CITY OF VANCOUVER
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: |
July 15, 2003 | |
Author/Local: |
M.Gordon/T.Knowles | |
Phone No.: |
604-873-7665 | |
RTS No.: |
03499 | |
CC File No.: |
1755 | |
Meeting Date: |
July 29, 2003 |
TO: |
Vancouver City Council |
FROM: |
Director of Current Planning |
SUBJECT: |
Special Review Process for a Higher Building in the Downtown at 550 Bute Street |
RECOMMENDATION
A. THAT pursuant to Council Policy for enhanced review of buildings significantly exceeding existing height limits, Mr. Christoph Ingenhoven, Mr. Rocco Yim, Mr. Arthur Erickson, and Mr. Richard Henriquez be appointed to the Urban Design Panel as temporary members for the purpose of reviewing a proposed tall building at 550 Bute Street.
B. THAT Council approve an increase in the development permit and rezoning application fee from $9,900 to $24,000 for travel, lodging expenses and honorariums for out-of-town members, and Urban Design Panel review expenses related to the review of buildings significantly exceeding the height limits in the Downtown District pursuant to Council's Policy for Higher Buildings;
FURTHER THAT Council instruct the Director of Legal Services to prepare the necessary Zoning and Development and Rezoning Fee By-law amendments to increase this fee;
AND FURTHER THAT if this process proceeds before the new Higher Buildings application fee is implemented, the applicant for a higher building at 550 Bute Street be requested to contribute additional funds to cover the difference between the current fee and new proposed increased fee.
GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS
The General Manager for Community Services RECOMMENDS approval of A and B above.
COUNCIL POLICY
On April 22, 1997, with further updates on May 15, 2003, Council adopted a General Policy for Higher Buildings (see Appendix "A" for more details) which included provisions for consideration of buildings up to 600 feet on identified sites in the Central Business District. Provisions in the policy require that the buildings should not exceed height limits of the
Council-approved view corridors and that the buildings exhibit the highest order of architectural excellence.
The General Policy for Higher Buildings also requires that higher buildings be the subject of an enhanced review process. This process includes, in addition to the current review requirements (which includes review by staff and the Urban Design Panel and approval by the Development Permit Board), a special consideration of architectural excellence by the addition of four world-renowned architects to the Urban Design Panel. The policy also requires that the building should be approved by Council.
PURPOSE
This report recommends the appointment of four additional architects to the Urban Design Panel for the purpose of reviewing a building proposed at 550 Bute Street in downtown Vancouver that significantly exceeds existing height limits.
BACKGROUND
In 1997, the Downtown Vancouver Skyline Study concluded that Vancouver's skyline would benefit from the addition of a handful of buildings exceeding current height limits to add visual interest to Vancouver's skyline. This led to the General Policy on Higher Buildings.
The 1997 study noted that the opportunities for buildings significantly exceeding existing permitted heights were restricted due to a limited number of large development sites in the downtown. There were at least five sites identified where buildings exceeding the 450 foot height limit are possible and at least two sites in the northwest corner of the Central Business District where heights up to 400 feet (exceeding the 300 foot limit) might be considered. Six years later, five of the seven sites remain development sites. Earlier this year, Council approved a rezoning adjacent to the Hotel Georgia permitting a 50 storey,162 m high (531 feet) building on one of these sites. A rezoning application for a taller building at 1120 West Georgia Street is currently being reviewed by staff, for which the first enhanced review process was undertaken on June 19 - 20, 2003. While that application was supported in this process, recommendations were made for further design development. Staff believes that this reflects the intent of general policy to ensure that the city's tallest buildings are superlative in their importance as prominent elements in the skyline.
Currently, there is a development application for one of the sites identified in Council's General Policy for Higher Buildings - a 122m high (400 foot) hotel and residential proposal for 550 Bute Street at Melville Street (see Appendix "B" for a map of the site).
DISCUSSION
Appointment of Architects to the Urban Design Panel for 550 Bute Street
The Architectural Institute of British Columbia has recommended four architects as temporary appointees to the Urban Design Panel under the General Policy for Higher Buildings. Staff have contacted these architects and confirmed the availability of the following:
Mr. Christoph Ingenhoven, based in Düsseldorf, Germany, specializes in the design of high rises, emphasizing the importance of environmentally sensitive design, which minimizes the impact of buildings on their surroundings by incorporating ecological materials and methods of construction.
Mr. Rocco Yim, based in Hong Kong, is the Principal for Rocco Design Ltd. which specializes in innovative and expressive design forms for mixed-use, high rise development. His achievements have been featured in many design magazines highlighting the firm's youthful spirit and prowess in design and special consideration for environmental sensitivity.
Mr. Arthur Erickson has contributed many buildings of distinctive innovative design in Vancouver and internationally. Mr. Richard Henriquez is also highly regarded by his peers and is responsible for many prominent residential and mixed-use buildings in Vancouver.
As in the appointments for the previous enhanced review process, these appointments will only be applicable to the review of the proposed project at 550 Bute Street. Once Council has approved these additional appointees, staff will proceed with making arrangements for the review which is expected to occur in September and shall include a free public lecture.
Proposed Revision to the Fee
An increase to the special fee for the enhanced design review component for higher buildings is recommended, from $9,900 to $24,000.
Once staff began organizing the first higher building review it became apparent that there was a shortfall in the funds needed for the direct expenses related to travel, hotel, honorariums, facility bookings and other costs. Travel costs for the two international architects were much higher than anticipated, as it is common practice that architects of this calibre travelling long distances fly in business class. It is also common practice that visiting architects are paid an honorarium of $1500 CAD for such services.
When it was known that the costs were much higher than expected for the 1120 West Georgia Street proposal the building's developer, Mr. Ian Gillespie of Westbank Projects Corporation, agreed to voluntarily contribute the difference in the fee paid and the costs incurred for the enhanced review. Based on the costs for the first higher building review process a revised budget has been prepared for the 550 Bute Street proposal, as follows:
Budget for Higher Building Review Process
General Expenses Relating to an Enhanced Review |
|||||||
Budget | |||||||
Public Open Houses / Lecture |
$2000.00 | ||||||
Expenses for Temporary Appointees to the UDP (travel and related costs) |
$16,250.00 | ||||||
Urban Design Panel Meeting Facilities / Expenses |
$5000.00 | ||||||
Contingency |
$750.00 | ||||||
Total |
$24,000.00 | ||||||
It is suggested that Council direct staff to ask the applicant for the higher building proposed at 550 Bute Street to cover the difference between the current application fee and the projected budget for the forthcoming Higher Building Review of the proposed development.
CONCLUSION
With approval of these special Urban Design Panel appointees, this enhanced review process for 550 Bute Street can commence.
- - - - -
APPENDIX "A"
General Policy for Higher Buildings
The following should be considered when reviewing proposals for higher buildings (i.e. exceeding current height limits):
· building significantly exceeding current height limits will only be permitted in the area identified in the map below;
· the highest buildings (i.e. 575-600 feet) should be on one of downtown Vancouver's three primary streets - West Georgia, Granville and Burrard;
· the building should exhibit the highest order of architectural excellence;
· the building should achieve other community benefits such as being a recipient site for density transfers or density bonusing relating to heritage retention or the provision of significant cultural or social facilities or low cost housing;
· it should not involve the demolition of a Class "A" heritage building;
· where possible, the building should include activities and uses of community significance such as a public observation deck or other public amenity;
· the development should provide on-site open space that represents a significant addition to downtown green and plaza spaces;
· the buildings should not contribute to adverse microclimate effects;
· signage on buildings should not be located at a height which exceeds the current height limits (i.e. 300 feet or 400 feet depending on the current height zone);
· the building should be the subject of an enhanced review process which includes, in addition to the current review requirements (which includes review by staff and the Urban Design Panel and approval by the Development Permit Board) a special consideration of architectural excellence by the addition to the Urban Design Panel of two architects, from the British Columbia architectural community and two out-of-province architects, all of world stature who have special expertise and experience in the field of high rise building design and the building should be approved by Council.
APPENDIX "B"
Map of Higher Building Proposal Site: 550 Bute Street
