City council approves trio of new tallest towers in Vancouver - EUROPE SAYS
Vancouver city council has approved rezoning for a block of downtown, paving the way for the city’s three largest towers to be built. In a 7-3 vote Monday, council approved the rezoning application by Holborn. . .
Vancouver city council has approved rezoning for a block of downtown, paving the way for the city’s three largest towers to be built. In a 7-3 vote Monday, council approved the rezoning application by Holborn Group for one 79-storey tower and two 68-storey towers, bounded by Georgia, Seymour, Dunsmuir and Richards streets in the centre of downtown. “This is a once in a lifetime project for our city,” said Coun. Peter Meiszner in supporting the rezoning. The proposal includes 1,546 housing units (of which 82 per cent would be market strata), a 920-room hotel, and a three-level viewing deck and garden on the top floor of the biggest tower, which would be open to public use. “It’s moving from a concrete space that’s predominately warehousing cars,” said Coun. Sarah Kirby-Yung. “The site is really underutilized from a public benefit [perspective]. This council has said it’s fully committed to a vibrant Vancouver … this is very consistent with that. ”WATCH | Vancouverites weigh in on tallest tower proposal:Vancouverites weigh in on proposed trio of new sky-high downtown towersA development proposal for Dunsmuir and Richards streets could have a big impact on the downtown Vancouver skyline, with three towers planned, one of which could be Western Canada’s tallest. CBC’s Gurpreet Kambo spoke with people in the neighbourhood to hear their thoughts on the proposal. As part of the conditions for the project, council also approved the rezoning of a parking lot owned by Holborn at Abbott Street and East Hastings into a social housing tower that would include a child-care facility and Indigenous art gallery. Mayor Ken Sim and all six ABC Vancouver councillors voted in favour of the project, highlighting the proposed design by Henriquez Partners Architects as an iconic addition to Vancouver. “This is the kind of building that Vancouver should be proud of,” said Coun. Mike Klassen, who described it as “thoughtful, city-building architecture. ”There is no timeline for beginning construction of the towers, though, due to the current housing and economic climate, and Nav Canada has indicated to the city that a reduction in height may be necessary due to aviation concerns. A rendering of the tallest of the three towers, which would have an observation deck for its top three floors that would be free for Vancouver residents. (Henriquez Partners Architects)Holborn’s Little Mountain conduct criticizedThe project, which was first announced by Holborn more than a year ago, has facedcontroversy for multiple reasons. The City of Vancouver is undergoing an overall review of itspolicy for tall buildings, and Coun. Sean Orr argued it was premature for the city to approve what would be its three tallest buildings before that policy had been decided. “I don’t think we should rush this … we can just pump the brakes a little bit,” he said. But the more emotionally charged argument at the public hearing concerned past conduct by Holborn Group at its Little Mountain housing site. The site was home to a publicly owned social housing neighbourhood for decades, but the province sold the site to Holborn in 2008 and provided it with a 18-year interest free loan of $211 million. The old buildings were quickly demolished, displacing about 700 people, and then Holborn left the sitenearly emptyfor more than a decade. Thepromised replacementof the final set of new social housing units is scheduled to be completed at the end of this summer, 17 years after its demolition. “The majority of social housing there has been completed, ahead of any market housing,” said Holborn CEO Joo Kim Tiah. “We do not step away from our commitment or obligations. ”But that wasn’t enough to sway Coun. Lucy Maloney, who voted ‘no’ on the new towers. “I don’t think Holborn should be rewarded for how they’ve conducted themselves for a very long time,” she said. LISTEN | Project architect Gregory Henriquez discusses the vision for the site:On The Coast8:51A proposed new tower from Holborn would be the tallest skyscraper in the cityThe project encompasses two sites and three towers. Architect Gregory Henriquez joins us to tell us about it.