ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: May 26, 1997
Dept. File No. A004
C.C. File No.: 4651-1/4113-1
TO: Vancouver City Council
FROM: Manager of Real Estate Services in consultation with the
Director of Social Planning, Director of Central Area Planning
and the Manager of the Housing Centre
SUBJECT: Proposed Dr. Peter Centre - site reservation
RECOMMENDATION
That Council reserve for one year all of Lot 1, Block 23, D.L. 185
and the rear 13.85 metres of the west and east half of Lot 2 Block
23, D.L. 185 as shown on Appendix A for the Dr. Peter Centre
Project, recognizing this is a maximum area and the Centre may only
require Lot 1 once funding, programming, and massing have been
finalized.
GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS
The General Manager of Corporate Services RECOMMENDS approval of
the foregoing.
COUNCIL POLICY
Vancouver Council Resolutions on Nelson Park - April 2, 1996.
- That the block between Comox and Pendrell Streets, from Bute to
Thurlow Streets, be named Mole Hill .
- That the Mole Hill lands be recognized as a City resource and that
the land not be sold in whole or part. Further that leasehold
arrangements can be considered.
- That all existing residents will be accommodated on site as
renovation takes place.
- That the City s existing policy of mixed communities will be
maintained. Further that priority be given to housing for
low-end-low market rental.
- That the City-owned heritage-listed buildings ( A , B and C ) be
retained. Further that the City s existing heritage policies will
apply. And further that, in the event that buildings are moved or
infill occurs, the existing scale and streetscape of Mole Hill
should be respected.
- That revenues for renovation of the housing will be generated from
the site. Further that transfer of density policy may be used to
achieve value from the unused development potential of the site.
- That the policies of CityPlan will be used as the basis for
demonstration options, including innovative infill, new forms of
housing, community gardens, Greenways, etc. Further that land
and/or street closures may be considered.
- That other options for use of the buildings and land will be
considered, such as day care, hospices, parks, and other facilities
that meet City needs.
- That staff will be asked to develop options for a labour training
program as the site is renovated
- That staff report back on a public planning process.
The City no longer provides funding or grants to health-related
organizations.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this report is to reserve for one year a site at the
south west corner of Thurlow and Comox for The Dr. Peter Centre Project,
an AIDS day centre and hospice. The reservation of the site will enable
the Dr. Peter Foundation to apply for Federal/Provincial Infrastructure
funds and launch a major fund raising campaign for the permanent home
for the Centre.
BACKGROUND
The Dr. Peters AIDS Foundation was formed by the late Dr. Peter
Jepson-Young before his death in 1992 to provide comfort care for
people with AIDS. The Foundation is fulfilling his vision through the
establishment of the Dr. Peter Centre, Canada s first AIDS day centre
and hospice. The Centre s objective is to keep people healthy and living
in the community and thereby reduce the need for expensive
hospitalization.
At capacity, the day centre will have a client base of 90-100 people and
is expected to serve 50 clients a day, seven days a week, 8:00a.m. to
8:00 p.m.. The hospice/residential component is planned for 14 beds with
an average length of stay of 45 days.
PROPOSED BUILDING
The building presently proposed would be a 2 ´ storey building with one
level of underground parking. There will be one floor partially below
grade to accommodate support services, such as the kitchen and offices.
The day centre on the main floor will be above the street at the same
level as the heritage houses next door. The hospices beds will be on the
top floor. The proposed building footprint will be approximately 7,500
sq. ft., with the total building in the order of 24,000 sq. ft. The Dr.
Peter project will go through the development permit process which will
allow for public input into the final design.
The site at the corner of Comox and Thurlow will accommodate an L-shaped
building with infill behind the first two houses on Comox Street. The
main building facing Thurlow will be a similar size, scale, footprint
and design to that which was originally on the site.
At time of writing, Social Planning and Housing Centre staff have not
had the opportunity of evaluating the building program or design
proposed for the Centre. For this reason, in spite of the Mole Hill
Working Group s endorsement of the proposal generally, staff are not
convinced that Lot 1 alone cannot accommodate the needs for the Centre.
This is critical since the L-shaped design of the current proposal
detracts from the two heritage houses on the east and west half of Lot
2.
PRESENT SITUATION
This proposal is being presented now rather than in conjunction with the
forthcoming Mole Hill report for the following two reasons:
1. The Foundation is making application to the Federal/
Provincial Infrastructure Program under the Community Projects
component. The application will not be considered without a
site commitment. The Foundation has been informed that
decision-making on these grants will begin around the end of
May.
2. The Dr. Peters AIDS Foundation is launching a multi-million
dollar capital campaign for the permanent home for the Dr.
Peter Centre and already has almost $500,000 in gifts and
pledges. A site commitment will greatly strengthen the
Foundations fund raising success.
The Mole Hill Working Group has endorsed the Dr. Peter Centre on the
proposed site and has approved Dr. Peter Foundation moving forward and
securing a commitment for the subject site in advance of the Staff and
Working Group s presentation to Council. Staff expect to report back in
late June or early July on staff and working group options for Mole
Hill.
SITE
The L-shaped site as proposed by Dr. Peter Foundation and presented for
consideration in this report is a maximum site area and depending on
funding, massing and programming may be reduced to only Lot 1 or Lot 1
and the house immediately west of Lot 1. Staff and Dr. Peter Foundation
will continue discussion on the configuration for the Centre in order
to balance Centre objectives with development/revenue opportunities on
the block.
FINANCIAL
The maximum area as proposed in this report to be reserved for Dr. Peter
has a market value based on area and proposed FSR of approximately $
1.2M. A sixty year prepaid lease at 75% of market value is $900,000. Dr.
Peter Foundation has agreed to a 60 lease at 75% of market value however
they would prefer a 40 year lease at 50% of market value. Once all
funding is in place staff will report back for Council approval of site
area and lease terms.
CONCLUSION
Staff believe the Dr. Peter Foundation project meets the Vancouver City
Council resolutions on Nelson Park of April 2, 1996 in regards to
leasing, infill, character, scale and use therefore staff are
recommending the subject site be reserved for the proposed Dr. Peter
Centre.
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