City of Vancouver
Search
Help

Urban Design Panel Information

Planning Information

Urban Design Panel
Minutes
For: Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Index

Present
1685 Ontario Street - SEFC 2A Parcel 9
1631 Ontario Street - SEFC 2A Parcel 10

Present: Members of the Urban Design Panel:

Margot Long, Chair
Walter Francl (excused Item #1 & #2)
Nigel Baldwin
Albert Bicol (excused Item #1 & #2)
Shahla Bozorgzadeh
Tom Bunting
James Cheng
Eileen Keenan
Bill Harrison
John Wall
C.C. Yao

Regrets:
Peter Wreglesworth

NEW MEMBERS (Non-voting this meeting):
Mark Ostry, Architect
Richard Henry, Architect
Maurice Pez, Development Representative
Gerry Eckford, Landscape Architect
Doug Watts, Engineer

(New member Martin Nielsen, Architect, was not present)

Recording Secretary:
Lorna Harvey

BUSINESS MEETING
Chair Long called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. The new members of the Panel were present and it was decided to elect a new chair at the next Urban Design Panel meeting on February 14, 2007.

1. 1685 Ontario Street - SEFC 2A Parcel 9

Introduction: Scot Hein, Development Planner, gave a review of South East False Creek and the design evolution of the project. He described the public realm plan which was derived from the ODP and the CD-1 Zoning for the Olympic Village precinct. He also described the rezoning that took place noting the architects and development plans assigned to all the parcels. Mr. Hein gave the new Panel members a copy of the Design Principles that were put together at a workshop in October. He noted that they form a theme that suggests the building expression, form, and human activity for each of the sites. Mr. Hein took questions from the Panel.

Applicant’s Comments: Roger Bayley and Stuart Lyon, Architects, described the key issues and the updates to the design;

• The Net-0 building along Walter Hardwick Way has been pulled back with a four to ten foot setback and some of the balconies have been removed;
• BC Housing indicated that they would accept the amenity up on the top corner of the project;
• The modest market building has been redesigned with a change in some of the unit floor plans;
• Work still needs to be done on the penthouse level in the Market Building.

The applicant team took questions from the Panel.

2. 1631 Ontario Street - SEFC 2A Parcel 10

Applicant’s Comments: Greg Borowski, Architect, described the overall plan for the site and the updates to the design. The portion facing the plaza consists of a series of individual shop fronts, one of which will be the drug store. Along Walter Hardwick Avenue there are live/work units with an at grade entry for commercial use and living on the second level. The “Bookend” building is all residential with an amenity provision on the park side.

• The “Plaza” building has been set back the required one metre;
• The arcade will have a double row of trees and will be set back ten feet;
• The entry to the “Plaza” building has been redesigned. They reversed the orientation of the elevators with a two storey lobby;
• Live/work units – they have been rotated and now have greater width and less depth;
• “Bookend” building – there is a continuity with the building columns from grade and improved lighting of the facade;
• The balconies have been reoriented and the elevators have been set back to give more room between the Gateway building and the “Plaza” building;
• The articulation has been broken up on the “Plaza” building and the eye brow at the end has been removed;
• Adding some highlight colour to the window frames and some wood and glass doors;
• The top floors continue to be in design development.

The applicant team took questions from the Panel.

The meeting adjourned at 5:45 PM

Questions or Comments? E-mail: planning@vancouver.ca

© 2007 City of Vancouver