LW & Chen Development has applied to rezone a 26,142 SF site near the corner of Cooney Road and Park Road in Richmond. The plan calls for a rezoning under the Brighouse Village (City Centre) zoning to allow a 49 unit mid-rise and townhouse complex.

The site is located in the Urban Centre T5 zone, which allows a maximum of 1.2 FAR plus a bonus of 0.8 FAR which is conditional upon compliance with the Affordable Housing Strategy

Project details include:

• Consolidation of three lots (6740 Cooney Road, 6731 Eckersley Road and 6751 Eckersley Road)
• 41 apartment units, 8 townhouses all above underground parking
• A total density of 2.0 FAR
• 6-storey midrise building with 3-storey townhouses
• Contribution of cash in lieu of affordable housing (less than 80 units)

A development application by Rendition Developments for a 50 foot lot at the Northwest corner of Ontario and West 6th Avenue demonstrates the type of development we are likely to see more of in the I-1 zoned area of Mount Pleasant. The site address is 2151 Ontario.

The plan for this 6,039 SF site is a three-storey building with clothing manufacturing on the ground floor, and general offices on the 2nd and 3rd floors. Details includes:

• 5,909 SF of manufacturing area
• 11,875 SF of office space
• A density of 2.95 FSR
• 13 underground parking stalls

The site is currently improved with a single storey industrial building that was listed for sale late last year for $2,695,000, and sold for full asking price.

Changes made to the I-1 zone in 2013 allowed more flexibility with respect to building general office space, which was previously restricted to uses related to the manufacturing. Parking relaxations have also allowed sites such as 2151 Ontario to reach full density without further assembly for underground parking.

Not surprisingly, the 2013 zoning changes have resulted in an attendant increase in sales activity and land values over the past 18 months, a trend which is reinforced with stagnant rates for older light-industrial space.

300 West Esplanade Brochure_E