15-27 W Hastings rezoning application

Under Section 7.1 Victory Square sub-area of the Downtown Eastside Plan, additional density through rezoning may be considered for a secured market rental housing building. This proposal proposes 100% of the residential floor area as secured rental housing, with 411 market rental units and 108 below-market rental units. The proposal requests height in excess of the Victory Square sub-area policies of the Downtown Eastside Plan.

On construction impacts, the applicant will comply with all municipal bylaws including the City’s Noise Control By-law. 

• Construction on private property must be carried out between 7:30 am and 8 pm on any weekday that is not a holiday, and between 10am to 8pm on any Saturday that is not a holiday. Construction is not permitted on Sundays.
• The City’s Noise Control By-law limits construction-related noise for private development to these same times.
• There are some circumstances where a variance to construction times may be permitted. This usually occurs when major construction activities are taking place (crane installs, large deliveries) and extra time is needed for equipment setup/takedown and safety precautions to be implemented. These allowances are typically accepted on weekends to reduce impacts to the community by enabling the work to be condensed to a day or two as opposed to multiple days mid week to reduce impacts to the community.

The applicant proposes to implement dust control measures specifically for demolition and excavation (water spray and soil cover as required). According to the applicant, air pollution will be mitigated by having a no-idle zone for deliveries.

Under Section 7.1 Victory Square sub-area of the Downtown Eastside Plan, additional density through rezoning may be considered for a secured market rental housing building. This proposal proposes 100% of the residential floor area as secured rental housing, with 20% of that area offered at below-market rental rates. The proposal requests height in excess of the Victory Square sub-area policies of the Downtown Eastside Plan. Note that the Gastown HA-2 Design Guidelines do not apply to this site at 15-27 W Hastings, as it lies in Victory Square sub-area, not Gastown. 

The project’s encroachment into the (External link)(External link)Public Views(External link)(External link)(External link) from Queen Elizabeth Park 3.2.3 and Creekside Park J1 is under review.  Any public benefits or CACs coming from this project are currently under review.

BC Indigenous Housing Society (BCIHS), the proposed operator of the below-market housing units, has provided the following response:

“BCIHS has been actively involved in this project from its inception and is more than just an operator, we are a true partner in shaping the vision, design, and approach, with a strong emphasis on cultural safety and Indigenous perspectives.

Our organization exists to serve Indigenous peoples, and [BCIHS] prioritizes Indigenous tenants at all our sites. While we do not offer preferential treatment within specific Indigenous groups, we ensure fair, transparent, and culturally informed tenancy processes. Our tenant selection involves a robust screening process that includes an application, references, and a focus on housing stability, community connection, and support needs.

[BCIHS] understand the importance of housing for current Downtown Eastside (DTES) residents, especially for Indigenous Elders and those living in SROs, and our goal is to help create opportunities for those who need them most. Final details regarding unit types (subsidized, rent geared to income, or lower end of market) will depend on BC Housing’s funding decisions, which are still to come.

[BCIHS is] committed to building housing that reflects the needs of the community and honours the healing journey of Indigenous peoples.”

The developer has provided the following responses:

•    The Buscombe Block and Rex Theatre are not included in the City of Vancouver’s Heritage Register, and a formal heritage assessment was not required.  

•    The applicant is following the City of Vancouver Embodied Carbon Guidelines to limit carbon in construction. Most buildings target 50% to 75% waste diversion from landfill, these recycled materials, such as recycled concrete and steel and timber, will be repurposed into the new design or reused in other buildings or engineering projects locally where possible.

•    The Buscombe Block has not been studied for facade retention as it is not on the City’s Heritage Register.

•    The Rex Theatre is not listed on the City’s Heritage Register. The original leading roof cornice line and arched pediment that is visible in historic images of the Rex Theatre is visibly absent from the building today. Furthermore, based on visual comparison of historic images and the current building the location and position of the existing facade cladding appears set back from the original Rex Theatre facade which suggests the original facade was either removed or severely cut back. The full degree of intervention and alteration is unknown but appears significant.

•    The developer estimates that the duration of demolition and construction activities could take up to 4.5 years. 

•    Prior to construction, the developer is required to meet with and coordinate construction and street use impacts with the City’s Engineering team. Appropriate permits are required to secure street space, and any closures must be permitted in advance with proper traffic management plans approved. Traffic management plans are reviewed closely by Engineering staff to ensure there are safe vehicular, cycling, and pedestrian provisions during construction to provide access for the local residents and businesses. 

•    Construction on private property must be carried out between 7:30am and 8pm on any weekday that is not a holiday, and between 10am to 8pm on any Saturday that is not a holiday. Construction is not permitted on Sundays. The City’s Noise Control By-law regulates construction-related noise for private development to these same times.

•    There are some circumstances where a variance to construction times may be permitted. This usually occurs when major construction activities are taking place (Crane installs, large deliveries) and extra time is needed for equipment setup/takedown and safety precautions to be implemented. These allowances are typically accepted on weekends to reduce impacts to the community by enabling the work to be condensed to a day or two as opposed to multiple days mid week to reduce impacts to the community.

This is a rezoning application. Should the rezoning application be successful, the underlying zoning (i.e land use by-law) will change. The rezoning application requests a height in excess of the Downtown Eastside Plan (DTES Plan), which only permits buildings up to 105 ft. in height (approx. 10-storeys). Therefore, it does not comply with the DTES Plan. It is up to City Council to decide whether to approve the rezoning application.