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

Details about the new ‘Media Facade’ on the Telus Gardens office tower are emerging and it seems like it will be a distinctive feature. The screen is located on the west façade, between the 16th and 18th floors, and is approximately 26′ x 40′. It is only visible in one direction from both Georgia and Seymour Streets.

Here’s a description from the application:

“A simple and proven technology of back projection onto a retractable screen will provide a glare-free static image or full motion video. At dusk the screen descends, and the façade transforms.

When the performance is over, the screen ascends and the office tower is back to business. Content will be a mix of public art (including community messaging) and tenant exposure with the City of Vancouver reserving the right for special event programming.”

More details here.

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).

A three-storey office building located at East 1st and Lonsdale has sold for $6,400,000. The 18,000 SF building was built in 1949 and is located on a 9,007 SF site. The property’s 2015 assessment is $5,620,000. The ground floor is leased to Eternal Skin Care.

Some great crane shots of MNP Tower, which is now nearing completion. Fixturing is underway for tenants with opening in the Spring.

Photos by Donald Jones, Flickr.