The third of four mixed-use commercial/residential tower projects proposed for Lower Lonsdale is now coming up for scrutiny by council and the public.
Developer Polygon is looking to build a sevenstorey tower (five storeys of residential on two storeys of commercial) at 255 West First St. and 260 West Esplanade, currently home to Hollyburn Family Services and Family Services North Shore.
If approved, the building will have 208 one, two, or three-bedroom condo units, at least 62 of which have adaptable designs, to accommodate seniors and people with mobility issues. Measured from First Street, the building would be 52.5 feet tall, according to a city staff report.
Previously, Polygon had pitched a 16-storey highrise for the site, but later abandoned those plans.
Council voted 7-0 to give first reading to the project and send it to a yet-to-be scheduled public hearing.
In other recent mixeduse mid-rise proposals on the 100-block of West First and 300-block of Lonsdale, some longtime businesses faced the prospect of eviction from
their storefronts in order for redevelopments to go ahead. However, for Polygon's proposal, council agreed to allow extra density - in the form of 15,000 square feet of office space - on the condition it only be offered to the existing non-profit tenants at rates 25 per cent below market value.
"This is an opportunity where the applicant is prepared to consider the plight of those existing tenants, particularly the non-profits, and require very reasonable rents to be able to provide their services to the community so I'm happy to see it going to public hearing," said Coun. Don Bell.
Mayor Darrell Mussatto agreed.
"I want to be very clear that I do believe Family Services North Shore should be on this site," he said. "Family Services North Shore has done outstanding work for many of our citizens and residents at the time of their greatest need and I want them to stay in the city, serving the entire North Shore. It's a great spot for them to be - high density area, close to public transit."
Polygon still has a proposal for an 18-storey tower for 131 West First St., which has not yet come before council for first reading.
