ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

                                           Date: January 17, 1996
                                           Dept. File No.  GL


   TO:       Vancouver City Council

   FROM:     Director of Land Use and Development

   SUBJECT:  Strata Title Conversion - 233 Abbott Street


   RECOMMENDATION

        THAT the application to convert the previously-occupied building at
        233 Abbott Street  (Lot I, Block 5, D.L.  O.G.T., Plan LMP16512) to
        strata title ownership be approved in  principle, but that pursuant
        to Section 9(1) of the Condominium Act, the Certificate of Approval
        (Form  10) shall not be  issued unless the  following condition has
        been met within one year of the date of this approval:

             Completion  of   all  work  required  by   the  City  Building
             Inspector, under the required permits, at no cost to the City,
             and  issuance  of  an Occupancy  Permit,  in  order  that this
             previously-occupied building substantially  complies with  all
             relevant by-laws.


   GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS

        The General  Manager of  Community Services RECOMMENDS  approval of
        the foregoing.


   COUNCIL POLICY

   Council policy is reflected  in the City's Strata Title  and Cooperative
   Conversion Guidelines, which outline factors which Council will consider
   in reviewing  applications for converting  previously-occupied buildings
   to strata title or cooperative ownership.


   PURPOSE

   Council  approval  is  required  for  an  application  to   convert  the
   previously-occupied  building at 233 Abbott Street (Lot I, Block 5, D.L.
   O.G.T., Plan LMP16512) to strata title ownership.
   BACKGROUND

   The   site  is  zoned  HA-2,  and  is  developed  with  an  eight-storey
   provincially designated heritage building, listed as category "C" on the
   Vancouver  Heritage  Register.    The building  formerly  contained  the
   Central  City  Mission,  operating as  a  Lodging  House/ Special  Needs
   Residential Facility since its construction in 1911.

   The  building is  presently being  altered and  converted to  contain 46
   dwelling units  on floors 2  through 8, with  retail uses on  the ground
   floor,  and parking  in the  basement.   All work  is being  carried out
   pursuant to  Development Permit  No.  DE216385 and  Building Permit  No.
   BU323619.  The  applicant proposes to create a total  of 50 strata lots:
   46 residential and 4 commercial.

   The Central City Mission completed construction of their  new facilities
   at  415 West Pender  Street in July, 1993,  and subsequently moved their

   clients  from  233  Abbott Street,  leaving  the  building vacant  until
   commencement of alterations in late Fall of that year.

   The site location is shown below in Figure 1.

                                   Figure 1

   STAFF ANALYSIS

   In addition to Planning Department staff, the City Engineer and the City
   Building  Inspector have reviewed this application.  Given the nature of
   the application, the Manager of the Housing Centre has not been asked to
   comment.

   The City Engineer has  no dedication or servicing requirements  for this
   site.

   The City Building  Inspector reports  that when all  the work  currently
   underway  in  the building  has been  completed  in accordance  with the
   approved plans and permits, and an Occupancy Permit has been issued, the
   building will substantially comply with all relevant City By-laws.

   CONCLUSION

   Based  on  the foregoing,  and on  the  applicant's compliance  with the
   City's Strata Title and  Cooperative Conversion Guidelines, the Director
   of Land Use and Development supports this application.

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