Posted Nov 7, 2008, 8:12 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Vancouver
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From the Courier - former Home Depot site at Broadway & Maple now to be developed by Pinnacle. Gee, the new IGA is "unpopular" so the old one needs to be retained....
Quote:
Residents rally around threatened grocery store
Cheryl Rossi, Vancouver Courier
Published: Friday, November 07, 2008
If a proposed development gets the go-ahead, a seven-storey development will replace the parking lot of the IGA grocery store at West Broadway and Maple.
That has some residents concerned for the future of the grocery store. "As soon as they dig a hole, open the ground, the IGA can't function anymore because there'll be nowhere for people to park," said Veronica Ross, who lives a couple of blocks from the site.
She said residents don't want to lose the grocery store and want to know what will replace it.
"They're basically piecemeal developing it," she said. "What the neighbourhood would like is a comprehensive plan of the entire site."
The property between West Broadway, Maple, West 10th Avenue and the Arbutus Corridor is two different sites. The north portion with the parking lot and David Hunter Garden Centre is zoned commercial and allows for residential development. The IGA and liquor store sit on land that's zoned for industrial use. The 20 feet between the front of the grocery and liquor stores and the parking lot is a city-owned lane.
Pinnacle International proposes a seven-storey development on the north half, with 20,000 square feet of retail at grade, 120,000 square feet of residential in the six storeys above and underground parking.
A massive Home Depot store was proposed for the site by the property's previous owner, but quashed in 2004.
The zoning policies and guidelines developed in 2004 as a result of the Home Depot controversy could be the reason why Pinnacle is developing its land piece by piece.
Michael Naylor, a planner in the city's rezoning centre, said according to the 2004 guidelines if a developer is to plan the site as a whole with a comprehensive plan, the allowable density would be blended across the north and south portions and not increased.
"So the developer looks at it and goes 'Why should I go through the hassle of a rezoning and comprehensive planning process?'" he said. "The residents need to understand if you want the policies to toe the line on density, then you can't expect people to want to go through a comprehensive planning. You need a bit of a carrot there for the developers to want to enter into it."
Scott Barker, a project facilitator with the city, says Pinnacle's plans, which were presented to the public by Coriolis Consulting at open houses Sept. 10 and last week, include a grocery and liquor store in the new development.
Ross says the grocery store would be half the size of the IGA.
A new IGA operates two blocks away at the corner of West Broadway and Vine, but Ross said the cramped, underground store is unpopular with local residents. She added a condo with 36 units for people with disabilities is behind the old IGA while the below-grade Vine IGA offers only elevator access for people in wheelchairs.
Barker said more than 100 residents attended the first open house and close to 100 attended the second, and the primary concern was the loss of the IGA.
Ross also worries about traffic. She said Pinnacle proposes reducing the four entrances and exits to one off Maple Street.
"Everything's happening on Maple, so when the parents drop their kids off at [Lord Tennyson elementary] school, it's just going to make traffic almost impossible," she said.
Ross wonders if a replacement liquor store would be permitted under city bylaws, which prohibit liquor stores from being located 150 metres from a church, park, elementary or secondary school, community centre or neighbourhood house. Lord Tennyson is kitty corner from the southern portion of the site.
Coriolis Consulting declined to speak on behalf of its client, and Pinnacle International did not return the Courier's calls.
© Vancouver Courier 2008
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