Bonnis Properties has acquired 929 Granville Street in deal for $38,250,000. The property, officially named the Wilson Block, but more widely recognized as the “Tom Lee Music” Building on the Granville Strip is a 5-storey heritage building originally built in 1927.

The 41,000 SF building sits on a 14,985 SF site just South of the prime retail area of Granville and Robson. It is on the heritage register as a “C”.

The building was taken over by Tom Lee in 1989 and the interior substantially redesigned for the music store and head office for the company.

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

Bogner Developments has applied to the City of Vancouver for permission to develop a 12,458 SF site on East Boulevard between West 46th and West 47th. The plans for the C-2 zoned site are for a five-storey building including:

• 21 residential units on the first through fifth floors;
• two commercial retail units on the first floor and mezzanine;
• 46 parking spaces in an underground garage;
• overall density of 3.08 FSR (38,357 SF);
• building height of 57.51 feet;
• retention and restoration of the façade of the existing 2-storey commercial building.

Existing Heritage Facade/Building

“In order to achieve the development that is proposed, City Council will be asked to consider a Heritage Revitalization Agreement (HRA), which would approve the form of development and vary the provisions of the Zoning and Development By-law in order to enable this development to proceed. This HRA, as well as the municipal designation of the existing heritage building, will secure the rehabilitation of this heritage resource, and assist in its long-term preservation.”

Rositch Hemphill is the architect for the project.

The site was acquired by Bogner in December 2013 for $5,318,756, or $139 per buildable SF based on the density in the application.

1424 West Broadway, more commonly known as the Joeys Broadway, has sold for $19,800,000 to the Value Group. The 15,265 SF C-3A zoned site was previously sold in 2014 for $14,300,000. Joeys lease expires in 2019, though there is no word on redevelopment plans for the property.

The property had been listed for sale by Colliers in late 2015, and received multiple offers. The adjacent property at 1448 West Broadway was also listed for sale.

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.