POLICY REPORT

BUILDING AND DEVELOPMENT

Date: 3 November 1997

Author/Local: JHlavach/7762

CC File No. PH 353

TO:	Vancouver City Council
FROM:	Director of Community Planning for the Director of Land Use and Development
SUBJECT:	Heritage Revitalization Agreement and Density Bonus for 440 Cambie Street

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RECOMMENDATION

A.THAT Council authorize the City to enter into a Heritage Revitalization Agreement to secure the rehabilitation and protection of the heritage building at 440 Cambie Street and to supplement Development Application DE402046, as varied by Minor Amendment DE402604, and the zoning, to permit a density bonus of 2.91 FSR (3 251.5 m²/ 35,000 sq. ft.)

AND THAT Council require a development limitation covenant to preserve the density bonus for transfer off-site;

AND THAT the density bonus may not be transferred until the rehabilitation is complete unless the owners secure the rehabilitation by a separate secured agreement;

AND THAT the agreements shall be prepared, registered and given priority to the satisfaction of the Directors of Planning and Legal Services; and

B.THAT the Director of Legal Services bring forth the by-law to authorize the Heritage Revitalization Agreement.

GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS

The General Manager of Community Services RECOMMENDS approval of A and B.

COUNCIL POLICY

The Transfer of Density Policy and Procedure allows for the transfer of density from heritage sites in the Central Area.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this report is to seek Council's support for a Heritage Revitalization Agreement (HRA) to secure the conservation and protection of 440 Cambie Street (the former Edgett Building) which is being rehabilitated for the new offices of the Architectural Institute of British Columbia (AIBC), and strata-titled offices.

BACKGROUND

The building at 440 Cambie Street is located at the north-east corner of Cambie and Pender Streets opposite Victory Square Park in the Downtown District (see map in Appendix A). It has a site area of 1 114.8 m² (12,000 square feet). It has been purchased by the AIBC in partnership with others for the purpose of establishing the new offices for the AIBC, as well as strata-titled offices. Development Permit 402046 has been issued to Busby + Associates Architects for the rehabilitation of the building. Busby + Associates have also applied for a Minor Amendment (DE 402604) for slight modifications of the main permit, as well as a formal request for a density bonus. A building permit has also been issued and the renovations are underway for completion by the end of this year.

On 29 July 1997, City Council approved the building's eligibility for a heritage bonus. On the same date, Council also approved amendments to the Heritage Policy and Procedure to allow for the bonus application to be concurrent, but separate, from a development application for the conservation work on a building.

To assist with the heritage building rehabilitation and to assure its long term preservation, the applicant has requested a heritage density bonus of 2.91 FSR to be transferred off the heritage site.

If the bonus is approved and the HRA established, the density would be held in a development limitation covenant on the heritage site until it is sold to another site, consistent with the Transfer of Density Policy and Procedure. This bonus density is the subject of the request for Council's approval.

DISCUSSION

Building History The building at 440 Cambie was built in 1909-10 to designs by architect A.A. Cox, who also designed the adjacent Carter-Cotton Building at 198 West Hastings. Edgett's grocery store occupied the building in its early years. In the mid-1920s, the Daily Province newspaper, which was located in the Carter Cotton Building, expanded into the Edgett Building and the two buildings were connected with a bridge over the lane. 440 Cambie housed the newspaper's printing presses. Today the buildings are owned separately with the bridge belonging to 198 West Hastings.

440 Cambie is a good example of the Edwardian Renaissance Revival style and features handsome andesite stone pilasters and cornices and large Chicago-style windows. The building is listed in the "B" Category on the Vancouver Heritage Register.

Rehabilitation Work Development Application 402046 allows the change of use of the building from clothing manufacturing to office on the first, second and third floors and to change basement storage to provide parking for 30 vehicles. A new front entry is being installed with glass weather protection canopies over ground floor windows along the Cambie Street elevation. Permanent sunshade canopies, part of the "green" environmental features of the building, are proposed. The building will also be seismically updated.

Victory Square Plan This project meets an important goal of the draft Victory Square Plan, which is the retention of heritage buildings. Council's interim policy for Victory Square limits the density to 3.0 FSR, although the site is within the present 5.0 FSR sub-area of the Downtown District. The emerging final version of the draft plan recommends that the base density for this site should be 3.0 FSR, with bonuses available for social housing and heritage retention. The FSR of the subject building, as per the recently approved Development Permit, is 3.99. It previously had an FSR of approximately 4.33. The rehabilitation of this building and its use by the AIBC are considered to be helpful in achieving the revitalization of the Victory Square area.

Heritage Density Bonus The bonus amount of 2.91 FSR (3 251.5 m² / 35,000 sq. ft.) is to compensate the owner for the costs of retaining and upgrading the heritage building. The Manager of Real Estate Services has reviewed the applicant's pro-forma analysis and concluded that the bonus amount is justified. The bonus will be "banked" on site by the development limitation covenant for potential future sale and transfer.

Transfer of Density Policy On 29 July 1997, City Council amended the Transfer of Density Policy and Procedure to allow for the use of a Heritage Revitalization Agreement or rezoning to accomplish the transferring of density. The bonus, if approved, would be restricted to being transferred off the heritage site and, in accordance with the Transfer of Density Policy, would be transfered to another site within the various zones of the Central Area.

Heritage Revitalization Agreement The HRA recommended to Council would achieve the following: secure protection of the building, including its rehabilitation and continued maintenance; permit the City to install a heritage plaque on the building; and, establish the bonus density of 2.91 FSR for sale and transfer.

Notification As part of the review process for the Minor Amendment application, Planning staff sent notification letters to the neighbours. There has been no response.

Consent to the HRA The owner has agreed that the heritage bonus requested is adequate compensation for the obligations it would incur under the HRA and is prepared to enter into the agreement.

Comments of the Vancouver Heritage Commission At its meeting on February 17, 1997, the Commission resolved:

THAT the Vancouver Heritage Commission support the development application for 181 W. Pender (440 Cambie Street) and is pleased to see this development being proposed for the Victory Square Area.

THAT the Vancouver Heritage Commission support the scale, materials and design being proposed for the sunshades on the building.

THAT the Vancouver Heritage Commission request an interpretive plaque be located somewhere on the building "to tell the story" of what is happening and later a permanent interpretive plaque.

CONCLUSION

The proposed Heritage Revitalization Agreement would enable an important heritage building, and a landmark in the Victory Square area, to be rehabilitated and afforded long term heritage protection through the approval of a heritage density bonus. A development limitation covenant would bestow the density bonus and limit its use to transfer off-site, consistent with the Transfer of Density Policy and Procedure.

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APPENDIX A

Page 1 of 1

SITE LOCATION MAP

(c) 1997 City of Vancouver