A12
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: February 6, 1997
File No. 590 120
CC File 5104-1
TO: Vancouver City Council
FROM: General Manager of Engineering Services
SUBJECT: Terminal City Club Development - Lease of Civic Plaza
RECOMMENDATION
THAT Council authorize staff to enter into a lease agreement
satisfactory to the General Manager of Engineering Services and the
Director of Legal Services, to allow the Terminal City Club
development to use a portion of the civic plaza, located at 901
West Hastings, as shown on Appendix A, for construction and loading
activities, at a rate of $1,620 per month.
COUNCIL POLICY
There is no applicable Council policy on this issue.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this report is to seek Council approval to lease a
portion of the civic plaza for the construction and loading activities
of the Terminal City Club (TCC) development.
BACKGROUND
As part of the City-Bentall joint venture parking agreement, Bentall
constructed a 400 stall underground parkade at 901 West Hastings, with a
public plaza at grade. To facilitate this construction, Bentall entered
into a reciprocal easement agreement with the adjacent property owners,
Terminal City Club Incorporated for access purposes and minor
encroachments
below grade relating to excavation. TCC also secured future rights for
redevelopment of their site under this agreement. In the fall of 1992,
the parkade was completed, and the City assumed ownership of the
property and the parkade.
In the spring of 1996, TCC advised the City of its plan to proceed with
demolition of the existing building, and to commence construction of
their new development.
DISCUSSION
TCC is currently redeveloping their site at 837 West Hastings Street,
and has made a request to the City to utilize a portion of the adjacent
civic plaza for their construction and loading needs. The existing
reciprocal easement agreement between the City and TCC allows for minor
encroachments below grade relating to shoring, formwork, and
construction of the foundation wall, and an allowance for the overhead
crane. The use and occupation of the civic plaza for loading, storage,
and construction activities lies beyond the intent of this agreement.
Currently, TCC is proceeding with the demolition and excavation phase
of their project, this phase being expected to be completed in March
1997. TCC requested the use and occupation of a one foot wide strip of
the civic plaza adjacent the property line for the erection of
scaffolding for demolition. This minor encroachment for a 2-month
period was dealt with by a licence agreement through Real Estate
Service. A fee based on the standard street occupancy rate of $1.50
per 10 square metres per day was applied for use of the 700 square feet
of the civic plaza.
For the construction phase of TCC's development, TCC has requested a
more significant area of occupation for a period of 15 months, from
March 1997 to May 1998. TCC is requesting the full use of the east
planter area for loading, storage, staging, and other construction
activities. This area comprises an approximately 6.5 metre wide strip
of the civic plaza along the east property line, with an area of 360
square metres (3875 sq.ft.) as shown in Appendix A. There are benefits
in allowing TCC to use this area as vehicular loading activities on
Hastings Street can be reduced. Loading activities on Hastings Street
may be difficult for TCC and the City since the street is narrow at this
location (2 lanes in either direction), is regulated with rush hour and
no parking regulations, and is adjacent to a bus zone and an
intersection.
In similar situations, in which the City allows use of the street for
construction activities, a street occupancy fee is applied. This civic
plaza is a public right of way and the request from TCC should be
treated in a similar manner. For an area of 360 square metres, and
applying the street occupancy rate, the fee would be $1,620 per month.
TCC would be responsible for restoring the parkade and plaza to its
original condition. Also, solid wood hoardings are to be constructed to
the City's satisfaction to separate the construction area from the
remainder of the plaza. This lease area only commits a fifth of the
plaza width, leaving ample pedestrian aisle space and the large
landscaped open space to the west for the enjoyment of the public
throughout the construction period.
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