Agenda Index City of Vancouver

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

TO:

Vancouver City Council

FROM:

General Manager of Engineering Services in consultation with the Director of Current Planning and the General Manager of the Park Board

SUBJECT:

Coal Harbour: 1000 Block West Cordova Street - Streetscape Design

 

RECOMMENDATION

A. THAT Council approve the streetscape design for the 1000 Block of West Cordova Street as outlined in this report.

B. THAT Council approve a $4,000.00 increase to the Street Maintenance Operating Budget without offset, to cover the operating costs incurred by the construction of the viaduct structure, beginning in 2003.

C. THAT Council approve a $13,400.00 increase to the Street Basic Operating Budget for Horticulture Maintenance without offset, to cover the operating costs incurred by the construction of the landscaping, beginning in 2003.

COUNCIL POLICY

The Coal Harbour Official Development Plan (approved by Council - November, 1990) requires that

· the development should acknowledge and respect the existing neighbourhood so that the neighbouring buildings and plazas are visually and physically integrated into the development plan;

· streets be conceived as attractive public places; and
· special public realm designs shall be prepared for the escarpment edge and interface with existing downtown development along Cordova, Hastingsand Pender Streets.

SUMMARY

Marathon Developments wishes to proceed with the development of Burrard Landing, the third phase of the Coal Harbour development. This requires the construction of a number of services, viaducts, and the related public realm. City staff have reviewed the current plans for the public realm prepared by Marathon and are satisfied with the design quality and the integration of the 1000 Block of West Cordova Street (Appendix A) with the adjacent upland properties and the remainder of Coal Harbour. This report seeks Council approval of the design of the 1000 Block of West Cordova Street and the associated budget increases prior to the General Manager of Engineering Services approving the design drawings.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this report is to obtain Council approval for the design of the streetscape for the 1000 Block of West Cordova Street and the associated budget increases.

BACKGROUND

At a Public Hearing on September 15, 1994, Council approved Marathon's application for the rezoning of 201 Burrard Street (Burrard Landing) subject to a number of conditions, including the obligation to build the extension of Cordova Street between Thurlow Street and Burrard Street, as well as the obligation to close the gap between Cordova Street and the abutting upland properties. The second rezoning of this area recently approved by Council at a Public Hearing on April 10, 2001 did not alter these obligations.
The future 1000 Block of West Cordova Street and the remainder of the streets in the Burrard Landing Precinct will be built out with a network of viaducts and lower level roads in a manner similar to the lands to the east (800 Block Canada Place, 200 Block Burrard Street, and 200 Block Howe Street). This series of elevated roads is required to integrate the new infrastructure into the existing downtown City grid. The construction of new elevated roads in areas where there were previously no roads has created a number of urban design challenges related to a high quality public realm with extensive street tree planting, and integration of the adjacent buildings and Portal Park. The following discussion will address these details and outline how the current design meets the objectives in a manner acceptable to staff and adjacent property owners.

DISCUSSION

The new viaduct system to be constructed in the Burrard Landing Precinct will result in the 200 and part of the 300 Block of Thurlow Street, the 1000 Block of West Cordova Street, and the future 1000 Block of Burrard being built approximately 10 m above the existinggrade. Parallelling this upper network will be a lower network of service oriented streets under the 200 Block of Thurlow Street and under the future 1000 Block of Burrard Place. Access to this area will take place via a down ramp located in the 1000 Block of West Cordova Street. This new ramp will replace the existing Burrard Street downramp. As part of their phased development obligations, Marathon Developments and their consultants have designed the 1000 Block of Cordova Street, the 300 Block of Thurlow Street, the Thurlow/Cordova intersection, and the downramp consistent with the obligations of the Services Agreement and conditions of rezoning. The purpose of this report is to seek Council approval on the streetscape design for this area.

Unlike the Cordova Viaducts to the east of Burrard, the design of the interface of the sidewalks and plaza to the adjacent buildings will allow for a gap free transition. For the existing development on the 1000 Block of West Cordova, including Portal Park, the interfaces will be as follows (running from the east to the west).

MARINE BUILDING INTERFACE (355 Burrard - Appendix B)

At the Marine Building, a portion of the sidewalk will step down via stairs and a wheelchair accessible ramp to interface with the first floor below the main level of the building. This design detail also allows for complete exposure to the large arched window also located on this level. By providing a smooth transition to this floor, an opportunity is created that will allow the owners of the building to develop an active building frontage on the new portion of Cordova Street. It should be noted that planters will be integrated into this design to soften the staircase transition. The owner's representative is in support of this design.

UNIVERSITY CLUB INTERFACE (1021 West Hastings - Appendix C)

Given the potential redevelopment plans for the University Club, the interface will consist of building the concrete sidewalk and plaza to the property line. Any remaining gaps between the property line and the building (private property) will be screened with grating. A metal guardrail identical to the guardrails used in the 1100 Block of Cordova and in the neighbouring Harbour Green Park will provide an attractive and safe edge to the sidewalk at the property line.

GUINNESS TOWER INTERFACE (1055 West Hastings - Appendix D)

On the existing building there is a concrete plaza that overlooks Burrard Landing. The transition to the proposed extension to Cordova Street, which will be at a lower grade, will take place via a number of generous stairs through a landscaped plaza down to the sidewalk. Representatives for the owners of this property have been working with Marathon and the City on this design and are supportive of the positive impact that this design will have on the development of a Cordova Street frontage for the Guinness Tower.

PORTAL PARK (Appendix E)

The connection to Portal Park will take the form of a grassed berm leading into planted beds heading south away from the sidewalk area. A continuous low hedge running adjacent to the northwest corner of park and along the frontage on Cordova Street will frame the park and prevent short cutting across the grassed area. This rolling, grassed area will provide space for local office workers to relax while providing views of Burrard Inlet and the mountains to the north. Additional concrete detailing to the curvilinear concrete benches within the park will provide a new seating area allowing for additional views to water and the mountains. New pedestrian connections to the viewing decks located within the park will be achieved via a midblock connection on Thurlow Street, and a walkway to Cordova Street. Upgrades to the existing irrigation system and park lighting will also be provided to meet the new design requirements.

HARDSCAPE FEATURES

The surface finishes and hardscape details employ the same vocabulary as the previous phases of Coal Harbour to the west. Design elements from the existing streetscape and Harbour Green Park are combined to create an attractive environment that blends into the surrounding area. The concrete surface of the elevated plaza will be a combination of exposed aggregate and broom swept concrete. This treatment carries forward a pattern established in the 1100 Block of Cordova immediately to the west. The banding of different textured concrete on the surface plaza is reminiscent of the geometric paver patterns present on the shoreline walkway and the planter edging and raised seating captures the design elements of the concrete details visible along the shoreline walkway.

The Cordova downramp located in the middle of the street requires impact protection on its sides. This is achieved via architecturally designed concrete guardrails that capture the design elements of Coal Harbour while providing a barrier designed to withstand vehicle impacts (Appendix F).

SOFTSCAPE FEATURES

The viaduct requirement for Cordova Street and the associated sidewalk results in the entire area of City street being built on structure. Traditionally, bridge type structures have provided hostile environments for the growth of trees and plants. An innovative design by the developer's engineers and landscape architects will provide a tree trench in the structure which will allow for the growth of a continuous row of street trees on both sides of the street. Set back from the sidewalk on the south side will be a large raised planter with enough soil depth to support the same species of street tree allowing for a double row of street trees along the portion of Cordova Street adjacent to the Guinness Tower. The planter edges and raisedseating will capture the essence of Coal Harbour with surface finishes and concrete forming. The addition of a raised planter on the west side of the downramp will provide partial screening of the downramp in addition to softening the concrete median.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS

The Coal Harbour development to date has had considerable benefits for the City including extensive remediation of the waterfront, construction of public parks and open space, and additional lengths of shoreline walkway; however, it must be noted that the construction of the 300 Block of Thurlow Street will result in the removal of three mature trees along the western edge of the road alignment. A number of trees on the eastern edge of the road alignment will be removed and replanted in Portal Park.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

All costs related to the design and construction of the resulting build out of the Cordova Street viaduct and associated works will be borne by Marathon Developments as an obligation stemming from the 1996 Burrard Landing rezoning. Future maintenance of the resulting build out of the Cordova Street viaduct will require a $4,000.00 increase to the Streets Maintenance Operating Budget without offset. The associated maintenance of the
landscaping on the viaduct and gap structure will require a $13,400.00 increase to the Street Landscape Maintenance Budget without offset. The presence of street trees on the viaduct structure may lead to future repair costs that cannot be predicted at this time. Should these repairs be required, staff will report back in the future to seek budget approval and additional funding.

CONCLUSION

This design for the 1000 Block of West Cordova Street will create an important link from Coal Harbour to the existing downtown grid. The objectives of creating an attractive concrete structure and public realm treatment have been met to the satisfaction of staff and the adjacent property owners. The resulting build out will become an attractive addition to the City consistent with the high quality of the Coal Harbour Development.

Link to Appendices A to F.

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