Agenda Index City of Vancouver

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

TO:

Vancouver City Council

FROM:

Director of Current Planning

SUBJECT:

800 Hawks Street- Designation and Heritage Revitalization Agreement

 

RECOMMENDATION

GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS

COUNCIL POLICY

Council's Policy on heritage designation states, in part, that legal designation will be a prerequisite to granting certain bonuses and incentives.

PURPOSE

This report seeks Council's approval to designate and enter into a Heritage Revitalization Agreement (HRA) with the owner to secure the conservation and protection of the c.1905 Row House building at 800 Hawks Street.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY

The site is located in Strathcona and zoned RT-3. It is comprised of two parcel totalling 15.23 x 38.7m (50 x 127 ft.). The nine unit row house building was constructed circa 1905 and is listed as part of an "A" Streetscape in the Strathcona/ Kawassa RT-3 Guidelines. The row house building at 800 Hawks Street is also listed in the "B" category on the Vancouver Heritage Register. (See Appendix A) A twin rowhouse that has not yet been rehabilitated is located on an adjacent parcel at 818 Hawks Street. 800 Hawks Street will be rehabilitated as part of a heritage revitalization proposal under Development ApplicationDE404642. The Director of Planning approved the application and supported the owner initiated HRA and designation.

DISCUSSION

Heritage Value: The history of the row house building is not known in detail. It is believed that it was constructed circa 1905. It is part of a small surviving number of similar rowhouse buildings constructed in the Strathcona neighbourhood at the turn-of-the-century to provide rental income for area land owners. Occupied by working class families, this housing type was relatively rare in Vancouver but would have been familiar to new immigrants from eastern Canada and Europe.

Architecturally, the row house conforms to the domestic vernacular style of Edwardian buildings in Vancouver and has extensive use of British Columbia milled lumber for the clap-board siding, double-hung windows, entry porch brackets and the decorative details of the cornice. This building contributes to the eclectic residential character of Hawks Street and the Strathcona neighbourhood.

Revitalization Program: The owner proposes to restore the exterior of the row house, while sensitively rehabilitating the interiors of the nine dwelling units for the strata title market.

Compatibility with Community Planning Objective: The intent of the RT-3 District Schedule is to encourage the retention of buildings of neighbourhood and streetscape character. By retaining, rehabilitating and protecting the row house, Development Application DE404642 meets the intent of the zoning and guidelines.

Economic Viability: The owner has voluntarily come forward to legally protect the building. It is prepared to enter into an HRA and designate the heritage row house. It has agreed that the variances to the Zoning and Development By-law represent fair, full and complete compensation in exchange for the designation of the property and has waived its right to further compensation. A financial proforma to determine the benefit to the site was not requested as the variances approved relate to existing non-conforming conditions on site.

Zoning and Parking Variances: The recommended HRA will vary provisions of the RT-3 District Schedule described in the table below and convert a number of non-conformingphysical conditions into "outright" zoning provisions. This is to provide assurance to the owners that they are entitled to repair and rebuild the approved development should it be damaged or destroyed in the future.

FSR REGULATION

PERMITTED/REQUIRED

PROPOSED

Max. Frontage (Hawks St)

50.20 ft

127.05

Min. Side Yard: North

4.9 ft

0.0 ft

Min. Side Yard: South

4.9 ft

0.0 ft

Min. Rear Yard

26.9 ft

10.61

Max. FSR

0.75fsr = 4763.25 sf

1.64 = 10428 sf

Max. Site Coverage

45% = 2857.95 sf

54.7% = 3476.00 sf

Max. Principal Facade Width

20 ft

127.05

Required Parking Spaces

9 spaces

0 spaces

The Parking By-law requires nine parking stalls for the nine units proposed, but has a relaxation provision for applications proposing to conserve a heritage building. Using this provision and following past practice the Director of Planning supports relaxing the parking provisions to accommodate the rehabilitation of the row house.

Notification: Notification of the surrounding neighbours was not a requirement of the Development Permit process, as the building was not altered in size or use from its existing condition.

Legal Agreements: The Director of Legal Services has prepared the necessary legal agreements and the Public Hearing has been announced in a local newspaper as part of the notification requirements specified in the Vancouver Charter.

Comments of the Vancouver Heritage Commission: On December 6, 1999 the Heritage Commission reviewed and supported the development application and zoning variances subject to the designation of the heritage structure.

- -

CONCLUSION

The 1905 row house at 800 Hawks Street is a valued heritage resource in the Strathcona neighbourhood and merits conservation. Heritage retention is an objective of the RT-3 zoning and is supported by the Vancouver Heritage Commission. The requested zoning and floor space represent fair compensation to the owner for the conservation of the building. Staff therefore recommend that Council support the requisite HRA and designate the heritage "B" rowhouse building as Protected Heritage Property.

* * * * *

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General Mgr./Dept. Head:

Date:

This report has been prepared in consultation with the departments listed to the right, and they concur with its contents

Report dated:

July 7, 2000

Author:

Yardley McNeill

Phone:

7582

Concurring Departments:

Legal Services ( Joe Stubbs, Brian Porter)

 
 
 

Q:\public\aHeritage\Yardley\800HAWKS.WPD

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