12-storey mass timber rental tower proposed next to SkyTrain Moody Centre Station

Artistic rendering of 2933-3005 Murray Street, Port Moody. (Perkins&Will/PCI Developments)

A transit-oriented rental housing tower is proposed for a site immediately north of Moody Centre Station, just beyond the SkyTrain guideway and CP railway/West Coast Express tracks.

An application by PCI Developments for an official community plan (OCP) amendment, rezoning, and development permit seeks to redevelop 2933-3005 Murray Street, which is currently occupied by low-storey industrial buildings.

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If approved by the City of Port Moody, this would be a 128-ft-tall (35 m), 12-storey mass timber building, with the first two floors being a structural concrete base, and the upper levels (starting at the third floor) being a mass timber structure. Perkins&Will is the design architect.

The upper levels from the third floor onwards carry a U-shaped floor plate, which allows for a large internal courtyard with south-facing sun exposure.

Site of 2933-3005 Murray Street, Port Moody. (Perkins&Will/PCI Developments)

Mass timber form of 2933-3005 Murray Street, Port Moody. (Perkins&Will/PCI Developments)

Artistic rendering of 2933-3005 Murray Street, Port Moody. (Perkins&Will/PCI Developments)

Between the second and 12th levels, there would be a total of 207 secured rental homes, including 21 below-market rental units and 186 market rental units. The unit mix is 156 studios and one-bedroom units, 48 two-bedroom units, and three three-bedroom units.

With the U-shaped building configuration, the homes have natural light and ventilation on both sides. As well, instead of indoor hallways, the unit entrances are accessible by outdoor corridors, with some of the vertical circulation points provided by outdoor staircases on the south side of the courtyard.

Residents will have access to ample common amenity spaces; the courtyard is adjacent to a significant indoor amenity space, and the building rooftop will have additional indoor and outdoor amenity areas.

Artistic rendering of 2933-3005 Murray Street, Port Moody. (Perkins&Will/PCI Developments)

On the second level, the core of the floor plate will be used as resident storage lockers and kayak storage. A fitness gym for residents is located to the south side of this level.

On the ground level, there will be 8,400 sq ft of mixed employment space, and 1,000 sq ft of affordable artist space.

The proposed total floor area is roughly 149,000 sq ft, establishing a floor area ratio density of a floor area 5.51 times larger than the size of the 45,000 sq ft lot.

Three underground levels will contain 149 vehicle parking stalls and 318 bike parking spaces.

About 15,800 sq ft of the site — 35% of the overall property size, on the eastern side — will be set aside for environmental dedication through daylighting and the restoration of Slaughterhouse Creek, which currently runs in a culvert.

Artistic rendering of 2933-3005 Murray Street, Port Moody. (Perkins&Will/PCI Developments)

There are plans to build a pedestrian overpass from the south side of the transit hub to the north side at Murray Street, but this walkway immediately east of the building will not be fulfilled as part of this particular development.

A pedestrian overpass would significantly improve the area’s connectivity for pedestrians. Currently, pedestrians need to make a lengthy detour at the Moody Street overpass to reach the other side of the SkyTrain and CP railway tracks.

The municipal government is currently in the process of considering an OCP amendment application for 23 acres around Moody Centre Station. This application — calling for over 4,000 homes, plus office, retail, and institution spaces in high density forms — is a joint effort by nine property owners, including PCI Developments, Anthem Properties, Beedie Living, Woodridge Homes, three local families, the provincial government, and TransLink. The public transit authority is exploring a redevelopment of its park-and-ride next to the station.

Moody Centre TOD Area Master Planning Group Port Moody

Conceptual artistic rendering of Moody Centre Transit-Oriented Development in Port Moody. (Moody Centre TOD)

Conceptual form depiction of Moody Centre Transit-Oriented Development in Port Moody. (Moody Centre TOD)

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