2990 West 5th Avenue

Built in the 1920s, the existing house is a good example of Craftsman or "California" Bungalow style architecture, and is listed as in the "B" category on the Vancouver Heritage Register. It is also part of a significant heritage streetscape of similar homes. The site is located in the RT-7 two-family dwelling district of Kitsilano, which encourages the retention and renovation of existing character buildings. This project involved converting a single family residence to a back-to-back duplex, a conditional approval use in the RT-7 District. In converting the building from a one to a two-unit dwelling, the method of conservation is one of adaptive re-use. In order to increase livability on the ground floor, the house was raised by one foot in order to maintain the existing streetscape roofline, and a twelve foot addition was added to the rear of the house. Relaxations to floor space, setback and building depth requirements were given in return for restoration work and designation of the heritage building.