3560 Hull IRP

 
3560 Hull Street & 2070 / 2088 / 2090 East 20th Avenue

Coffee Shop Talk on 27 July 2016

 
The following report attempts to convey the substance of the information provided to a group that attended a presentation on the concept of developing a Cedar Cottage block of approximately 50,000 sq ft (about 1.15 acres) under the City of Vancouver’s Interim Rezoning Policy (IRP). This is the seventh IRP proposal to come forward since 2012. It would be the third to locate within a one kilometre radius — haphazardly centering a massive concentration of experimentation around Commercial Drive and East 18th Avenue.

 

 

Proponents:

Molnar Group — http://www.molnargroup.com — Real Estate Investors

Brook Pooni Associates — http://brookpooni.com — Urban Planning & Communications

 
Blaire Chisholm of Brook Pooni, accompanied by two associates, hosted a group of about twenty local area residents at Commercial Street Cafe for an evening presentation of 12 screens of information. Early on, persons attending were asked not to photograph the screens. Appended is a listing of the titles of the 12 screens, as derived from note-taking, usually with indication of content.

The following matters of interest emerged from the slides and the spoken presentation:

1.  No formal inquiry has yet been made to City of Vancouver by Molnar / Brook Pooni

2.  The City of Vancouver was said to have

        (a) asked the proponent to consider using Interim Rezoning Policy
        (b) indicated that 2088 East 20th Ave could qualify for “heritage” potential

3.  Blaire Chisholm said she observed the process undergone by the Cressey application for 3365 Commercial

4.  Molnar does not anticipate seeking waiver of CAC/DCL

5.  “Underground parking for all residents and visitors” would mean at least one underground space assigned
        to each dwelling unit and not separable from the rental unit (a response to the Cressey practice of
        charging $100 per month for separable parking)

 
Flyer

A double-sided flyer for the event concluded with this information:

 
City of Vancouver’s Interim Rezoning Policy (IRP)

The City’s Interim Rezoning Policy (IRP) encourages the provision of affordable housing options by considering rezoning for sites that meet two criteria: Affordability and Location & Form of Development.

The Molnar Group is considering a project that will offer 100% rental and a range of unit types (townhouses, studios, and 1 to 3-bedrooms). The project is located in close proximity to an arterial road (separated from Victoria Drive by a City-owned community garden). Victoria Drive is part of Translink’s Frequent Transit Network with transit stops nearby and the Skytrain guideway running along the site’s south property line. The IRP is quiet on the form of development adjacent to the Skytrain guideway. The proposal could provide a buffer and transition between the guideway and the single-family neighbourhood to the north.
 

 

 

 
List of Twelve Screens Presented
 

 1  Hull and Twentieth Proposal
    [aerial view with parcel outlined in red]

 2  The Project Team: Brook Pooni 
    [five corporate entities dealing with communication and urban planning,
    architecture, landscape architecture / arborist, culture and heritage,
    and survey work]

 3  Molnar
    [developing real estate since 1969 – several projects listed]

 4  Kensington-Cedar Cottage Profile
    [mainly derived from information provided to City Council at the
    public hearing on the Cressey plan for 3365 Commercial]

 5  Area Context
    [map showing parks, schools, etc – mention of 850 m distance from
    Nanaimo SkyTrain station]

 6  Site
    [outline of four parcels comprising the ~ 50,000 sq ft]

 7  Rosenberg Residence at 2088 East 20th Avenue
    [built 1900 – many additions – "granite" foundation – not on "heritage"
    register – would be relocated]

 8  More Affordable Housing

 9  Interim Rezoning Policy
    [project verbally described as "buffer and transition" to SkyTrain

10  Big Ideas
    [rental apartments, Rosenberg residence as live/work unit with daycare,
    surrounding pedestrian improvements, courtyard with play area,
    underground parking]

11  Preliminary Plan
    [retention of south and north edge poplar rows, low/midrise of
    five/six storeys parallel to SkyTrain, ground-oriented form at
    Hull Street end, two townhouse units along East 20th separated
    by courtyard, interior separation between apartment and townhouse]

12  Tell Us What You Like
    [two sets of six photos: apartment pictures, townhouse pictures
    – comment form handed out to participants and then collected]