A rendering shows the location of a proposed 30-storey tower on the Columbia Theatre site in downtown New West.City of New Westminster
Project Highlights:
Hotel and Residential Units: The development will include 95 hotel rooms, a hotel lounge, 216 stratified residential units, and retail space on Front Street. Hotel facilities will be located on floors 3 to 10, while residential units will occupy floors 11 to 30.
Ground Floor: The ground floor along Columbia Street will house an auditorium/multipurpose venue, a theatre lobby, a coffee bar, and a residential entrance.
Heritage Preservation: The Columbia Street facade will be preserved and restored, including the theatre’s marquee. Other heritage elements, such as the Front Street facade and key interior design features, will be reconstructed. Efforts will be made to retain and rehabilitate original doors, windows, and other features where possible.
Community Use: The auditorium is planned to be managed by the hotel as a multi-purpose venue. A community use agreement will offer non-profit organizations and community groups a 30% discount on rental rates, subject to availability, for up to 100 hours annually.
Current Proposal: The revised plan features a taller 30-storey tower, aiming to balance heritage preservation with modern development needs.
Parking: A three-level parkade will provide 57 parking spaces (39 commercial and 18 residential), with additional solutions like car elevators and valet service to address space constraints.
Family-Friendly Housing: The plan falls short of the family-friendly housing policy, which requires 20% of units to have two bedrooms and 10% to have three bedrooms. The current proposal includes 8% two-bedroom units and no three-bedroom units.
Impact on Neighbors: The proposal takes into account potential impacts on neighboring properties and aims to enhance future development potential in the area.
Next Steps:
Council Review: At the July 15 workshop, council members supported moving forward with the heritage revitalization agreement and special development permit applications for 530 Columbia St.. Further feedback focused on increasing community benefits and addressing the need for more family-friendly housing.
Ongoing Process: The development process will include continued staff review, public consultations, and a public hearing.
On July 10th, 2024, the Vancouver City Council approved the most significant changes to the city’s view cone policies since their inception in 1989. These changes aim to increase housing and job space while still preserving key scenic views.
1989 view cone policies, with previous amendments included. (City of Vancouver)
Historic Policy Changes
The council’s decision marks a significant shift in priorities, balancing the need for scenic preservation with the city’s urgent demand for more housing and commercial spaces. The view cone policies, originally designed to protect northward mountain views from select public areas, will see major changes but retain their core purpose.
Key Amendments
The new 2024 Public Views Guidelines reduce the number of protected public views from 38 to 24 and the number of origin points from 18 to 16. These changes will open up substantial development opportunities, particularly in areas where views have been obscured by natural growth or urban development.
2024 amendments to Vancouver’s view cone policies (public views). (City of Vancouver)
Council’s Vision
ABC city councilor Sarah Kirby-Yung emphasized the need for adaptable city policies:
“There is no one silver bullet to address our housing crisis. We need a synergy of policies to achieve our goals. Cities are living entities that must evolve. The Vancouver of 1989 is not the Vancouver of today.”
Development Potential
City staff estimate that these policy changes could enable an additional building floor area of between 108 million sq ft and 215 million sq ft over the next century, translating to approximately 230,000 to 300,000 new homes. In the next 30 years alone, potential development could add between 15,000 and 75,000 homes.
Focus Areas
The single largest development capacity gain comes from adjustments to View Cone 3.0, which originates from Queen Elizabeth Park. This adjustment alone accounts for half of the total development capacity gains, opening significant development opportunities along the Cambie Corridor and downtown Vancouver peninsula.
2024 changes to View Cone 3.0 emanating from Queen Elizabeth Park. (City of Vancouver)
Community Impact
Councilor Peter Meiszner highlighted the broader benefits of these changes:
“The modernization of the view cone policy balances the need for more housing with maintaining a livable city. This will also generate significant community amenity contributions, funding vital infrastructure and amenities.”
Shadowing Guidelines
In addition, to view cone policy changes, the council approved new building shadowing guidelines for areas outside downtown Vancouver, standardizing the impact assessment to spring and fall equinoxes from 10 am to 4 pm.
Public Reaction
Former city councilor Colleen Hardwick expressed opposition, arguing that the changes prioritize profit over livability. However, the council remains committed to managing growth in a way that benefits current and future residents.
Conclusion
The approval of these policy changes marks a significant step towards addressing Vancouver’s housing crisis while maintaining the city’s unique connection to nature. The council’s decision is poised to reshape the urban landscape, balancing development with preserving iconic views.
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