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A proposed development at 33 West Cordova has recently undergone a design revision, and is now under review at the City of Vancouver. The project is a collaboration between Westbank and BC Housing, with design by Henriquez Partners Architects. It will be located next to Blood Alley Square, which is slated for renovation, but it is not part of this development.
The proposal calls for a a 114,000-square-foot, 10-storey rental apartment building, with 80 social housing units and 62 secured market rental units, for a total of 142. The social housing units will contain 62 studio and 18 one-bedroom units. There will be 48, one-bedroom, and 14, two-bedroom market rental units. The redesign increased the number of social housing units to more than 50 percent of the building's total residential space. The building will have retail at grade, and restaurant use on the ground and in the basement.
The current scope is a significant change from the original design submitted in May 2016, which called for 11 storeys, a building height of 110 feet, and 214 rental units broken down as 80 social housing units and 134 secured market rental units. The original design also included a cabaret underground, and had a gross floor area of 163,482 square feet.
The site is currently occupied by the Stanley and New Fountain Hotels, which are single-room-occupancy (SRO) facilities. The project will retain and renovate the facades for heritage conservation purposes.
An unusual feature of the proposal is its completely car-free parking configuration. Featuring 181 bicycle parking spaces, and no vehicular stalls, the move makes the project more environmentally friendly, and also encourages occupants to live and work nearby.
Along with new commercial and restaurant space to contribute to the vitality of the neighbourhood, the project will feature a mews connection to Blood Alley Square, increasing accessibility to the space.
The City of Vancouver and the development team hosted a Community Open House on November 7, 2017. The Development Permit Board will decide on the permit at a meeting on January 8, 2018.
