ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

                                           Date: May 14, 1997
                                           Dept. File No. GL
                                           C.C. File: 5311-1

   TO:       Vancouver City Council

   FROM:     Director of Land Use and Development

   SUBJECT:  Re-approval of Strata Title Conversion:  611 Main Street


   RECOMMENDATION

        THAT the application to convert the premises at 611 Main Street
        (Lots 1 to 5, Block 18, D.L. 196, Plan 184) to strata title
        ownership be re-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 this re-approval:

             Completion of all work required by the City Building
             Inspector, under the required permits, at no cost to the City,
             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 re-approval is requested for the application to convert the
   previously-occupied building at 611 Main Street (Lots 1 to 5, Block 18,
   D.L. 196, Plan 184) to strata title ownership.

   BACKGROUND

   The site is zoned HA-1 and is developed with a three-storey, 24-unit
   commercial building, with two levels of underground parking, constructed
   in 1970.  The building consists of retail and office uses on the first
   and second floors and a casino on the third floor.  The location of the
   site is shown in Figure No. 1, below.

                                   Figure 1






   On December 13, 1994, Council granted approval in principle to an
   application to convert this building to 24 strata lots.  Pursuant to
   Council policy, the approval in principle lapsed in December, 1995. 
   Council subsequently re-approved in principle the conversion on January
   11, 1996.  This re-approval lapsed in January of this year.

   The approval in principle was subject to completion of one condition,
   which required that significant building, fire, plumbing, electrical and
   structural upgrading be completed, in order to bring the building into
   substantial compliance with all relevant City by-laws.  Pursuant to
   Building Permit No. BU400377 (issued December 20, 1995) and related
   trades permits, the majority of this work has now been completed.

   STAFF ANALYSIS

   The intent in establishing the one-year limit for completion of
   Council-imposed conditions was not to necessarily expect that in every
   instance, all conditions of approval could be completed within a year. 
   Rather, the intent was to terminate approvals in principle where
   applicants clearly had no plans to proceed toward final approval by
   completing the required works.  In this case, the applicant has
   demonstrated a clear intention to complete the required work, and has
   indicated that strata plans for the building are now being prepared and
   will be submitted in the near future.  According to the applicant, the
   delay in completing the work is primarily a result of an attempt to
   minimize disruption to tenant businesses during the construction
   process.

   The introduction of new tenants during a lengthy conversion process
   would typically be of concern in the case of a residential building,
   since the tenants may not have been properly included in the process or
   advised of the approval in principle.  This building, however, contains
   only commercial tenants.

   The City Building Inspector reports that it is reasonable to believe
   that the remaining work can be completed within six months.

   The Director of Land Use and Development notes that although the
   applicant has assured staff that the outstanding work will be completed
   within six months, in order to eliminate the need to report back to
   Council if for some reason further delays are experienced, an additional
   one-year period for completion is recommended.

   CONCLUSION

   Based on the foregoing, the Director of Land Use and Development
   supports this application for re-approval in principle and recommends
   that a further one-year limit be imposed.

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