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.

A rezoning application has been submitted under the infrequently used Affordable Housing Choices Interim Rezoning Policy that would see a 17,502 SF single family lot in Shaughnessy redeveloped for stacked townhouse units.

The lot at 4575 Granville Street, just South of West 29th Avenue, is currently zoned RS-5 which generally limits development to single family houses up to a density of 0.70 FSR. The rezoning would potentially allow a 3.5-storey development that includes:

• 21 residential stacked townhouse units;
• 13 three-bedrooms and 8 one-bedrooms;
• a total density of 1.30 FSR;
• a height of 41 ft.; and
• 32 vehicle parking spaces and 32 bicycle spaces.

The City of Vancouver initiated the Affordable Housing Choices Interim Rezoning Policy
in 2012 to “encourage innovation and enabling real examples of affordable housing types to be tested for potential wider application that will provide ongoing housing opportunities.” It allows for 20 rezoning applications to be considered by council before others are placed on a wait-list.

One of the criteria under this policy is that a site must be within 1.5 blocks of an arterial street. There are also affordability requirements such as the requirement for 100% rental, or condo where a 20% portion are sold below-market. Other options include co-housing or community land trusts.

Other recent rezoning applications under this policy include:

• A 12-unit rental townhouse project at Arbutus & 35th
• A 15-unit rental townhouse project on West 12th in Kits
• A 70-unit rental project in East Vancouver
• A 55-unit, 6-storey rental project on Rupert Street in East Van
• Westbank’s 6-storey rental project at Broadway & Alma

The architect for the project is Stuart Howard Architects.