Published by Daily Hive, November 7, 2024, Kenneth Chan
The major Heather Lands redevelopment of the former BC RCMP headquarters campus in Vancouver has taken another big step.
Two development permit applications to build the first two phases of the Heather Lands project have just been submitted, showing the detailed design of the landmark project situated just west of Queen Elizabeth Park and north of Oakridge Park mall within the Cambie Corridor.
Planning for the site was undertaken by a partnership of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations and Canada Lands Company, a federal crown corporation. The MST Nations are now working with Aquilini Development to advance and construct the project.
Both of the first two phases are located at the southeast corner of the 21-acre former police headquarters site — specifically at the northeast corner of the intersection of West 37th Avenue and Heather Street. An east-west extension of West 35th Avenue will bisect the two parcels that make up these two phases.
Designed by GBL Architects, the south parcel with the address of 620 West 35th Avenue — located on the south side of the West 35th Avenue extension — will see the construction of three buildings, including a 249-ft-tall, 25-storey condominium tower with 298 strata homes, a 184-ft-tall, 18-storey condominium tower with 232 strata condominium homes, and a six-storey building with 120 homes, including 78 strata homes, 30 secured purpose-built market rental homes, and 12 secured purpose-built moderate income rental homes.
As for the parcel located on the north side of the West 35th Avenue extension, it will have a 250-ft-tall, 24-storey tower with 207 strata condominium homes and 67 secured purpose-built moderate income rental homes, a 200-ft-tall, 20-storey tower with 203 strata condominium homes and two secured purpose-built market rental homes, and a 12-storey tower with 101 secured purpose-built market rental homes and 32 secured purpose-built moderate income rental homes. This north parcel with the address of 689 West 35th Avenue is designed by RH Architects.
Combined, both of the first two phases will generate a total of 1,262 homes — entailing 1,018 strata condominium homes and 244 rental homes — across 981,000 sq ft of building floor area.
The first two phases represent about 37% of the Heather Lands’ permitted floor area of 2.63 million sq ft under the approved rezoning application, and 49% of the approximate 2,600 homes permitted for the entire multi-phased project.
The entire housing tenure mix for the Heather Lands is 1,672 strata units, 540 social housing units, 300 secured purpose-built market rental units, and 100 secured purpose-built moderate income rental units.
All strata homes will be leasehold units to enable the First Nations to own the land in perpetuity.
Future phases of the project will also provide some retail/restaurant spaces, a First Nations cultural and community centre, and 4.6 acres of public park and open spaces. Space has also been set aside for a future elementary school operated by Conseil Solaire Francophone.
This is a transit-oriented development site, with the parcels of the first two phases located about a 12 to 15 minute walk from SkyTrain’s future Oakridge-41st Avenue Station.
The City of Vancouver’s Development Permit Board is expected to approve both development permit applications for the first two phases in late January 2025.
Site preparation and demolition of the former police headquarters buildings began earlier this year.
The project’s policy statement was approved by City Council in May 2018, and the rezoning application was subsequently approved in a public hearing in June 2022, with final rezoning expected to be approved before the end of 2024.