ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
BUILDING & DEVELOPMENT

TO:

Vancouver City Council

FROM:

Director of Current Planning

SUBJECT:

Heritage Revitalization Agreement & Designation - 900 Main Street

RECOMMENDATION

GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS

COUNCIL POLICY

Council's Heritage Policies and Guidelines state that buildings "identified in the Vancouver Heritage Register have heritage significance" and that "the City's long-term goal is to protect through voluntary designation as many resources on the Vancouver Heritage Register as possible."

Council's policy on heritage designation states, in part, that legal designation will be a prerequisite to accepting certain relaxations and incentives.

PURPOSE

This report seeks Council approval to increase residential floor area, together with other variances, at 900 Main Street in exchange for the rehabilitation and long-term protection of the former bank building through heritage designation and a Heritage Revitalization Agreement (HRA).

BACKGROUND and SUMMARY

The site is located at 900 Main Street in the FC-1 Zoning District and is comprised of three legal parcels totalling 30.5 m (100.0 ft.) wide by 38.1 m (125.0 ft.) deep with an area of 1161.5 m² (12,500 sq.ft.). The existing heritage building is 906 Main Street situated in the northwest corner at Main and Prior Streets. (See Site Map: Appendix A.) The applicant proposes to rehabilitate the existing heritage building and change its use to restaurant, and to construct a six to nine-storey mixed use commercial/residential building with 60 dwelling units and three levels of underground parking on the remainder of the site. (See Architectural Drawings: Appendix B.) Variances are required to the FC-1 District Schedule including: residential floor space ratio; height; and retail shopfront width. The developer wishes to enter into the recommended Heritage Revitalization Agreement (HRA) with the City to vary the zoning to accommodate the proposed development in exchange for conserving the heritage building. A relaxation to the Parking By-law will be dealt with by the Development Permit Board through the development application process.

The development (as submitted in the Development Application) was to be built to the north party wall of the American Hotel to the south. While reviewing the application, staff identifiedthat there are existing residential/hotel unit windows in the party wall that would be blocked if the project were to proceed as submitted. In response, the applicant redesigned the proposal with staff input by setting back the infill building from the windows in the common wall, and recouped the lost floor space by adding one typical floor and some additional penthouse area.

Staff's assessment is that this added height will not have significant negative impacts on urban design or on surrounding developments or residents. The applicant has incorporated these changes and revised the drawings ( refer to Appendix B). Staff have therefore recommended that a maximum height of 90.55 feet be approved in order to allow for this design adjustment. The FSR remains at 4.98 under the conditional maximum 5.0.

DISCUSSION

Heritage Value: The building is listed as "B" in the Vancouver Heritage Register and is a representative example of a "Temple Bank". It was designed by Honeyman & Curtis in 1929 for the Bank of Montreal and is typical of the restrained "Beaux Arts Classicism" of this commercial banking style. The building exhibits a high quality of construction, materials and design aesthetic. This is particularly evident in the cut stone cladding, fine neo-classical detail in the cornices and column capitals, fenestration, and interior (including period tilework to basement washrooms, etc.). The corner location, "Temple" design metaphor, and the quality of design and construction of this heritage building make it a neighbourhood landmark.

Compatibility of Conservation with Community Planning Objectives: The intent of the FC-1 District Schedule is to encourage the development of a high-density mixed commercial use neighbourhood, including some residential and compatible industrial uses. The intent of the FC-1 Guidelines is to ensure quality development and compatibility of different uses. The conservation of neighbourhood character is a design consideration throughout these guidelines. This is most clearly articulated in Section 5 "Architectural Components", Section 5.5 Exterior Walls and Finishing" which states:

The proposal fulfils the intent of these guidelines by retaining and rehabilitating an important neighbourhood landmark and, by proposing a compatible, though distinguishable, new infill development.

Development Proposal & Compatibility With Land Use Regulations: While a residential FSR variance is requested, the project will not exceed the maximum total permitted FSR of 5.0. The following table summarises the zoning variances that would be given by the recommended HRA.

Table of Required Zoning Variances:

Regulation

Required Minimum or Permitted Maximum

Proposed Variation

Floor Space Ratio
for Residential Use

maximum 3.0
for residential use

maximum 4.4
for residential use

Height

maximum 22.9 m
(75.0 ft.)

maximum 27.6 m
(90.55 ft.)

Frontage of Use on the
Ground Level

maximum 15.3 m
(50.2 ft.)

maximum not applicable

Parking Relaxation: The Parking By-law requires 111 parking stalls for the proposed development but allows the Development Permit Board (DPB) to relax the by-law provisions for applications proposing to conserve a heritage building. In keeping with past practice, staff will be recommending that the DPB uses its discretion to approve the requested relaxation of 38 stalls from 111 stalls to 73 stalls and increase the percentage of small car stalls from the by-law required of 25 % to 40%, should Council support the requisite HRA.

Condition of the Property & Economic Viability of the Conservation: The exterior cladding, fenestration, finishes, and details of the heritage building are are in good condition requiring only minor maintenance. The building will be rehabilitated to accommodate restaurant usage, and upgraded to meet Vancouver Building By-law requirements including seismic mitigation.

The Manager of Real Estate Services advises that the additional residential floorspace and other requested variances would not provide the applicant with an extraordinary profit, based on an analysis of this proposal. The developer is prepared to accept the HRA as fair compensation for designation and the HRA obligations, and will waive future claims for compensation.

Designation: With the developer's and Vancouver Heritage Commission's concurrence, staff are recommending the designation apply to the building exterior and the following interior features:

The developer advises that the additional residential floorspace would make the rehabilitation and designation of the heritage building economically viable.

Neighbourhood Notification: A site sign was installed on April 24, 2003 and 639 letters were mailed to neighbouring property owners on April 25, 2003. Nine responses were received. Seven, including the Strathcona Residents' Association, were in support of the application; one was in opposition; and, one sought information about the proposal. Those in support felt the project would help revitalize the neighbourhood. Further, they supported rehabilitation of the heritage building and the addition of retail and restaurant use. Several supporters encouraged a "market oriented" residential development. One supporter encouraged the Development Permit Board to require additional parking when it considered the development application. The letter of opposition stated a general concern about existing traffic and congestion in the general area and that the new development would further exacerbate congestion.

The site sign was amended on June 10, 2003 and a second notification of 639 letters was mailed to neighbouring property owners on June 11, 2003. This notification letter informed the owners of the change in height variance and also informed them of the Public Hearing date and time. This notification period will close on June 25, 2003. The response to the second notification and staff comments will be reported to Council at Public Hearing and subsequently to the Development Permit Board.

Staff Response to Notification: Regarding the issue of parking and traffic congestion raised in two initial response letters, the recommended parking and loading relaxations would put some additional pressure on street parking. Mitigating factors for parking and traffic impacts include proximity to high level transit service; the location of the site at the downtown edge; anticipated reduced residential parking requirements for multiple residences in this general area (currently in process); and the inefficiencies of providing parking under the heritage bank structure. The development site also fronts on three streets, one of which (Prior Street) will never be developed on the opposite (north) side because of the Georgia Viaduct. As a consequence, a greater amount of street parking is available to this site.

Staff therefore believe that the impacts on the surrounding area are within acceptable limits.

Comments of the Vancouver Heritage Commission: The Vancouver Heritage Commission reviewed and supported the proposal, interior and exterior designation, and requested variances on April 14, 2003, subject to minor design revisions regarding compatibility of the new infill development with the heritage building. This issue will be addressed through a Development Permit "prior-to" condition.

CONCLUSION

The proposal fulfils Council's long-term policy to protect heritage resources through voluntary designation. The requested zoning variances will make the heritage conservation economically viable. Therefore it is recommended that Council endorse the requisite HRA and designate by
by-law 906 Main Street as municipally Protected Heritage Property.

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