19-storey flatiron rental tower eyed for Olympic Village SkyTrain

19-storey flatiron rental housing tower proposed for Olympic Village SkyTrain station

2024 concept for 302-360 West 2nd Avenue, Vancouver. (Yamamoto Architecture/Strand Development)

Strand Development has new ambitious plans to redevelop a trapezoid-shaped lot near the Southeast False Creek area of Vancouver.

Previously, the local developer had proposed redevelopment concepts with employment-only uses for the site at 302-360 West 2nd Avenue, which is situated at the southwest corner of the unique intersection of West 2nd Avenue, West 3rd Avenue, and Alberta Street.

This includes an original 2019 proposal for a new four-storey building with 56,000 sq ft of creative industrial and office space uses.

Then in 2022, they returned to the City with a revised proposal to build a new seven-storey building with about 38,000 sq ft of creative manufacturing space within the first two levels and 75,000 sq ft of office space within the upper five levels. This previous building concept was subsequently marketed as “Three Sixty”.

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And now, Strand is coming back with a new rezoning application to redevelop the site into a 211-ft-tall, 19-storey, mixed-use, flatiron-shaped tower that introduces significant secured market rental housing uses.

Existing condition of the development site:

302-360 west 2nd avenue vancouver rental housing strand

Site of 302-360 West 2nd Avenue, Vancouver. (Google Maps)

Previous 2019 concept with four storeys:

2019 concept for 302-360 West 2nd Avenue, Vancouver. (Musson Cattell Mackey Partnership/Strand Development)

Previous 2022 concept with seven storeys:

2022 concept for 302-360 West 2nd Avenue, Vancouver. (Yamamoto Architecture/Strand Development)

Current 2024 concept with 19 storeys, including rental housing:

2024 concept for 302-360 West 2nd Avenue, Vancouver. (Yamamoto Architecture/Strand Development)

With 33,300 sq ft of creative industrial space within the first three levels of the 19-storey building, the revised concept retains nearly all of the previous concept’s creative industrial uses. But it nearly wipes out the office uses, with only 13,500 sq ft of office space now contemplated — entirely contained within the fourth level. Given the current poor market conditions for new major office developments, this move is not entirely surprising.

Above the creative industrial and office uses, there would be 203 secured purpose-built market rental homes across the upper 15 floors. The unit size mix is 75 studios, 35 one-bedroom units, 63 two-bedroom units, and 30 three-bedroom units. Shared indoor and outdoor amenity spaces would be situated on the base podium’s rooftop on the eighth level.

However, City staff have indicated that such a proposal with residential uses at this location does not comply with City of Vancouver and Metro Vancouver Regional District policies that protect industrial land uses.

The property — previously occupied by low-storey commercial buildings that were recently demolished for “Three Sixty” — is located within the Mount Pleasant Industrial District (MPID), where residential uses are not permitted.

In 2021, the previous makeup of Vancouver City Council approved new policies that enable significantly added mid-rise density for 100% employment-only uses along the northern edge of MPIA — along a five city block stretch of the south side of West 2nd Avenue between Yukon and Quebec streets. This includes the Strand property, which specifically supported their previous seven-storey concept.

As well, the 2022-approved Broadway Plan, which overlaps with the MPID area, stipulated that only job space would be permitted within buildings up to 153 ft in height with up to 11 storeys and a floor area ratio (FAR) density of a floor area that is no more than six times the size of a lot. The Broadway Plan reiterates residential uses are restricted.

Existing permitted land uses within the Mount Pleasant Industrial District, with the location of 302-360 West 2nd Avenue highlighted. (Yamamoto Architecture/Strand Development)

Site of 302-360 West 2nd Avenue, Vancouver, in relation to its close proximity to SkyTrain Olympic Village Station. (Yamamoto Architecture/Strand Development)

But in its new application, Strand makes a case that rental housing uses should be permitted for the site given its close proximity to SkyTrain’s Olympic Village Station — about a five-minute walk away — and Broadway-City Hall Station.

The developer brings attention to the fact that existing policies designate a perimeter buffer for the MPID, with “General Urban” uses — where mixed-use developments with residential uses are permitted — allowed along the MPID area’s perimeter with Cambie Street, Broadway, and Main Street. But such a buffer does not exist for 2nd Avenue within MPID.

“This buffer enables flexibility for residential uses which contribute to liveliness, increased pedestrian volume, and active streetscapes. The positive effects of adding residential uses along arterial roads is evident when comparing the bustling east sidewalk of Cambie Street or west sidewalk of Main Street to West 2nd Avenue’s underwhelming south sidewalk,” reads the application.

“A General Urban buffer block to the south of West 2nd Avenue, as illustrated, would improve the southern streetscape experience and provide economic benefits to businesses in the interior of the Mount Pleasant Industrial Area. The addition of a buffer area is consistent with the other three borders around the Mount Pleasant Industrial Area.”

For example, the “General Urban” buffer along the MPID’s eastern perimeter of Main Street has enabled a growing number of mixed-use residential projects for such sites, including the recent approval of a 25-storey rental housing tower for Westbank’s Main Alley tech campus.

Enabling a “General Urban” buffer would also match the permitted building heights and scale on the north side of West 2nd Avenue and arterial streets of the Broadway Plan.

2024 concept for 302-360 West 2nd Avenue, Vancouver. (Yamamoto Architecture/Strand Development)

Furthermore, continues the application, “the neighbourhood would benefit from adding secured rental housing above the industrial and office space creating a mixed-use building with complimentary uses. Given the site’s location on an arterial street and within 400 metres of Olympic Village Station, a mixed-use project with the proposed uses and scale would benefit the surrounding residents and businesses, further contributing to the highly amenity-rich and walkable Olympic Village and Mount Pleasant neighbourhoods.”

The project also proposes a public plaza for the corner of the intersection, where a prominent public art piece could potentially be featured.

Seven underground levels are proposed to contain 179 vehicle parking stalls, including 89 stalls for residents, 15 stalls for visitors, and 75 stalls for commercial uses. This is up from the 2022 concept’s four underground levels with 129 stalls.

Additionally, there would also be 447 secured bike parking spaces.

This 19-storey tower would contain 222,000 sq ft of total building floor area, establishing a FAR density of 11.81 on the 18,784 sq ft lot. Yamamoto Architecture has returned as the project’s lead design firm.

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