Preliminary concept plan for "The VanDusen", a 35-storey tower for 4981 Oak Street, a half block south of West 33rd Avenue
In the quest to provide much-needed housing on surplus city lands, a concept plan for a 35-storey tower and townhouses is quietly being floated, CityHallWatch has discovered.
The concept plan would clip off a piece of the existing Van Dusen Botanical Garden, at the north end of the site, between Osler and Oak Street, just south of the existing laneway. This would minimize shadows on the gardens, with the tower being situated to the north. This "infill" project would be similar to the existing Shaughnessy Place at 4900 Cartier Street, but with a higher density in order to accommodate more residents. The tower and townhouses would be all rental, with 20% below market units.
According to documents discovered in a bin near the offices of a prominent architectural firm and shared with CityHallWatch, the tower would be promoted as "transit-oriented development" under Bill 47, which was passed by BC Legislature on November 30. Under the new rules, it could be directly approved by the city's new chief planner, requiring no public hearing. This is consistent with a powerful wave of deregulation for the real estate industry under government policies to "Legalize Housing."
The concept tower is right at the doorstep of the Oak Street bus stop. The Oak Street bus can used to take future residents directly downtown, or to the nearby Safeway King Edward Mall; it's also a short walk to the Canada Line. Eric Hamber Secondary School is located right across the street and Emily Carr Elementary is just up the the street at West King Edward Avenue. A number of parks are nearby, including Oak Meadows Park that's a short walk away.
Approval of this project would require only a slight delay, as the BC legislature needs to amend the Vancouver Charter so that the City can entertain a long term lease on the land. This is projected to take place after the October 19 provincial election. Other documents in the envelope discovered in the bin show alternative tower proposals for the same site going up to 68 storeys, using reinforced balsa wood to reduce the building mass. Another innovative concept in the secret documents is the idea of eliminating all elevators in the building, in order to promote healthy lifestyles and reduce electricity consumption as part of Vancouver's still not forgotten Greenest City efforts.
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