225 rental homes proposed for Central Lonsdale in North Vancouver

Artistic rendering of 143 East 17th Avenue, North Vancouver. (DYS Architecture / Anthem Properties Group)

A relatively significant purpose-built rental housing building has been proposed for a site just east of Loblaws City Market in Central Lonsdale in North Vancouver.

Local developer Anthem Properties Group has submitted a rezoning application to redevelop a lot approximately 46.500 sq. ft. in size at 143 East 17th Avenue and 1600-1640 Eastern Avenue. The northernmost portion of the site will be redeveloped into a tower, while the southernmost section is intended to be an 18,600-sq-ft public park.

Site at 143 East 17th Avenue, North Vancouver. (DYS Architecture / Anthem Properties Group)

This redevelopment replaces five existing low-storey buildings, built between 1954 and 1956, with 55 rental homes.

According to a City staff report, the 13-storey, 121-ft-tall tower proposal calls for 225 rental homes, with 23 of these units dedicated for non-market purposes.

Artistic rendering of 143 East 17th Avenue, North Vancouver. (DYS Architecture / Anthem Properties Group)

A majority of the units will not be ideal for larger families; 70% of the units will be either studio or one-bedroom suites, making most of the units suitable for students, young professionals, and seniors looking to downsize.

Approximately 3,000 sq. ft. of interior amenity space is proposed for residents, and this is in addition to the large outdoor lounge on the rooftop.

Artistic rendering of 143 East 17th Avenue, North Vancouver. (DYS Architecture / Anthem Properties Group)

“The core guiding principle for the design is to create a building that seeks inspiration from the City, is contextually sensitive to the immediate surrounding area and represents a high-quality, modern architectural design that is becoming more prevalent in the City of North Vancouver,” reads the design rationale by DYS Architecture.

“The design has a formal language that creates a solid, robust building form expressed with two distinct approaches; a more solid clad arrangement which anchors the building and expresses a sense of verticality and a more open window wall and spandrel glass expression wrapped around by extensive balconies as bold horizontal elements.”

Artistic rendering of 143 East 17th Avenue, North Vancouver. (DYS Architecture / Anthem Properties Group)

Two-and-a-half underground levels will accommodate 171 vehicle parking stalls.

Existing zoning permits a floor space ratio (FSR) density of just 1.6 FSR, but the developer aims to increase this density allowance to 3.3 FSR – about 153,400 sq. ft. of total floor area – in exchange for $7.2 million in community benefits.

Additionally, the developer will sell the parcel of land required for the new park to the municipal government for a non-market price of $1 million. The detailed design of this park will be led by the City’s Parks Department in a process starting later this year or in 2019.

Site of the new public park at 143 East 17th Avenue, North Vancouver. (DYS Architecture / Anthem Properties Group)

Artistic rendering of 143 East 17th Avenue, North Vancouver. (DYS Architecture / Anthem Properties Group)

See also