One of Vancouver’s biggest redevelopment projects is increasing its scope to add more rental housing.
Developer Onni Group recently filed a rezoning application for its Pearson Dogwood redevelopment on the Cambie Street Corridor, increasing building heights to add an additional 265,334 square feet of rental housing.
The project is redeveloping Vancouver Coastal Health’s (VCH) former 25-acre healthcare facility, located at 500-650 West 57th Avenue. IBI Group is handling design aspects for the revised master plan.
Project revisions would convert two planned condominium buildings — a 26-storey tower and a six-storey building — to rental housing. The changes include redistributing condominium space by increasing the height of six buildings, boosting a proposed 12-storey tower to 21 storeys and a 27-storey tower to 35 storeys.
Pearson Dogwood would encompass 3,005 units upon completion, including 2,035 condominiums, 541 social housing units, 216 market rental homes, 114 supportive housing units, and 99 moderate income rental homes.
At least 35 per cent of the homes will be sized for families, with two-bedroom units making up at least 25 per cent of the development and 10 per cent taken up by three-bedroom units.
The total floor area would expand to 3.44 million square feet under the proposed changes, including 3.02 million square feet of residential space, 132,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space, and a 205,000-square-foot VCH community healthcare centre.
The project involves replacing outdated on-site facilities and relocating existing complex care residents. The new supportive housing and healthcare facilities would be operated by VCH.
Construction of the first two condominium towers — called Cambie Gardens, reaching 24 storeys and 28 storeys — is expected to be completed in spring 2022. Most of the affordable homes will be built within the first and second phases of construction.
Public amenities would include a 15,000-square-foot childcare facility for up to 69 children, a 2.5-acre public park in the centre of the redevelopment, and a one-acre urban farm.
An underground parkade would provide space for 4,487 vehicle parking stalls, and 6,154 bicycle parking spaces.
