The City of Vancouver’s new apartment parking policy appears set to be put to the test, with a new residential tower proposed for the West End.
The planned 25-storey building on Broughton Street near Pendrell Street would have 136 rental units, at least 30 per cent of them priced below market.
It will also have 200 bike parking spots, but no parking stalls for vehicles — a troubling prospect to several West End residents Global News spoke with on Wednesday, who cited already challenging parking conditions in the area.
A new City of Vancouver policy that took effect last January eliminated the requirement o include parking spaces in new builds in the West End and along the route of the Broadway subway.
The policy change is intended to speed up the permitting process and pace of homebuilding to counter the housing crisis.
Underground parking also makes new builds more expensive. The city estimates every parking spot adds about $100,000 to construction costs.
The property is owned by the non-profit Bloom Group, which has yet to enter its rezoning application.
“It’s similar in height to some of the buildings in the West End that were constructed recently as well as buildings dating back to the 1970s,” Vancouver City Councillor Peter Mesizner said.
“This is what is permitted under the West End plan with some of the changes we’ve seen with the new view cone policies.”
One tower just down the block from the project currently stands at 22 storeys.
The city’s current zoning allows for construction up to 58 metres in height. While Bloom’s proposal would stand at 88 metres, it is eligible for additional density because of its social housing component.
The City of Vancouver is currently accepting public input into the project.