Vancouver-based developer Ledingham McAllister (LedMac) is proposing a new Stratford Wynd Master Plan for the City of Coquitlam, in yet another strong indication of the appeal of Coquitlam to developers.
LedMac's overall plan for Stratford Wynd includes a total of 1,113 units of housing across nine buildings. Eight of the nine buildings would be strata condominium buildings, while the remaining building would be rental, and the overall project would unfold in eight phases.
The subject site is 1145 Inlet Street, located along Inlet Street and Tahsis Avenue, between Coquitlam River Park to the east and the Coquitlam Centre mall about a five-minute drive to the west.
According to the City of Coquitlam, the eight-acre Stratford Wynd site is currently occupied by a community of 113 rental townhouses across 26 buildings that were constructed in 1982, and is located within the City Centre Area Plan (CCAP), which has designated the site for medium-density residential development.
Stratford Wynd Master Plan site context. (City of Coquitlam)
Phase one would include a 25-storey condo building -- the tallest building of the nine -- on the western side of the site with 325 units and a six-storey rental building with 135 market rental units. The latter would serve as a 1:1 replacement of the existing rental units, with some additional new units. The City estimates that of the 135 rental units, 67 will be studio or one-bedrooms, 48 would be two-bedrooms, and 20 would be three-bedrooms, based on preliminary design concepts.
The City notes that although the townhouses currently occupying the site are operated as rental housing, the units are strata-titled, so technically are not subject to the City's Tenant Relocation Policy. LedMac, however, has voluntarily offered to abide by the policy, which provides assistance and compensation to tenants displaced by redevelopment.
The rental building will also include a 57-space child care facility. Per the City of Coquitlam's Child Care Incentive Policy, when child care facilities are included in a proposed development, the facility can be excluded from the overall calculation of gross floor area and the project can be granted a density bonus of up three times the indoor floor area of the facility.
Concept plan for the Stratford Wynd Master Plan in Coquitlam. (Ledingham McAllister)
Phases two through eight will then see the construction of seven six-storey and one seven-storey condo buildings with a total of 653 units. Exactly how those buildings will be phased has not been outlined, but the City has said that it is encouraging LedMac to consider adjustments to the phasing plan, in order to "rationalize the parkade layout, provide a larger proportion of shared amenity space in earlier project phases, and explore the de-commissioning of existing townhouse buildings on a rolling basis."
Parking will be provided in the form of a six-level underground garage on the high-rise site and two levels on the mid-rise site, although how the latter will be distributed has not yet been finalized.
A central common amenity building will be constructed near the center of the site, and LedMac is also proposing a public plaza at the corner of Inlet Street and Tahsis Avenue. The project would also include the construction of a new private road through the site, a public-access pedestrian pathway along the eastern edge of the site, and a multi-use pathway along the southern edge of the site.
Overviews of the Stratford Wynd Master Plan. (Ledingham McAllister)
The City says that it is also encouraging LedMac to consider additional pedestrian routes that would support connectivity to the nearby Coquitlam River Park and Maple Creek Middle School.
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The City also estimates, based on preliminary plans, that the overall project will bring the City $25M in Development Cost Charges and Community Amenity Contributions.
LedMac originally submitted this Stratford Wynd development application on August 4, 2022, but per the City's Master Development Plan Policy, the master plan must be introduced to Council, which LedMac did at a Council meeting on April 3, 2023. From here, LedMac will now work towards applying for their development permit for phase one.
