Over the past three years I have expressed numerous concerns about the Broadway Plan: the inappropriate contextual fit between the existing streetscapes of lowrise homes and new 18-20 storey towers, often ten times the height and density of the existing homes; the lack of any additional parkspace and community amenities; and the potential loss of affordable rental housing. I say 'potential' since I am convinced that many of the projects, especially those replacing existing lowrise apartment buildings may not proceed.
This is particularly true of the projects proposed by HAVN Developments Ltd. A review of their website, https://havn-dev.com/company reveals that the company has three proposed developments along the Broadway Corridor. However, while the principals have real estate experience, there is no evidence that the company has ever financed or built a project. This has led many in the affected neighbourhoods to believe they are simply assembling and seeking approval to rezone sites, with the intention of then flipping them to others.
As a result, they and their architects have paid little attention to building designs, especially suite designs. As I have previously written, the suite layouts are just awful, especially those below market units intended for households with children.
I have attempted to speak with Adrian Lai but he has ignored me. More significantly, the principals have ignored the neighbourhoods in which they are seeking approvals, and refused to address neighbourhood concerns at public meetings and Council.
I was therefore pleased to receive a call from the Vancouver Sun's Joanne Lee-Young this week who invited me to comment on Council's decision to refer one of HAVN's proposals back to staff. I was in Penticton at the time and not aware of this decision, so watched the May 6th Council meeting video before speaking with her.
From the meeting, it was clear that councillors shared the genuine concerns about the shaddowing of a small park, immediately adjacent to the site. However, the Broadway Plan foolishly allowed this. I therefore suspect that given all the other applications coming forward, totalling thousands of units, Council may be getting the message that if they must approve projects, at least they should approve the best ones from the more qualified and experienced developers.
And maybe, just maybe it's time to refine the plan and consider exluding those that are causing the greatest concerns in lovely, established neighbourhoods such as the one in which this is proposed. Below is Ms. Lee-Young's article.
Vancouver city council sent a rezoning application for a new residential rental tower in Mount Pleasant back to staff this week for more work, a move some interpret as a response to growing public criticism of the high-density Broadway plan.
Some residents and observers hope the decision to ask questions rather than just approve the application is a sign the city’s governing ABC party is paying more attention to how the plan affects public spaces and amenities, given the party’s loss in April’s byelection to fill two council seats.
Addressing the main problem identified by council will be possible only if there is a big cut to the height and density of the building, according to staff, who said it will take at least six months before a revised application can be presented at a public hearing.
“When politicians oppose a development, they often camouflage their true intentions with other considerations,” said Michael Geller, a retired architect, planner and developer, who is an opponent of the project.
He noted council voted to explore reducing the shadow the proposed tower would cast on Major Matthews Park, a small green space on a single lot that is beside the site. This is despite the Broadway plan listing parks, including this one, where it “may not be feasible” and “particularly challenging due to the size and location” to avoid shadowing by towers.
“While (shadowing) is very much a concern for them and the community, I was trying to read the minds of the councillors. Were they also using this to perhaps camouflage other concerns?” suggested Geller.
He said he hopes “council is now getting the message and is slowly going to look at ways to refine the plan and maybe this decision is the first indication of that.”
The Broadway plan was approved in 2022 by a previous council and aims to add about 50,000 residents by allowing tall towers in an area of 500 city blocks.
HAVN Developments Ltd., which submitted the rezoning application, hasn’t responded to Postmedia News questions. HAVN’s website lists plans for three rental towers in the Broadway plan area.
In late November, council approved a rezoning application by HAVN for an 18-storey rental tower on West 14th Avenue near Arbutus.
But this time, at public hearings for the West 11th Avenue rezoning, there was discussion about the developer’s lack of a building track record and about the design renderings it submitted.
Liesbeth Thoraval, who lives in the area, said she got the impression city councillors were unhappy with the developer because a representative didn’t show up at the meeting and because they’re proposing a similar design to its other proposals.
Former city planner Sandy James, who believes the Broadway plan needs more public spaces and amenities, said the plans for all three of HAVN’s proposals “are remarkably similar and there is no design context. It is the same building and design.”
jlee-young@postmedia.com
