above retail and a small office component. The proposal includes:

• 153 rental apartment units;
• 27 studios, 70 one-bedrooms, 41 two-bedrooms & 15 three-bedrooms
• 30,220 SF of retail space on two levels
• 4,891 SF of office space
• A total density of 7.07 FSR;
• A building height of 159 ft.; and
• 168 parking spaces

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

The architect for the project is IBI Group.

The land sale from last year equates to $198 per buildable SF based on the anticipated rezoning.

Viva Grand Developments has applied to rezone a site that they own at Cambie Street and West 42nd Avenue, across from Oakridge Centre. The plan for the 31,194 SF site at 5812-5888 Cambie Street is to rezone from the existing C-2 to CD under the Cambie Corridor Plan to allow a 10 and 8-storey mixed-use development, including:

• a total of 117 residential units;
• 20 studios, 28 one-bedrooms, 50 two-bedrooms & 11 three-bedrooms
• 8 live work units at the lane;
• 6 commercial units at grade totaling 14,700 SF;
• 21,000 SF of office space;
• a maximum building height of 116 ft.;
• a total density of 5.22 FSR; and
• 215 underground vehicle parking spaces and bicycle spaces.

Viva Grand had acquired the site, currently occupied by single storey retail, in 2013 for $26,000,000.

The architect for the project is IBI Group.

The full rezoning package can be viewed here: http://rezoning.vancouver.ca/applications/5812-5888cambie/index.htm

A rezoning application has been submitted for a 90 x 110 ft, C-3A zoned site at 521-525 West 8th Avenue, just west of Cambie Street (across from Whole Foods). The site is currently comprised of two single-storey retail buildings, one of which is now vacant.

The proposal calls for a nine-storey office building with retail, and includes:

• 60,300 SF of office space
• 2,000 SF of retail space
• Office floorplates ranging from 6,400 to 9,015 SF
• A total density 6.91;
• A building height of 111 ft.;
• 88 parking spaces on 3 1/2 underground levels; and
• 35 bicycle parking spaces

Typical Tower Floorplan

This application is being considered under the Metropolitan Core Jobs and Economy Land Use Plan. The “Metro Core” plan policy has been in place now for almost ten years. The primary purpose the plan was to facilitate rezoning for commercial development, either by restricting residential use, or by allowing greater density for office uses. The site falls within the “Broadway Corridor Choice-of-Use Areas” which allow for increased commercial density by virtue of proximity to transit.

The architect for the project is Musson Cattell Mackey Partnership.

This application is the latest in a recent trend of rezoning applications for office buildings on sites under 10,000 SF which traditionally would’ve been viewed as too small to accommodate larger floorplates and parking requirements.

GBL Architects Inc. has applied to the City of Vancouver for permission to develop an 11,484 SF, C-2 zoned site at the corner of West 17th Avenue and Heather Street. The site is currently improved with a 3-storey walkup apartment building with ground floor retail.

Basic plan details consist of a 4-storey mixed use building with:

• one level of Retail and four levels of Residential
• 16 units
• 10 two-bedrooms and 6 three-bedrooms
• total density of 2.44 FSR
• 2 levels of underground parking, having vehicular access from the lane.

Under the site’s existing C-2 zoning, the application is “conditional” so it may be permitted; however, it requires the decision of the Director of Planning.

The site was listed for sale in early 2016 and sold to a numbered company for $9,100,000, or $325 per buildable SF.

Here is a brief photo update on the construction progress for The Exchange, a 31-store, 372,000 SF office tower at the corner of Howe Street and West Pender Street in Downtown Vancouver.

Construction got underway in early  2014 with the reconstruction of the old stock exchange building at 475 Howe Street.

The project is scheduled to be completed in 2017.

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

photo courtesy mcminsen http://po.st/UtQBDn via @imageshack

photo courtesy mcminsen http://po.st/kPoDm6 via @imageshack

photo courtesy mcminsen http://po.st/MDf3K3 via @imageshack