A group of neighbourhood residents is objecting to the prospect of a 54-storey tower being built at the north end of Granville Bridge.
Pinnacle International鈥檚 proposed building at 601 Beach Crescent, along with Westbank鈥檚 麻豆传媒映画House under construction on the other side of the bridge, are meant to create what鈥檚 been dubbed the 鈥淕ranville Gateway鈥� leading in and out of the downtown.
The application, which is being considered under the city鈥檚 Higher Building Policy, includes plans for 303 market residential units, 152 social housing units, 442 underground parking spaces and 970 bicycle spaces. GBL Architects is the architectural firm of record for the project.
An open house about the rezoning application was held at the Executive Hotel Nov. 26.
Shilo Lam, who lives nearby, was collecting names on a petition against the project at the entrance to the hotel on Monday. She said many residents are opposed to the proposed height for the highrise and have united under a group called 麻豆传媒映画Beach District.
Lam thinks 54 storeys is far too high, and she鈥檚 worried about issues such as open space, light and shadow. She also said the neighbourhood doesn鈥檛 have the appropriate infrastructure, such as schools and health services, to handle the increased density.
The city鈥檚 higher building policy was adopted in 1997. It鈥檚 a set of guidelines to be used in conjunction with other policies for reviewing buildings seeking significant increases over existing height limits. The policy has been amended many times, including in 2011 when the 鈥淕ranville Gateway鈥� sites were added after a public consultation process.
Pinnacle鈥檚 rezoning application for a height increase from 17 to 54 storeys under this policy requires a public hearing and council support before it鈥檚 approved.
Jan Magnolo and her husband bought a condo at Park West 2 near George Wainborn Park last year. They thought that only a 17-storey building was possible on the site so they were surprised to discover that 54 storeys could be considered through the rezoning application.
Mira Bajic, who lives in the same building, agrees. She shares concerns about a lack of existing infrastructure. Bajic said the area is very residential and Beach Avenue wasn鈥檛 designed to handle the traffic that would be produced.
It鈥檚 鈥渏ust adding housing without taking into account how it鈥檚 going to fit in the neighbourhood,鈥� she said.
Bernd Banke said the developer is trying to push for extra density without consulting the neighbourhood properly.
鈥淲hat our neighbourhood is upset about is 54 storeys versus 17. It seems like no one has ever asked us,鈥� said Banke, who cites losing views and congestion as among his concerns.
He believes the addition of social housing into the project and the fact it鈥檚 being pitched as creating a 鈥淕ranville Gateway鈥� are being used to ensure it鈥檚 approved at the proposed height.
鈥淪o I am worried it will go through,鈥� he said. 鈥淪ome people don鈥檛 even know about it.鈥�
Not everyone opposes the project. Yong Sun, who lives close to BC Place about 10 blocks away, told the Courier well-designed developments make the city more interesting.
He said a lot of the architecture downtown is banal but 鈥渋n recent years we鈥檝e started to see better design.鈥�
When Sun first saw 麻豆传媒映画House, he thought its architecture was 鈥済utsy.鈥�
鈥淲hen I saw [601 Beach], part of what I liked about it was it鈥檚 a rather elegant response [to 麻豆传媒映画House]. It鈥檚 not over the top,鈥� he said.
Sun is impressed by the street-front design and how the design enlivens the 鈥渄ark and unsafe鈥� space under the off-ramp. Nicely planned spaces also help address concerns about isolation and loneliness, according to Sun.
He doesn鈥檛 think height should be a concern in the downtown core and it鈥檚 more important that it鈥檚 not a cookie-cutter design.
鈥淭hat affects people a lot more, he said, while adding it鈥檚 unrealistic for the tower to be shorter because that would kill the gateway concept.
Kandice Kwok of JYOM Architecture, who鈥檚 involved in the project, said they looked at the greater master plan when developing the concept for and positioning of the building. They also considered how the tower would relate to, contrast with, and complement 麻豆传媒映画House when determining the design.
Kwok said 麻豆传媒映画House is like an art sculpture standing on one side of the bridge, while 601 Beach鈥檚 shape creates a sense of movement or dance on the other side.
The idea was to create the gateway "without being a goal post."
鈥淪omething that would be strong and moving and organic, yet with straight lines at the same time,鈥� she said.
鈥淭he 麻豆传媒映画House [design] is the lifting of a curtain. We鈥檙e the dance or the show. That鈥檚 how we pair together with them.
听蔼苍补辞颈产丑
