New wooden design for proposed rental housing tower in Point Grey in Vancouver

Jun 9 2020, 9:58 pm

The proposal to construct a new 14-storey rental housing tower at the northwest corner of the intersection of Alma Street and West Broadway in Vancouver’s West Point Grey neighbourhood has received a design overhaul.

A revised rezoning application has altered the proposed design for 3701-3743 West Broadway, a redevelopment by Westbank and designed by Leckie Studio Architecture + Design.

Compared to the original application submitted in November 2019, the form and massing of the design is largely retained, the total floor area has decreased by about 2,500 sq ft to 123,600 sq ft, and the height has decreased by about five ft to 167 ft.

Before: Original design in 2019

3701-3743 West Broadway Vancouver

2020 artistic rendering of the revised design for 3701-3743 West Broadway, Vancouver. (Leckie Studio Architecture + Design / Westbank)

After: Revised design in 2020

3701-3743 West Broadway Vancouver

2019 artistic rendering of the initial design for 3701-3743 West Broadway, Vancouver. (Leckie Studio Architecture + Design / Westbank)

The number of retail and restaurant units is now five units instead of four units, and the secured rental housing count is now 161 units — up by eight units over the initial proposal.

The residential unit mix is 54 studio units, 50 one-bedroom units, 51 two-bedroom units, and six three-bedroom units. Three of the units are townhouses on the west side of the building.

This project is under the city’s Moderate Income Rental Housing Pilot Program (MIRHPP), with the revised application increasing moderate income units by one unit to 32 units, and the market rental units increased by seven units to 129 units. Under MIRHPP, at least 20% of the residential floor area must be dedicated to moderate income households.

3701-3743 West Broadway Vancouver

2020 artistic rendering of the revised design for 3701-3743 West Broadway, Vancouver. (Leckie Studio Architecture + Design / Westbank)

The proponents state they have made changes to the building design and uses after receiving comments from the community during public consultation and the city’s Urban Design Panel.

“The openings (fenestration and balconies) have been organized with a standardized approach… [and] the articulation of the facade now operates at the scale of the individual dwelling units, and is designed for a standardized prefabrication of the envelope and cladding,” reads the revised application describing the alterations.

“Minor revisions to the building setbacks were required in order to resolve the new cladding module across the entire project.”

3701-3743 West Broadway Vancouver

2020 artistic rendering of the revised design for 3701-3743 West Broadway, Vancouver. (Leckie Studio Architecture + Design / Westbank)

As well, instead of the previous design’s use of phenolic resin panels on the exterior facade to create a brownish-red appearance, the new design incorporates a system of wooden panels to create a more natural look, punctuated by larger windows.

Other changes focus on landscaping on the ground level and minor adjustments to building setbacks.

Three underground levels will accommodate 51 vehicle parking stalls and 297 bike parking spaces.

The development site, replacing the strip mall with True Confections, is in the vicinity of a possible future subway station of the proposed SkyTrain Millennium Line extension from Arbutus Street to UBC.

 

3701-3743 West Broadway, Vancouver

Site of 3701-3743 West Broadway, Vancouver. (Google Maps)

3701-3743 West Broadway, Vancouver

Site of 3701-3743 West Broadway, Vancouver. (Google Maps)

Kenneth ChanKenneth Chan

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