Five-storey "waterfall" planned for Port Moody condo development

Artistic rendering of 2101 Clarke Street and 2102-2106 St. Johns Street, Port Moody. (Lo Studio Architecture/Springcreek Development)

The prominent northeast corner of the intersection of St. Johns Street and Barnet Highway will be redeveloped into a mixed-use building that provides a visual “gateway” into Port Moody from both major thoroughfares.

Springcreek Development will turn its land assembly at 2101 Clarke Street and 2102-2106 St. Johns Street, a largely vacant site that was partially formerly a gas station, into a six-storey building.

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Although this can be considered a relatively modest mid-rise building, it carries a high-profile public art feature that makes it visually distinctive. The building’s south end would feature a five-storey waterfall feature, surrounded by a corner public plaza for the intersection.

2101 Clarke Street 2102-2106 St. Johns Street Port Moody

Artistic rendering of 2101 Clarke Street and 2102-2106 St. Johns Street, Port Moody. (Lo Studio Architecture/Springcreek Development)

But only a small portion of the waterfall would use actual water. A four-storey glass wall would enclose a holographic effect that mimics the gushing of water over a lush cliff. This effect would transition into a one-storey water fountain with a reflection pond at the plaza’s ground level. Nighttime lighting of this public art feature would further enhance the installation’s sense of place.

Lo Studio Architecture’s public art concept for the building design establishes an “animated attraction and will become a landmark.”

It is noted by city staff that the developer is providing the waterfall element as part of the design instead of making a direct financial contribution towards the city’s public art reserve fund. The in-kind value of the waterfall will be 0.5% of the total building construction cost.

Artistic rendering of 2101 Clarke Street and 2102-2106 St. Johns Street, Port Moody. (Lo Studio Architecture/Springcreek Development)

As for the building’s contents, there will be a total of 45 strata homes, including 34 condominium homes with a unit mix of six studios, 10 one-bedroom units, four two-bedroom units, and 14 three-bedroom units. The remaining units will be townhomes, including a one-bedroom loft and 10 two-bedroom units. The developer will set aside 15% of the units for a rent-to-own program.

Extensive common resident amenity spaces will be provided, such as outdoor areas on the rooftop.

Artistic rendering of 2101 Clarke Street and 2102-2106 St. Johns Street, Port Moody. (Lo Studio Architecture/Springcreek Development)

A portion of the first and second levels would be utilized as office space (4,360 sq ft), and a childcare facility (5,150 sq ft) with a capacity for up to 79 kids.

Two levels below main provide 73 vehicle parking stalls.

The total floor area is 67,231 sq ft, which establishes a floor area ratio (FAR) density of a floor area that is 1.82 times larger than the size of the lot. However, the municipal government is requesting that an easternmost strip of the property — where a portion of Schoolhouse Creek flows through — be dedicated to the city rather than maintained by the strata. Existing trees within this riparian area will largely be retained. Once the land dedication is accounted for, the FAR density calculation reaches to 3.15.

Site of 2101 Clarke Street and 2102-2106 St. Johns Street, Port Moody. (Google Maps)

The developer will also provide the city with a community amenity contribution of roughly $270,000, based on a rate of $6.00 per sq ft of residential floor area, up to a maximum of $6,000 per unit. There is also a $500,000 cost to remediate the site given its previous gas station uses.

This project was downsized by the developer following an earlier review by city council of the initial proposal, which called for a greater height of two additional storeys, necessitating an amendment of the official community plan. With a larger total floor area of 90,000 sq ft, it would have contained 83 homes, with 5% of the units as below-market rental homes, and a higher proportion of one-bedroom units.

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