Vancouver Infill & Lowrise Updates Discussion

[Feathered Friend]

Innovative Kingsway Housing Experiment Could Trigger A Public Space Boom Across Vancouver

810 Kingsway
The ability to work from home has been a mixed blessing for us. Obviously, I am grateful to have a job, I appreciate the extra time with Darren, and that I can wear pyjamas more often. Yet, I miss my colleagues, our home feels cramped, and online meetings drag on forever. Perhaps that is why those on the Urban Design Panel were disappointed to learn that, despite a planned September check-in, these virtual reviews will continue for the foreseeable future.

Of course, we will eventually overcome this pandemic, and the applicant team believes our friends, families, and communities will be hungry to reconnect with each-other. They also know our city was already critically short on places to do that, so they have proposed something far more than a typical modern Vancouver Special. As usual, these rental homes will sit above commercial spaces, but they will also be connected like no other mid-rise building in our city has been before.

https://cityduo.wordpress.com/2020/0...oss-vancouver/

[cyclinginvancouver]

Wilson Chang Architect Inc. has applied to the City of Vancouver for permission to:

develop a six-storey, multiple dwelling building all over two levels of underground parking, having vehicular access from the lane, including:
46 dwelling units;
a proposed FSR of 2.6 (38,955 sq. ft.);
a proposed height of 69.8 ft.; and
46 underground parking spaces.

Under the site’s existing RM-10N zoning, the application is “conditional”, so it may be permitted; however, it requires the decision of the Director of Planning.

We welcome your written comments (letter or e-mail) on this development application. Comments should be received on, or before September 18, 2020, to be included in the staff review. However, comments will be considered up until the date of decision.

5427 Joyce

[SpongeG]

Video Link

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by cyclinginvancouver

5427 Joyce

I drive down this street on my commute every once in a while and I wonder to myself why is it all SFH? there should be much denser housing between the station and kingsway. Good to see something coming.

[whatnext]

Excavation has started at the Hollywood Theatre development:

[IMG]IMG_9747 by whatnextyvr, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]IMG_9749 by whatnextyvr, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]IMG_9750 by whatnextyvr, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]IMG_9752 by whatnextyvr, on Flickr[/IMG]

[cyclinginvancouver]

We would like your feedback on a rezoning application at 1885 E Pender St. The proposal is to allow for the development of a 6-storey social housing building for the Aaron Webster Housing Cooperative. The zoning would change from RM-4 (multiple dwelling) to CD-1 (comprehensive development). This proposal includes:

64 social housing units
A floor space ratio (FSR) of 2.92
A floor area of 4,805 sq. m (51,718 sq. ft.)
A building height of 19.5 m (64 ft.)
29 vehicle parking spaces and 144 bicycle parking spaces(External link)
The application is being considered under the Grandview-Woodland Community Plan

[rofina]

Originally Posted by rofina

Anyone hear anything about 3555 E Hastings? I recall seeing For Sale signs on the lot for years. As per Google Maps;

https://www.google.ca/maps/@49.28114...7i16384!8i8192

I noticed yesterday there is now a PCI board up. Wonder what they have planned for here, considering they own the two lots up the street where they plan to put up 14 floors on each site. As per:
https://www.vancourier.com/real-esta...ver-1.23793195

PCI has hoarding up for a new rental development next to the Kootenay BusLoop on Hastings.

Cant find anything online.

Its called Camas by PCI.

I imagine its a standard 4 story. But cant seem to find any detail.

[Feathered Friend]

Urban Design Panel Urges Commercial Drive Revitalization To Take A Step Back
1650 E 12th Avenue

I cannot describe how relieved I was to learn this would be the last of the Urban Design Panel‘s weekly meetings. Even with work-from-home, Darren and I have felt a little overwhelmed with this hectic pace, so it was great to hear these reviews would return to their usual bi-weekly schedule. Whats more, city staff promised most meetings would only have two items, with a max of three, if they were comprised of straight-forward applications like this one.

As this form is permitted by the Grandview Woodland Community Plan, my guess is this extra scrutiny was only required because of its prominent location. Like one representative of the applicant team who lives in the area, these volunteers were clearly excited by the proposal’s potential to revitalize the place where Commercial Drive and East 12 Avenue meet. Despite this, they felt a variety of improvements were needed in order for it to really shine in the future.

https://cityduo.wordpress.com/2020/1...e-a-step-back/

[Feathered Friend]

https://youtu.be/PpDEURdVsCA


https://youtu.be/PpDEURdVsCA


https://youtu.be/PpDEURdVsCA


https://youtu.be/PpDEURdVsCA






https://youtu.be/PpDEURdVsCA

Vancouver’s Rejection Of Community Plaza Raises Questions Over Rental Housing Benefits

7280 Fraser Street
As this rental building heads to a public hearing next week, I figured it was time to rip the Band-Aid off this painful memory, and write up a summary of its Urban Design Panel review. It took place earlier this year, shortly after my father’s passing, at this body’s first virtual meeting. Hannah had suggested it would be a good distraction, and was proved right when one person remarked it was weird to see familiar faces now covered with hair.

These volunteers overcame struggles with this format, and the mute button pretty quickly, but a few had qualms about replacing this shuttered Safeway with a six floor building. They noted this was a residential area, and questioned whether enough was being given back to these neighbours. Yet, most either supported this form outright, or were persuaded when they realized the Secured Rental Policy for low-density transition areas could allow up to four stories on the surrounding properties, if it wins city council’s approval.

https://cityduo.wordpress.com/2020/1...sing-benefits/

[GenWhy?]

Probably 6 months negotiations with City Staff... UDP comments, "um have you tried the opposite"?

[Feathered Friend]

https://vimeo.com/427420726


https://vimeo.com/427420726




https://vimeo.com/427420726

Hit The Road! Urban Design Panel Recommendations Push Camouflaged Social Housing To The Edge

2924 Venables (Alice Saunders House)
When Hannah and I started writing City Duo, we wanted to put some good into the world by preventing misconceptions over our city’s growth. The planned expansion of this senior’s social housing building has already been the victim of that, as it was met by protests when it was first introduced. Had people known its residents would be rehoused and welcomed back, these difficulties could have been avoided, and the same could be said about this Urban Design Panel meeting.

Maybe it’s because the timeline of this process was backward, as this review happened while the virtual open house was ongoing. Either way, city staff forgot about the proposed Secured Rental Policy for low-density transition areas, and incorrectly informed these volunteers that there were no plans to allow similar developments nearby. That raised sensitivity about the surrounding single-family homes, and has forced the planning department to respond to requests to alter what one member called a “too ambitious,” “massive problem.”

https://cityduo.wordpress.com/2020/1...g-to-the-edge/

[cyclinginvancouver]

57 Lakewood Dr

The proposal is to allow for the development a 6-storey mixed use building. The zoning would change from C-2 (Commercial) District to CD-1 (Comprehensive Development) District. This proposal includes:

89 secured market rental units
Ground-floor commercial-retail space
A floor space ratio (FSR) of 3.0
A floor area of 6,728 sq. m (72,423 sq. ft.)
A building height of 23.5 m (77 ft.)
88 vehicle parking spaces and 192 bicycle parking spaces(External link)
The application is being considered under the Grandview-Woodland Community Plan(External link).

57 Lakewood Dr

[mcminsen]

Originally Posted by cyclinginvancouver

57 Lakewood Dr





57 Lakewood Dr

[Feathered Friend]

Excessive Desires Fail To Dull Urban Design Panel’s Love For Kitsilano’s Moderate Income Rental Homes

3084 West 4th Avenue and 2010 Balaclava Street
As this has been a rather chaotic year, Hannah and I find ourselves catching up with plenty of overdue work, like the recap of this Urban Design Panel meeting. Then again, as a couple professionals caught on an open mic at this review noted, our city is also known for moving slowly. Still, they were impressed with how fast city staff put this event together, as this item was only the second to be heard virtually.

That’s somewhat ironic, as this moderate income rental building’s open house was the last to be held in-person before they switched to an online format due to physical distancing measures. The group formed to oppose this proposal, We Love Kits, had a presence at that event, with professional quality boards that claimed it was oversized for the area, but the panel felt differently. As one person summarized, it may be the first out of gate, but it’s done a lot of positive things.

https://cityduo.wordpress.com/2020/1...-rental-homes/

[Feathered Friend]

https://rezoning.vancouver.ca/applic...ant-boards.pdf


https://vimeo.com/468243067

Urban Design Panel Urges Vancouver Rental Homes To Find Sunny Ways Despite City Council Delays

3449-3479 W 41st Ave and 5664 Collingwood St
It’s fitting that this meeting started with several Urban Design Panel members discussing their plans for retirement, as many of the homes in this rental building are being targeted for that very demographic. The applicant explained their discussions with the Dunbar Residents’ Association led them to provide more studio homes to ensure students, and those who love Dunbar, will be able to continue to live here. Unfortunately, city council’s recent actions may make that more difficult in the future.

As city staff were cautious about what they were saying, it took some time for the panel to tease out the full explanation. Eventually, they revealed the policies to replace the Affordable Housing Choices IRP, and allow four floor rental buildings on select side streets had been delayed (pg 8) until after the Vancouver Plan is settled. Conversely, they claimed the planning department really wanted these initiatives to move forward, but couldn’t get ahead of a council that hasn’t acted.

https://cityduo.wordpress.com/2020/1...ouncil-delays/

[giallo]

Nice to see some more lowrise rentals in Kits.

Thanks for the updates, FF. I love reading them.

[TheTerminalCity]

Originally Posted by Feathered Friend

https://rezoning.vancouver.ca/applic...ant-boards.pdf

Thanks FF for the update on this one. It's an interesting project not so much for the building but for the location. Compared to other parts of Vancouver, the Dunbar/41st area has seen very little redevelopment or density, with the exception of some strata buildings on Dunbar.

Two things really stand out to me in this image. First is how the six-story scale of the proposed building seems entirely reasonable with nearby western commercial developments. The second is the scale of that Save-On site. You could probably redevelop a new store while keeping the current one in operation on a site that large, plus land a whack of housing literally on top of it. Maybe someday.

[casper]

This is an interesting one, near where I am.

Growing up this location was a Chevron Gas station. (This disappeared well over a year ago). The regional district ended up buying the land to install some underground valving for the water distribution system and then sold the rest of it off to a private developer a few years ago. It has been vacant since then.

I like the fact they are doing a fairly good mix of townhomes, commercial and apartments in what is mostly a single family neighborhood.

https://shapeyourcity.ca/4506-rupert-st

[whatnext]

I found mcminsen's pic of the Development Application board for this but none of the finished product. Infill on Burnaby St just west of Burrard that was built on the old parking lot tied to Celebrities.

[IMG]IMG_0733 by whatnextyvr, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]IMG_0732 by whatnextyvr, on Flickr[/IMG]

[cov]

looks like social housing... Is this the below-market rental portion of a bigger project?