City-owned lot east of Cambie Bridge could be developed with housing

City-owned vacant waterfront lot between Cambie Bridge and Olympic Village could finally be developed with housing

Existing condition of Area 1A of Southeast False Creek. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

Over 15 years after a previous Vancouver City Council approved the Southeast False Creek Plan, there now appears to be a planning effort behind the scenes to redevelop the last remaining large vacant waterfront plot of land within the area plan.

This intention is by the City of Vancouver’s Real Estate Services’ department’s previous Policy Enquiry Process to the Planning department, as outlined by a recent freedom of information (FOI) release by another party.

The City-owned property located on the south side of False Creek is framed by the Cambie Street Bridge to the west, West 1st Avenue to the south, Hinge Park and Olympic Village to the east, and the False Creek seawall to the north.

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Identified as Southeast False Creek Area 1A, the entire area eyed for improvement spans about 22 acres, which includes over 12 acres of public park and open spaces, in accordance to the area plan. Only about 7.4 acres on the southern half of the lot is deemed for development, while the northern half closest to the water is eyed for park space.

Development site of Southeast False Creek Area 1A, as shown in the 2007-approved Southeast False Creek Plan. (City of Vancouver)

vancouver southeast false creek plan area 1a

View from the Cambie Bridge deck; Existing condition of Area 1A of Southeast False Creek. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

Much of the Policy Enquiry Process application, which precedes the formal rezoning application, is redacted, but it indicates generating new housing — including new affordable housing — is a key priority.

It states that 20% of the proposed increased total number of homes will be dedicated for affordable housing, and at least 33% of the estimated number of units will be developed as “modest market housing.” The aim is to set aside 33% of the proposed increased number of homes as “modest market housing, but this will be dependent on financial viability and other public benefit requirements which are as yet undetermined. The balance of the housing will be strata or strata leasehold depending on viability and future Council decisions.”

The proponent, the City’s Real Estate Services department, oversees the municipal government’s vast real estate portfolio known as the Property Endowment Fund, and has a mandate to maximize the return to the City while also aligning with the City’s priorities, such as generating new housing.

The City’s Real Estate Services staff posed this question to the City’s Planning department: “Would there be support for a greater increase in height and density given the housing crisis in Vancouver, the proximity to excellent transportation, amenities and potential capacity for more density within the view cones?” The answer to this question was amongst the large parts of the release that were redacted.

The site is located a short walking distance from SkyTrain Olympic Village Station and frequent bus routes, and a median along West 1st Avenue preserves space for a future potential streetcar line between Granville Island and SkyTrain Main Street-Science World Station, with a connection to Olympic Village Station.

West 1st Avenue median looking east; Existing condition of Area 1A of Southeast False Creek. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

Number of building floors for Southeast False Creek Area 1A, in accordance to the 2007-approved Southeast False Creek Plan. Not the actual proposal. (City of Vancouver)

Height restrictions over Southeast False Creek Area 1A due to protected mountain view cones. (City of Vancouver)

It is noted that the proposal maintains the general layout as outlined by the area plan, but there are proposed changes to building heights and massing, and the road network. Over 20 buildings are proposed.

As well, the FOI release indicates that building heights on the site can reach up to 19 storeys under the protected mountain view cones. The development potential of this site is impacted by half a dozen view cones, including from Queen Elizabeth Park and Vancouver City Hall, and from the Cambie Street Bridge deck towards the east.

Building shadowing is also a factor, with this FOI section redacted. But based on shadowing considerations for other projects in Vancouver, the potential height of the buildings will likely also be limited from shadowing the new park space on the northern half of the site, which includes a large open sports field, according to the area plan.

Very minor retail/restaurant uses — about 3,800 sq ft — are currently envisioned, with the commercial uses expected to be contained within the restoration of two industrial structures that are deemed to be heritage buildings, including the Wilkinson Steel Building fronting West 1st Avenue at the southeast corner of the site. The City notes both buildings, which are in poor condition, need to be dismantled and rebuilt.

Under the area plan, the total amount of building floor area that is permitted within the lot is about 914,000 sq ft.

View from West 1st Avenue; Existing condition of Area 1A of Southeast False Creek. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

View from the False Creek seawall; Existing condition of Area 1A of Southeast False Creek. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

The City’s Real Estate Services is proposing a multi-phased development, starting with areas in the east, including completing the western side of Hinge Park, and then working westwards, including the West 1st Avenue frontages before the sites to the north.

In an email to Daily Hive Urbanized upon inquiry, the City states the lands are contaminated from their historic industrial uses, and require remediation and improvement to withstand potential seismic activity. The area would also have to be raised to prevent flooding from future sea level rises.

“The City has currently engaged consultants to prepare a hydrogeological and flood adaptation study for the property and this work is underway. Given the rising sea levels and increased potential for flooding, the results of this study will be critical in informing future redevelopment plans. City staff are currently awaiting the results of this study,” the City told Daily Hive Urbanized.

A timeline for when a formal rezoning application could be submitted was not provided.

“Council will provide direction on any terms of disposition and the future land tenure once a plan for redevelopment has been approved and potential costs and funding sources are fully understood,” adds the City.

View of the Wilkinson Steel Building from West 1st Avenue looking east; Existing condition of Area 1A of Southeast False Creek. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

View of the Wilkinson Steel Building and median of West 1st Avenue looking west; Existing condition of Area 1A of Southeast False Creek. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

View of the temporary modular housing building and median of West 1st Avenue looking west; Existing condition of Area 1A of Southeast False Creek. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

The site was cleared and used for storage during the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. During the early stages of the 2010 Games bid process in the early 2000s, this lot was originally considered for the Vancouver Olympic Village, but a decision was ultimately made to build the housing development for athletes on the City-owned lot to the east — away from Cambie Street Bridge due to security reasons.

Finalized in 2007, the Southeast False Creek Plan was created to guide the rezoning applications for the area’s redevelopment, most notably starting with the Olympic Village.

Currently, the vacant site is used for fleet parking for the Vancouver Police Department’s nearby headquarters office building on Cambie Street, a temporary urban farm, a temporary storage space for the Broadway Subway project, and the Hummingbird Place temporary modular housing structure.

Over the past decade, the site was also used for some of Vancouver’s largest special events, including the big top for the Cavalia acrobatic and horse show, and the inaugural year of the Enchant Christmas Maze and Market.

The last major planning effort by the City’s Real Estate Services focused on a long-term redevelopment of 80 acres of City-owned properties in False Creek South between the Granville Street Bridge and the Cambie Street Bridge, but the proposal was sent back to the drawing board after an outcry from area residents who would have seen their strata leasehold leases from the 1970s and 1980s expire in the 2030s and 2040s. In 2022, following City Council’s rejection, the municipal government offered to renew 669 strata leasehold leases for a further 20 years.

View from the Cambie Bridge deck; Existing condition of Area 1A of Southeast False Creek. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

View of the urban farm from West 1st Avenue; Existing condition of Area 1A of Southeast False Creek. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

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