Westbank Projects has applied to the City of Vancouver for permission to develop a site at 33 West Cordova with a 11-storey mixed-use building.The plan, which involves a deal between Ian Gillespie, the Portland Housing Society and BC Housing, was first announced a year ago.

The proposal for the 19,071 SF site that also fronts onto Blood Alley includes the following:

• 214 rental apartments (80 social housing units /134 secured market rental units);
• commercial uses on the ground floor and cabaret underground;
• 163,482 SF of gross floor area;
• total density of 8.57 FSR
• building height of 110 ft.;
• 267 bicycle parking spots.

Under the site’s existing HA-2 zoning, the application is “conditional” so it may be permitted; however, it requires the decision of the Development Permit Board. 

The architect for the project is Henriquez Partners Architects. In the application, Henriquez explains the design rationale:

A two-storey office building at 1525 West 8th Avenue has sold for $19,500,000. The building sits on a 13,680 SF C-3A zoned property and has potential for redevelopment in the future to include residential. Based on the anticipated base density of 3.0 FSR, the price equates to $475 per buildable SF.

The building had been listed for sale earlier this year. Here is a promotional video outlining the property, including a rendering of a potential future condo tower on the site:

1525 West 8th Ave, Vancouver, BC from Cushman & Wakefield | Vancouver on Vimeo.

An interesting proposal has surfaced for a 33-foot lot on Commercial Drive at the corner of Napier Street. The site, which is improved with a 2-storey heritage commercial building built in 1908, is now being planned for heritage preservation with an infill apartment building at the rear lane.

Details of the proposal include:

• retaining the existing 2-storey Heritage B building (now occupied by Moja Coffee)
• a new 5-storey infill residential building with 8 rental apartment units at the rear of this site;
• a maximum height of 48.5 feet;
• a density of 2.70 FSR (10,108 SF);
• one-car share parking space having vehicular access from the lane;
• removal of one street tree on Napier Street.

Under the site’s existing C-2C1 zoning, the application is conditional and requires the approval of the planning department. For this project, relaxations would be required on building height and some setbacks. The application references incentives under the Rental 100 program.

View from Napier St – existing heritage building on the right

View from rear lane

The architect for the project is Cornerstone Architecture.

The property was listed for sale in 2013 and sold for $1,690,000, which equates to approx. $125 per buildable SF when the existing building is taken to account.