The Cape Group is planning more east Vancouver rentals, with plans for a six-storey rental building at Nanaimo and Charles receiving unanimous UDP support.
The development, called ‘The Maxwell’ designed by Human Studio Architecture and Urban Design Ltd., will include 67 market rental units and ground-floor retail. Over 50 per cent of the homes will be two-bedroom or larger. The upcoming rental development is located in the Grandview-Woodland neighbourhood.
Renderings: The Maxwell rental apartments
The architects and developer had four goals for the project:
- Improve Nanaimo Street while respecting neighbours
- Provide a high-quality design precedent for the densification of Nanaimo Street in Grandview-Woodland
- Create distinct retail units that would be appealing to small, local retailers as opposed to chains or banks
- Provide housing that promotes social inclusion
- Design building around an interior courtyard to promote interaction between residents
- Expand mix and quality of housing in East Vancouver
- Provide mix of housing for singles and couples, as well as two- and three-bedroom units suitable for families
- Design excellence
- A week-long, pre-application engagement was conducted with local residents and found high levels of support for the project
East Vancouver rentals at Nanaimo and Charles (previous renderings)
The project includes an amenity area on the northwest corner of the top floor, consisting of a lounge area, outdoor cooking area and children’s play area.
The architects wrap up their design rationale document with the following:
We are passionate about creating a precedent for Nanaimo Street that respects the extraordinary level of community engagement that went into the Grandview-Woodland Community Plan, that enhances a distinctive and local retail node, that provides smaller housing that works for families, that supports social connection through a courtyard building form AND that both mitigates impact on our neighbours and provides them real urban design benefits
Human Studio Architecture and Urban Design Ltd.
Project location in Grandview-Woodland neighbourhood
The Cape Group is in midst of building several rental apartment projects across Vancouver, recently covered on urbanYVR, including:
