25-storey rental housing tower proposed for Kingsway and Fraser Street strip mall in Vancouver
The strip mall at the prominent northeast corner of Kingsway and Fraser Street intersection in Vancouver’s Mount Pleasant neighbourhood is eyed for a new 277 ft tall, 25-storey, mixed-use tower.
A new rezoning application by local developer Qualex-Landmark calls for the redevelopment of the 1987-built strip mall at 701 Kingsway, which is currently home to a number of small businesses, including Sal Y. Limon Mexican Cuisine, Ba-le Deli & Bakery, Straight Outta Brooklyn Pizzeria, Alenka European Foods, and Discover Dogs Pet Store.
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The proposal, designed by RWA Group Architecture, calls for 201 secured purpose-built rental homes, with about 41 units set aside for below-market housing and the remaining 160 units as market rental housing.
Existing condition:
Future condition:
Under the Broadway Plan, a 25-storey tower can be pursued if it is dedicated to secured purpose-built rental housing, with at least 20% of the building floor area set aside for below-market rental units and a maximum floor area ratio (FAR) density of a floor area that is 8.5 times larger than the lot size. Alternatively, strata condominiums can be pursued, but only up to 12 storeys with a 4.5 FAR density. This development site is on the southernmost extent of the Broadway Plan area.
The proposed unit size mix is 62 studios, 68 one-bedroom units, 51 two-bedroom units, and 20 three-bedroom units. Residents will have access to various shared indoor and outdoor amenity spaces on the second level and the tower rooftop.
On the ground level, there will be over 6,000 sq ft of space for retail/restaurant uses across up to five commercial units. This represents a decrease from the existing strip mall’s 9,000 sq ft of commercial space.
A publicly accessible courtyard that bisects the ground-level retail uses will double as a pedestrian connection between the prominent intersection corner and the laneway.
Existing condition:
Future condition:
It is noted that this site is challenging for underground parking because of the tight lot size and geotechnical conditions, with this area of Mount Pleasant known for being a former bog.
The project will provide two underground levels with 60 vehicle parking stalls and 375 secured bike parking spaces. The parkade will be accessible by at least one car elevator instead of a parking ramp, which would otherwise eliminate much of the building’s retail frontage.
In total, the project will generate a building floor area of about 153,000 sq ft, representing a density of 8.5 FAR — the limitations of the Broadway Plan — over the 18,000 sq ft lot size.
This is the highest building envisioned for the area, with a 15-storey rental housing tower also proposed just one block to the south at 3231-3245 Fraser Street and 675 East 17th Avenue, and a pair of 14-storey rental housing towers planned for the Honda used car dealership about two blocks to the west at 445 Kingsway and 2935 St. George Street. In 2021, a six-storey rental housing building was proposed and approved for 610-644 Kingsway on the city block just kitty-corner from the strip mall.
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