184 rental homes proposed near Oakridge SkyTrain station in Vancouver

Artistic rendering of 5630-5668 Heather Street, Vancouver. (BHA Architecture/Anthem Properties)

The municipally and regionally designated Oakridge Municipal Town Centre continues to take shape, with the latest proposal of another high-rise residential tower in the area north of the future Oakridge Park (Oakridge Centre) shopping mall.

Local developer Anthem Properties has submitted a rezoning application to redevelop three single-family lots at 5630-5668 Heather Street — located mid-block on Heather Street north of West 41st Avenue.

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The proposal, designed by BHA Architecture, calls for a 192-ft-tall, 19-storey tower, with the tower fronting the laneway to the south and a four-storey base podium fronting a mid-block public pedestrian pathway to the north required by the municipal government.

5630-5668 Heather Street Vancouver Anthem Properties rental housing

Existing site of 5630-5668 Heather Street, Vancouver. (Google Maps)

The development site of 5630-5668 Heather Street and nearby future projects, with the purple line indicating the future mid-block public pedestrian connection. (BHA Architecture/Anthem Properties)

Existing condition:

Existing site of 5630-5668 Heather Street, Vancouver. (Google Maps)

Future condition:

Artistic rendering of 5630-5668 Heather Street, Vancouver. (BHA Architecture/Anthem Properties)

There will be a total of 184 secured purpose-built rental homes, with about 37 units set aside for below-market rental homes and the remainder as market rental homes. The unit size mix is 13 studios, 106 one-bedroom units, 48 two-bedroom units, and 17 three-bedroom units. Residents will have access to shared indoor and outdoor amenity spaces on both the lower rooftop on the fifth level and the tower rooftop on the 19th level.

A minor retail component of a 1,200 sq ft commercial unit is incorporated into the ground level at the southwest corner of the building, fronting Heather Street and the laneway.

The total building floor area will reach 134,700 sq ft, establishing a floor area ratio density of a floor area that is 5.74 times larger than the size of the 23,500 sq ft lot.

Artistic rendering of 5630-5668 Heather Street, Vancouver. (BHA Architecture/Anthem Properties)

The proponents note that while the City’s requirement for a mid-block pedestrian connection is beneficial for accessibility and transportation — as part of a larger east-west walking route in the area in accordance with the Cambie Corridor Plan — it “significantly restrains the achievable” density on the site for rental housing and other potential uses.

This mid-block pedestrian connection will be 9.1 metres (30 ft) wide, with half of this width provided on the property and the other half on the future potential development site immediately to the north. This includes space for the wide walking pathway, terrace areas, and landscaping.

The project will provide three underground levels for 92 vehicle parking stalls and 344 secured bike parking spaces.

This is a transit-oriented development site, with SkyTrain Oakridge-41st Avenue Station and stops for the R4 41st Avenue RapidBus route just a four-minute walk away.

The development site of 5630-5668 Heather Street and nearby future projects, with the purple line indicating the future mid-block public pedestrian connection. (BHA Architecture/Anthem Properties)

Artistic rendering of 5630-5668 Heather Street, Vancouver. (BHA Architecture/Anthem Properties)

The development site of 5630-5668 Heather Street and nearby future projects, with the purple line indicating the future mid-block public pedestrian connection. (BHA Architecture/Anthem Properties)

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