West End

Landmark 60-storey passive house tower next to Nelson Park

June 12, 2019 By Peter Meiszner Leave a Comment

A dramatic design for a 60-storey tower overlooking Nelson Park in the West End has been unveiled, and new models have been spotted at Vancouver City Hall ahead of tonight’s appearance at the Urban Design Panel.

Tom Wright of UK-based architecture firm WKK has designed a 585 ft. tower at 1059-1075 Nelson Street with a total of 485 residential units, including:

323 market condo units
113 social housing units
49 market rental units

WKK has designed several iconic buildings around the world, including the Burj Al Arab in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The developer is Henson Developments, a relatively unknown developer in Vancouver. Unit sizes will include studios, one, two and three bedroom units. Separate entrances are planned for the market and non-market housing.

IBI Group will be leading the design during the working drawing and construction stages.

A previous scheme for the property was called “Nelson on the Park,” before Henson Developments purchased the property from Wall Financial for $68 million.

Building models: 1075 Nelson Street

Tower model, with a smaller version seen in the foreground next to the Butterfly.

Trees on tower — Trees in large planters are placed every three storeys.

Nelson on the Park tower crown — The crown of the tower appears to be illuminated.

Nelson on the Park tower context — Tower model in context. The White Spot site towers are seen in the background.

Nelson on the Park tower base — The base of the building and its relationship to the adjacent, existing building at Thurlow and Nelson.

Renderings: 1075 Nelson Street

Nelson on the Park revised tower rendering — Credit: IBI Group

Architecture inspired by Vancouver’s natural landscape

The tower’s architectural form is inspired by the downtown peninsula, Burrard Inlet and the surrounding forests. The building is defined by two sinuous waved bands with greenery in between, with the design brief stating that the tower’s “vertical forest hints at Vancouver’s past and sets it as a green icon for the city’s future.”

There will be eight levels of underground parking with 299 stalls, plus an impressive 1,000 Class A (long-term) bicycle parking spaces and 26 Class B (short-term) bicycle parking spaces.

The new tower will meet the Passive House Classic standard for performance, with the façade made up of 50 per cent window and 50 per cent super-insulated wall.

1075 Nelson towers — Rendering of new towers in West End, including Nelson on the Park. Credit: IBI Group

New tower surrounded by high-profile developments by Westbank, Bosa Properties

The new tower will sit behind the Washington Court apartment building at 998 Thurlow, built in 1910. The building suffered a fire last year and is currently being rehabilitated.

Two three-storey walkup apartment buildings will be demolished to make way for the development, which is adjacent to The Butterfly tower, developed by Westbank and under construction.

It’s also across the laneway from two new towers at 1080 Barclay Street, designed by Büro Ole Scheeren and developed by Bosa Properties.

City seeking consultant to develop master plan for West End waterfront

May 14, 2019 By Peter Meiszner Leave a Comment

Plan will also guide replacement of Vancouver Aquatic Centre

The City of Vancouver is seeking a landscape architecture or urban planning firm to help map the future of the West End waterfront including Sunset Beach and English Bay.

A request for expressions of interest will close May 30, 2019.

The city is seeking proposals from landscape architecture/urban planning firms “with expertise in the planning and design of large urban waterfront parks,” integrated with the street network, for the West End Waterfront Parks and Beach Avenue Master Plan.

The master plan will provide a vision for the area until 2050, and help design multi-modal transportation networks, stretching from the Burrard Street Bridge to English Bay.

The project scope includes:

improve experience for those walking and cycling, and reduce pedestrian-cyclist conflicts
improve connections to Denman and Davie Villages
better integration with West End street network
protect and enhance biodiversity
prepare for climate change impacts including sea level rise
renewal of food and beverage facilities
reconsider outdated English Bay Bathhouse washroom facilities
upgraded lighting to improve overall safety

The seawall on the West End waterfront sees approximately 1.5 million cyclists annually, with a monthly average of 83,000 people on bikes. During the peak summer months, volumes can reach up to 10,000 cyclists daily.

The city states that a significant amount of infrastructure in the area is aging and becoming cost prohibitive to maintain, including the Vancouver Aquatic Centre.

The aquatic centre is due to be replaced, with “siting of the new location, footprint and access to the facility within Sunset Beach Park” guided by the new master plan.

GWL breaks ground on new rental apartment tower at 1500 Robson Street

February 20, 2019 By Peter Meiszner Leave a Comment

GWL Realty Advisors broke ground Wednesday on their upcoming 21-storey rental apartment tower at 1500 Robson Street in the city’s West End.

The new building will add 128 purpose-built rental units to a neighbourhood experiencing extremely low rental vacancy rates.

One-third of the building will be made up of two- and three-bedroom units suitable for families.

Amenities will include a fitness centre, yoga and lounge rooms as well as a rooftop patio with an outdoor fireplace, seating area and dining space. The entire penthouse floor of the tower has been set aside as a common area for all tenants. The building will also be pet and cyclist friendly.

Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart attended this morning’s groundbreaking ceremony.

“Developments like this one at 1500 Robson are adding much-needed supply to the downtown rental market,” says Mayor Kennedy Stewart. “In order to alleviate the housing shortage in our city, we need more of all types of housing – especially purpose-built rental. By incorporating larger units suitable for families into the design, this new tower at 1500 Robson will also help diversify the housing mix in the Lower Robson neighbourhood.”

GWL Realty Advisors says the Lower Robson neighbourhood has some of the highest land costs in the city, with new developments tending to take the form of luxury condominiums, like Landmark on Robson. This new tower breaks with the trend by being a purpose-built market rental tower from an institutional developer that intends to hold and manage the building on a long-term basis.

It’s the first project on the Robson corridor to be approved under the new West End Community Plan and is in line with the City’s policy of increasing rental housing density in the area.

The building is expected to be finished in early 2021. Architects are IBI Group.

1500 Robson Groundbreaking ceremony — Groundbreaking ceremony for 1500 Robson Street. L-R: Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart; Ralf Dost, GWL Realty Advisors; Steve Marino, GWL Realty Advisors; Jeff Fleming, GWL Realty Advisors. Credit: GWL Realty Advisors

Major renovation planned for West End apartment tower, tenants facing eviction

September 25, 2018 By Peter Meiszner Leave a Comment

Tenants of a 60-year-old apartment tower in the West End are facing eviction due to major renovations planned for the building.

Residents of the Berkeley Tower at 1770 Davie Street will rally Wednesday to protest what they are calling unfair evictions by the building’s owner, Reliance Properties.

Reliance is planning major structural work to the building, which has never seen significant upgrades. The entire project will take up to two-and-a-half years to complete with apartments open to the elements and without heat, water and fire safety systems for significant periods of time.

The building’s tenants were served with eviction notices in June, and were offered compensation by Reliance, at an average of $10,000 per unit. Reliance says the compensation is nearly double what is required by the provincial government.

“Reliance Properties knows the lengthy and comprehensive reconstruction project is difficult news for tenants, and to reduce impacts, we are significantly exceeding what governments require of us,” said Jon Stovell, president and CEO of Reliance Properties, in a statement.

Reliance says several tenants have already accepted the compensation package.

The Vancouver Tenants Union says a proposal by a group of tenants to relocate temporarily while the renovations are underway — and keep the current rent rates — was rejected by both Reliance and the city. The group says the proposal would have allowed the tenancy agreements to continue during the renovation period.

Organizers with the Vancouver Tenants Union say some tenants have lived in the building for 40 years and don’t want to move.

Reliance says repairs the building will include the envelope, remediation of exterior walls, replacement of all windows, removal and replacement of the building’s water supply, electrical and heating systems, as well as removal and replacement of all bathrooms and kitchens.

The company says existing tenants will get right of first refusal on the renovated units once the project is complete, but at market rates. Reliance says the work will ensure the tower continues as a dedicated rental building well into the future.

West End condo tower near Stanley Park will include family-friendly units

September 11, 2018 By Peter Meiszner Leave a Comment

A four-storey walkup on Barclay Street will soon face the wrecking ball, making way for a 10-storey condominium building with units suitable for families.

Shift Architecture and Henriquez Partners Architects have teamed up on the design for 2030 Barclay, located between Chilco Street and Lagoon Drive.

The new building will contain 19 units, all two bedrooms or larger, and over 2,000 square feet. The developer says the units will include private outdoor spaces, suitable for families.

“Inspired by most of the buildings in the West End, the proposed architecture is unabashedly modern, but residential scaled windows and warm textured materials, including masonry, gives the appropriate character for this area of the city,” reads the design rationale.

There will be 37 residential parking stalls, plus three visitor spots, and 24 bicycle parking stalls. The developer is Marcon.

Renderings: 2030 Barclay Street

2030 Barclay Street Marcon West End condos rendering — Side of 2030 Barclay Street. Credit: Marcon Developments

2030 Barclay Street Marcon West End condos rear — Rear of 2030 Barclay Street. Credit: Marcon Developments

For rent: $2,100 per month for 259 square feet in Vancouver’s West End

July 30, 2018 By Peter Meiszner Leave a Comment

A West End apartment—about the size of a parking stall—is listed for rent on Craigslist at $2,100 per month.

Plan A Real Estate Services Ltd. is advertising units in the Normandie, a character apartment building built in 1927 located at 1425 Haro Street.

The building was the subject of a Globe and Mail article about tenants being asked to move out to facilitate renovations in 2016.

Renovations are now complete, and Plan A is offering the $2,100 micro studio for rent.

The 259 square feet unit includes in-suite laundry, free internet access and is “completely modernized.”

The minimum lease term is two months, but at least six months is preferred. Lease terms under six months will cost an additional $300 per month, for a total of $2,400 per month.

Pets are allowed, with a pet deposit. Secure underground parking is available for an extra $200 per month.

Earliest occupancy is November 1st, 2018.

Photos: 259 square feet for $2,100 in Vancouver’s West End

Colourful stacked townhouses proposed for West End laneway

June 22, 2018 By Peter Meiszner Leave a Comment

The spacious laneways of Vancouver’s West End are under-utilized, dotted with surface parking lots and waste disposal bins.

That’s slowing changing, thanks to zoning changes in the West End Plan. An infill laneway rental building was recently completed behind an existing home on Nelson Street.

Now there’s another proposal, this time for the laneway behind the 1160 Broughton Street. The building’s address will be on See-em-ia Lane, as the city has recently renamed West End laneways after local historical figures.

The project’s six units will be made up of three one-bedrooms at 745 sq ft. and three two-bedrooms at 1016 sq ft. A new courtyard space will link the existing building on Broughton Street with the new infill building.

The architecture, by Marianne Amodio Architecture Studio, is modern and understated. Each stacked townhome will have a unique cladding colour. Parking will provided in the existing parking structure of the Broughton Street building.

The City of Vancouver says the laneways of the West End could eventually accommodate up to 1,000 new rental units.

Fixer-upper in the West End for sale for $7 million

March 19, 2018 By Peter Meiszner Leave a Comment

A house on Barclay Street in the West End described by its listing agent as “just needing a little TLC” is for sale for $6.98 million.

The nearly century-old house was built in 1922 and sits on a small 33′ by 131′ lot, sandwiched between two apartment buildings.

The home, at 1511 Barclay Street, has three suites: a two bedroom suite on the main floor, and one bedroom suites in both the top floor and basement.

Curb appeal in short supply

1511 Barclay Street steps — This home at 1511 Barclay Street is listed for $6.98 million.

1511 Barclay Street rear — Rear frontage.

Infill, redevelopment potential driving up West End prices

The property is being marketed by listing agent Sydney Deng of Royal Pacific Realty as a potential “land assembly,” and for the possibility of an infill building at the rear of the property.

The city allows for 3½ to four-storey infill buildings on 33′ lots as part of the RM5 zoning in the Nelson Slopes neighbourhood.

A shared courtyard of at least 20′ is required between the existing building and the infill, and the infill building must be all rental.

West End infill — Sketch showing how infill buildings can be situated on the lots of existing homes in the West End.

To see what’s possible on the site, look to a recently completed infill building at the rear of a house on Nelson Street. The three-storey building contains four new rental apartments, and is exactly the type of development the City of Vancouver is encouraging.

Laneway rental apartments in Vancouver’s West End, located at the rear of 1546 Nelson Street.

The city has also named eight West End laneways after historical figures and plans to install new street signs identifying them. The street names will make things like deliveries easier for the new laneway residents.

Old apartment buildings snapped up by developers

The possibility of infill development and land assembly has been driving up prices across the West End.

At the aging Anchor Point development on Burrard Street, several 460 square feet studio apartments are for sale for $1 million each.

And at the corner of Thurlow and Barclay, owners at Barclay Terrace banded together to sell their building to a developer, with owners of some suites receiving $2.6 million for a one bedroom condo assessed at $793,000, reports the Vancouver Sun. The building was built in 1992.

The city’s West End Plan has been a windfall for owners of older strata condominiums across the neighbourhood, with the possibility of higher densities and heights making it attractive for developers to buy up older buildings and rebuild.

Owners at 1075 Barclay Street have gradually been selling their units to developers, with the goal of winding up the strata corporation and selling the land for redevelopment. Credit: Google Maps

It’s also across the street from an upcoming development designed by German architect Büro Ole Scheeren for Bosa Properties and Kingswood Properties. The site is currently occupied by four low-rise apartment buildings with a total of 173 units.

The two new towers will measure 49 and 48-storeys.

1040-1080 Barclay Street rendering dusk 2018 — 1040-1080 Barclay Street, looking south. The Butterfly and an unnamed tower at Nelson and Thurlow are shown in the background. Credit: City of Vancouver/Bosa Properties

Small, boutique building proposed for 1021 Burnaby Street

February 14, 2018 By Peter Meiszner Leave a Comment

There’s been a flurry of new tower proposals across the West End, several of which are detailed in this recent article, so it’s refreshing to see a new, smaller-scale building proposed for the neighbourhood.

A five-storey residential building is proposed for 1021 Burnaby Street, just west of Burrard Street and next to the Milano condo tower. The site is currently a surface parking lot.

1021 Burnaby rendering context — Context of building on Burnaby Street. Out of frame and to the right is the Milano condo tower. Credit: City of Vancouver/Francl Architecture

1021 Burnaby rendering laneway — Birds eye view of the proposed building at 1021 Burnaby Street. Credit: City of Vancouver/Francl Architecture

The new building will contain 21 market residential units, as well as one level of underground parking. There will be five two-bedroom “family-sized units”, as well as four one-bedroom units, and 12 junior one-bedroom units.

A children’s play area and outdoor amenity patio is planned for the front of the building. The architect is Francl Architecture.

Laneway living: New apartments in West End now available for rent

January 8, 2018 By Peter Meiszner 2 Comments

One of the first laneway rental apartment projects in Vancouver’s West End is now complete.

The three-storey, four-unit rental apartment building was constructed behind an existing home at 1546 Nelson Street.

It was designed by Ankenman Marchand Architects, who are also designing a similar infill project behind a nearby apartment building at Comox and Cardero.

The building’s address is officially on Henshaw Lane, one of the newly-christened West End laneways. The city is encouraging new infill rental apartment buildings along the West End’s laneways, with the aim of accommodating up to 1,000 new rental units.

Henshaw Lane rental apartments

Alongside the infill rental apartment building.

The units have their own addresses, on Henshaw Lane, as the laneway was recently named by the City of Vancouver.

Existing home on Nelson Street with infill rental apartment building at rear.

According to a Craigslist ad, the two bedroom, two bathroom units are renting for $2,400 per month. Parking is on the street, and in the laneway.

Craiglist ad Henshaw Lane apartments — Craiglist ad showing two bedroom, two bath units listed for rent in the new laneway apartment building.

Nelson Street laneway rental apartments — Rendering of the laneway rental apartment building. Credit: Ankenman Marchand Architects

Comox and Cardero infill — A similar infill project proposed for Comox and Cardero, also designed by Ankenman Marchand Architects.

The city named the laneway between Nelson and Comox Streets, and between Bidwell and Nicola Streets, as Henshaw Lane in 2014. However, there is still no street sign indicating the lane’s name. The city expects to have signage installed some time this year, much to the relief of pizza delivery drivers.

City permitting delays for laneway apartments

Despite the city’s desire to create more affordable rental housing in the West End, David Taylor, vice-president of Colliers International in Vancouver, said securing permits for the laneway apartment building took longer than the time needed to construct the building.

Sold this site in 2013. Only took four years for permits and construction! https://t.co/56TqpFjtFA

— Vancouver Market (@vancouvermrkt) January 9, 2018

Eight West End laneways named

This past fall, the city announced it was naming eight more laneways after local historical figures. The newly-named laneways are as follows:

Eihu Lane
Existing lane located between Alberni Street and Robson Street which runs from Burrard Street to west of Bute Street, and from Jervis Street to Chilco Street

Rosemary Brown Lane
Existing lane located between Robson Street and Haro Street which runs from Burrard Street to Lagoon Drive

Stovold Lane
Existing lane located between Haro Street and Barclay Street which runs from Smithe Street to west of Cardero Street, and from Denman Street to Lagoon Drive

Ted Northe Lane
Existing lane located between Barclay Street and Nelson Street which runs from Burrard Street to Stanley Park

Jepson-Young Lane
Existing lane located between Comox Street and Pendrell Street which runs from Thurlow Street to Cardero Street, and from Bidwell Street to Stanley Park

See-em-ia Lane
Existing lane located between Pendrell Street and Davie Street which runs from Burrard Street to Denman Street

Pantages Lane
Existing lane located between Davie Street and Burnaby Street which runs from Burrard Street to Denman Street

Jung Lane
Existing lane located between Harwood Street and Beach Avenue/Pacific Street which runs from Burrard Street to Cardero Street