The City of Vancouver‘s approved strategy for the 500-block, which aims to introduce significant density along the future east-west subway line of Broadway Street, has been a subject of ongoing controversy.
Approximately one-quarter of the city’s rental stock is located within the study area, raising concerns of potential displacement of tenants amidst large-scale residential redevelopment. However, the City’s 30-year plan for the area, triggered by the Mount Pleasant to Kitsilano rapid transit extension, encompasses more than just new residential density.
Significant focus is also placed on the office component, particularly around transit stations like Oak-Vancouver General Hospital and Broadway-City Hall. Here, office towers up to 32 storeys are permitted. The overarching vision of the Broadway Plan involves adding over 40,000 new jobs along the corridor, creating a secondary downtown marked by Vancouver’s signature podium-style towers offering ground-level retail.
Approved a year ago, the plan has already initiated several major projects. Vancouver Community College’s Broadway campus is in the midst of an expansive master-planned campus enhancement. Major developer Bosa Properties has submitted a development permit application for a project at 888 W. Broadway, featuring two 10-storey towers with a focus on office and hotel space, totaling 280,000 sq. ft of commercial area.
Near the future South Granville Station, Yuanheng Holdings has proposed a rezoning application for a 24-storey office tower at 1395 W. Broadway.
Renderings of Yuanheng Holdings’ planned 24-storey tower. (Yuanheng Holdings) Renderings of Yuanheng Holdings’ planned 24-storey tower. (Yuanheng Holdings)
This project by Yuanheng Holdings is situated close to the upcoming 28-storey tower by Jameson Development Group, which raised controversy due to its height. This tower secured $164M in low-interest financing from the provincial government this year.
Jameson Development Corp’s 28-storey rental tower at 2538 Birch Street. (Jameson Development Corp)
To the west, construction is underway for PCI Developments’ 39-storey mixed-use tower directly above the new South Granville Station. It will encompass retail, office, grocery, and rental homes.
The Broadway Plan is anticipated to become the east-west backbone of the city, akin to a linear town square. While the plan will take time to fully materialize, factors such as interest rate fluctuations, remote work preferences, and construction costs will influence its progress.
As per Tony Letvinchuk, Managing Director at Macdonald Commercial Real Estate Services, the Broadway corridor has the potential to set a precedent for the downtown proper. The central business district has experienced depopulation since the pandemic’s onset, prompting discussions about co-mingling office and residential spaces for a more vibrant urban landscape.
Broadway Plan area map. (City of Vancouver)
The Broadway corridor’s blend of commercial and residential elements, including retail and hotel spaces, challenges the conventional separation between downtown commerce and living. This aligns with the trend of living close to workplaces and amenities, reducing commute times.
The vision for Broadway represents a forward-thinking approach, wherein residential and commercial coexist harmoniously. The lessons from the Broadway Plan could have valuable implications for future development within the downtown core of Vancouver.
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The City of Burnaby is presently analyzing public input on the future of the Royal Oak Urban Village Community Plan, setting the stage for upcoming developments.
The City of Burnaby is now analyzing public input on the Royal Oak Urban Village Community Plan, which is setting the stage for the future of the area.
Metrotown, Brentwood, Lougheed, and Bainbridge have already undergone transformations. Now, it’s Royal Oak’s turn.
Watch the video below for a quick overview of the community plan process.
The City of Burnaby is currently in the process of creating a new community plan for Royal Oak, known as the Royal Oak Urban Village Community Plan.
This plan will shape the future of the neighborhood, and there are strong indicators that redevelopment is on the horizon.
The Royal Oak Urban Village Community Plan area. (City of Burnaby)
Covering approximately 554 acres, Royal Oak houses around 6% of Burnaby’s population (as of 2021), according to the City. While single-detached homes make up the majority (43%) of the neighborhood, the rest is divided among industrial lands (19%), mixed-use and multi-residential areas (16%), schools and parks (12%), and commercial spaces (9%).
Royal Oak enjoys a central location within Burnaby, leading into the Metrotown neighborhood, the City’s designated downtown core. Furthermore, Burnaby is positioned at the heart of Metro Vancouver, ensuring easy accessibility from neighboring municipalities via various transportation modes.
Burnaby’s history is deeply rooted in its ancestral and unceded Indigenous homelands. Kingsway, originally constructed in 1860 along an Indigenous trail, now serves as a significant arterial road connecting New Westminster, Burnaby, and Vancouver.
Several neighborhoods along Kingsway in Burnaby have already experienced substantial development.
For instance, Edmonds is undergoing a new community plan, including a five-tower master plan community at Kingsway and Edmonds Street, a collaboration between the City and BC Housing. In Metrotown, Concord Pacific’s Concord Metrotown project and Anthem Properties’ Citizen skyscraper are in progress, alongside the completed Station Square project by Anthem and Beedie.
The Royal Oak area along Kingsway has largely remained untouched by redevelopment, making it a potential candidate for transformation.
While the community plan’s establishment is in its early stages, the City aims to establish vibrant commercial corridors along Kingsway, Royal Oak Avenue, and Imperial Street. Higher-density residential development is anticipated around Royal Oak Station.
The existing neighborhood composition, with car dealerships, gas stations, and aging commercial buildings, makes Royal Oak a prime candidate for redevelopment. Several rezoning applications are already underway.
The preliminary land use framework for Royal Oak. (City of Burnaby)
As the community plan progresses, the City seeks to expand housing, commercial options, and creative employment opportunities in the Royal Oak area. Transit-oriented development around Royal Oak Station is also a focus.
The Royal Oak Urban Village Community Plan Project phases. Source: City of Burnaby
The City is currently analyzing the feedback they received to inform the draft plan directions for phase 2. This feedback will guide the plan’s direction, with the full plan expected next summer and Council approval by fall 2024.
Interest in the development industry is growing, with the Urban Development Institute set to participate in consultations for the Royal Oak community plan, as stated in their annual report.
The Royal Oak Urban Village Community Plan is poised to shape the future of this area, bringing new opportunities and revitalization to Burnaby’s landscape.
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