Orr Development has submitted their rezoning and development permit applications for a 34,801 SF site at the corner of Sixth Street and Seventh Avenue in the Uptown neighbourhood of New Westminster. The site is currently improved with older two-storey commercial buildings. 

The proposal for 616-640 Sixth Street is for a 30-storey mixed use development that includes:

• 169 market residential strata units (on levels 8-30)
• 68 secured market rental housing units (on levels 2-7)
• 14,439 SF of retail at grade;
• a total density of 6.03 FSR;
• a total building height of 305 ft.
• 299 underground parking spaces;
• common outdoor amenity area located on the forth level on top of the podium roof.

The site is designated as (UC) Uptown Commercial in the current Official Community Plan. The Rezoning application entails changing the zoning of the property from Community Commercial Districts (High Rise) (C-3) to a new Comprehensive Development District (CD). The Development Permit application is to facilitate the review of the form and character of the proposal in accordance with Official Community Plan Development Permit Area Guidelines.

The architect for the project is Yamamoto Architecture.

A partnership between Strand Development and Intracorp has submitted a rezoning application for a 17,292 SF site at 1068-1080 Burnaby Street and 1318 Thurlow Street. The site is currently zoned RM-5A but has been redesignated within the West End Community Plan for higher density. The rezoning designation requires that 25% of the gross floor area is social housing. The site is currently improved with two older lowrise apartment buildings and a 12-unit strata building.

Our team sold this site just a few months ago.

The proposal is for a 30-storey residential tower that includes:

• 82 market residential units;
• 39 social housing units;
• 3 studios, 21 one-bedrooms, 71 two-bedrooms, 24 three-beds and 2 four-beds;
• a total density of 8.94 FSR;
• a building height of 290 ft.; and
• four levels of underground parking with 176 vehicle parking stalls and 160 bicycle parking spaces.

The building height and overall density (including social housing) was required to be reduced in order to accommodate an obscure urban design guideline that restricts any shadows from being cast onto the North Davie Street sidewalk at 4pm on the equinox dates.

The application is being considered under the West End Community Plan. The application describes the design rationale of the market housing component:

“The market housing component of the tower has been planned with large , spacious floor plans that provide generous and functional living spaces. All family oriented homes are anchored at one of the four corners of the tower by a large outdoor covered terrace; this outdoor space becomes the focal point of the living spaces within and maximizes access to natural light, outdoor living opportunities , and cross -ventilated air. Homes of this nature will fill the needs of families, urban professionals and downsizers equally well, and will help to foster an integrated community of unique, liveable homes.”

The architect for the project is NSDA Architects.

BlueSky Properties has submitted their formal rezoning applications for two linked sites across the street from each other on the East side of Thurlow Street on Harwood.

The two towers would be 32 and 33-storeys respectively, comprise a total of 300 units and would be rezoned from the current RM-5A zoning to a CD zoning per the West End Community Plan, which allows for 300 ft. towers between Thurlow and Burrard.

Details for each site include:

1065 Harwood Street and 1332 Thurlow Street (North Site)

The proposal is for a 33-storey residential building including:

• 59 market residential units on floors 18-33;
• 98 social housing units on floors 2-18;
• 64 one-bedrooms, 30 two-bedrooms and 49 three-bedrooms;
• a total density of 10.46 FSR;
• five levels of underground parking with 157 vehicle parking stalls and 197 bicycle parking spaces; and
• a building height of 300 ft.

1066 & 1078 Harwood Street (South Site)

The proposal for the South site is for a 32-storey residential building with:

• 143 market residential units;
• 64 one-bedrooms, 30 two-bedrooms and 49 three-bedrooms;
• a total density of 10.11 FSR;
• six levels of underground parking with 236 vehicle parking stalls and 180 bicycle parking spaces; and
• a building height of 300 ft.

The architect for the project is Henriquez Partners.