The controversial Vancouver Housing Development Office (VHDO) created by the City of Vancouver to better generate revenue from the City's land holdings has unveiled a second project, planned for a long vacant site near Science World.
The subject site of the rezoning application, which was published by the City earlier today, is 1405 Main Street and 1510 Quebec Street, two parcels that make up the block bounded by Terminal Avenue on the north, Main Street on the east, a rear lane on the south, and Quebec Street on the west.
The site, located directly across the street from the Expo Line SkyTrain's Main Street-Science World Station, is currently vacant and is being used as a surface parking lot.
BC Assessment values 1510 Quebec Street at $45,885,100. No parcel information is currently available for 1405 Main Street, but the two parcels are about the same size, and at the same location with the same zoning, suggesting the valuations should be similar.
The 1405 Main Street and 1510 Quebec Street site in Vancouver. / Archeology Collaborating Architects, Vancouver Housing Development Office
The VHDO is seeking to rezone the site from FC-1 (Commercial) to CD-1 (Comprehensive Development) and has proposed a 42-storey tower and a 25-storey tower, which would together deliver 780 market rental units. The proposal has a maximum height of 425 ft and a floor space ratio of 11.27.
The 42-storey West Tower would sit along Quebec Street and house a total of 524 units, comprised of 56 studio units, 282 one-bedroom units, 130 two-bedroom units, and 56 three-bedroom units. This tower will have a floor plate size of approximately 9,960 sq. ft.
The 25-storey East Tower would then sit along Main Street and house a total of 256 units, comprised of 19 studio units, 141 one-bedroom units, 67 two-bedroom units, and 29 three-bedroom units. This tower will have a smaller floor plate size of approximately 7,995 sq. ft.
The two towers would then sit atop a shared podium that will house residential amenities — within and atop the podium — as well as 13,663 sq. ft of retail space on the ground floor. The podium will also serve as a bridge between the two towers.
Renderings from along Terminal Avenue (left) and along Quebec Street (right). / Archeology Collaborating Architects, Vancouver Housing Development Office
Renderings of the building podium from along Terminal Avenue (left) and the roof of the podium (right). / Archeology Collaborating Architects, Vancouver Housing Development Office
There is a notable size difference between the two towers that is somewhat abnormal for two-tower proposals. The rezoning proposal by Greystar for the standalone McDonald's directly to the south of the VHDO site is for a 22-storey and 18-storey rental towers. The rezoning proposal by GWL Realty Advisors for a site next to Pacific Central Station is for two 28-storey rental towers.
Discussing the proposed 42-storey tower, the VHDO said in its rezoning application that the tower will serve as a "landmark gateway building" as envisioned under the Southeast False Creek Official Development Plan and frame views of Science World. They also pointed to the Concord Landing project that was recently unveiled by Concord Pacific, which includes 60-storey towers.
"The project also aligns with the East False Creek FC-1 Policy, which emphasizes the need for high-rise buildings at Main and Terminal to frame Science World as a central focal point," the VHDO added. "Policy notes that the tower should be significantly higher than neighboring developments, helping to maintain view corridors and enhance the landmark's role in the city's skyline. This design approach strengthens the gateway’s visual impact while preserving important views of the surrounding area."
A rendering of the two towers from a distance, from along Terminal Avenue. / Archeology Collaborating Architects, Vancouver Housing Development Office
One of the critiques of the Vancouver Housing Development Office, which unveiled its first project for a site near the Burrard Bridge in December, is that the City may be inclined to give preferential treatment to its own projects. In an interview with STOREYS in February, VHDO Director Brad Foster said that this will not be the case and that the VHDO's projects will go through the same processes and see the same amount of scrutiny as any other project. Foster also said that the City is currently only rezoning the sites and will later select a private developer to partner with.
For this project, the VHDO is seeking three policy variances. The first is regarding the height, which the VHDO says is above what's currently allowed but aligns with new policies for transit-oriented areas (TOA), as the site is within 200 metres of the SkyTrain station. The second variance is pertaining to the view cones policy, which the VHDO notes was amended in part to support this TOA. The third variance is pertaining to access to daylight, which the VHDO says they've done their best to maximize, particularly as it relates to the nearby Thornton Park.
"The massing of the project has been sensitively sculpted to respond to the scale of both existing and future buildings while enhancing and framing key views and minimizing neighborhood impacts," the rezoning application notes. "The architecture and building form are designed to reflect the development's unique location as a landmark terminus at Terminal Avenue, framing Science World and integrating with the evolving context."
Serving as the architect of the project is Archeology Collaborating Architects, a newly-created firm led by Gregory Henriquez of Henriquez Partners Architects that primarily works with institutional and government clients. The City of Vancouver is hosting the Q&A period for this latest VHDO rezoning application from Wednesday, May 7 to Tuesday, May 20.
