22-storey rental tower proposed next to Whole Foods Kitsilano | Daily Hive

22-storey rental housing tower proposed next to Whole Foods Kitsilano

Concept for 2268-2294 West 3rd Avenue and 1902-1912 Vine Street, Vancouver. (Boniface Oleksiuk Politano Architects/Marcon)

Local developer Marcon is proposing to build a 242-ft-tall, 22-storey mixed-use tower at the southeast corner of the intersection of West 3rd Avenue and Vine Street in Vancouver’s Kitsilano neighbourhood.

The site is immediately north of Whole Foods Market, east of the Safeway redevelopment site, and on the westernmost border of the City of Vancouver’s Broadway Plan.

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Currently, the property at 2268-2294 West 3rd Avenue and 1902-1912 Vine Street is occupied by a pair of 1948-built two-storey buildings with a combined total of 26 apartment units.

The proposal calls for 207 secured purpose-built market rental homes, including 168 market rental units and 39 below-market rental units. The unit size mix is 41 studios, 93 one-bedroom units, 53 two-bedroom units, and 20 three-bedroom units.

2268-2294 West 3rd Avenue 1902-1912 Vine Street

Site of 2268-2294 West 3rd Avenue and 1902-1912 Vine Street, Vancouver. (Boniface Oleksiuk Politano Architects/Marcon)

Concept for 2268-2294 West 3rd Avenue and 1902-1912 Vine Street, Vancouver. (Boniface Oleksiuk Politano Architects/Marcon)

Some of these rental units will be townhouses fronting West 3rd Avenue. Residents will have access to various amenities, including indoor and outdoor spaces on the 22nd level rooftop.

But 8,750 sq ft of commercial retail/restaurant uses — spanning two levels — will front Vine Street and the intersection corner with West 3rd Avenue. Such major commercial uses on this site create an off-shoot of the West 4th Avenue retail strip.

“The development integrates residential units with commercial spaces to foster a vibrant community atmosphere. Featuring modern architectural design and sustainable construction practices, it includes robust residential amenities on multiple levels and retail options at grade,” reads the design rationale for the project, which is designed by Boniface Oleksiuk Politano Architects and LOCI Landscape Architecture & Urban Design.

“The project aims to enhance urban living while preserving the neighbourhood’s character. With a strong focus on community engagement, the development aligns with the regulations outlined in the Broadway Plan. It seeks to contribute positively to Kitsilano’s urban fabric for a new generation.”

Concept for 2268-2294 West 3rd Avenue and 1902-1912 Vine Street, Vancouver. (Boniface Oleksiuk Politano Architects/Marcon)

Four underground levels will accommodate 81 vehicle parking stalls and 351 secured bike parking spaces.

The total building floor area is 140,000 sq ft, establishing a floor area ratio density of a floor area that is 6.8 times larger than the size of the 20,645 sq ft lot.

In November 2024, PCI Developments unveiled its proposal to redevelop the adjacent Safeway grocery store site at 2315 West 4th Avenue into a significant mixed-use development up to 10 storeys, with 385 secured purpose-built market rental homes, a 42,000 sq ft new replacement Safeway grocery store, and over 18,000 sq ft of commercial space for other retail and restaurants.

However, as the Safeway site is west of Vine Street, it is not within the Broadway Plan area, and the project is following existing zoning — without the need for the added rezoning application step, enabling the developer to go straight to the development permit application.

Both the Marcon and PCI Development sites in this area are about a 12-minute walk southeast to SkyTrain’s future Arbutus Station and 99 B-Line bus exchange, in addition to their adjacency to the bus stops on West 4th Avenue and short walking distance to the bus stops on Cornwall Avenue.

2315 West 4th Avenue Vancouver Kitsilano Safeway redevelopment design

Concept for the redevelopment of Safeway at 2315 West 4th Avenue, Vancouver. (Musson Cattell Mackey Partnership/LowTide Properties/PCI Developments)

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