Vancouver city council on Tuesday evening voted to approve a controversial three-tower proposal for the Safeway site near Commercial Drive and Broadway.
The vote on the 1780 E. Broadway project saw the ABC Vancouver majority prevail, with Coun. Sean Orr opposing the proposal and Coun. Pete Fry abstaining from the vote.
“Everyone’s views are completely valid. There are no wrong views here,” Mayor Ken Sim said at the conclusion of Tuesday’s session, which lasted more than five hours.
Sim said he supports the project because there will be “no displacement” and it’s located steps away from the third-busiest transit hub in the region at Commercial-Broadway station.
He said it will ease pressure on existing housing, increase foot traffic for local businesses and accommodate essential workers.
“It does tick a lot of boxes,” Sim said.
The June 10 public hearing was a continuation of a hearing that began on May 15, when about 27 Vancouverites weighed in. Tuesday saw more than double the number of participants, 12 of whom spoke in favour of the developer’s proposal and 40 of whom opposed it, with another seven not taking a clear position, according to BIV’s tally.
The public hearing revealed a sharp divide between supporters and opponents of the project by Vancouver-based developer Westbank Corp.
Opponents expressed concerns about height, shadows, traffic, road closures, a lower percentage of below-market units, concerns about buildings upsetting neighbourhood character, and insufficient green space and parking.
Supporters cited the need for student-friendly housing, the existence of similarly tall towers at less busy SkyTrain stops, and the need for more rental supply amid a housing shortage.
The proposal calls for 1,044 rental units to be built, with 940 rented at market rates and 104 at “city-wide average market rents.” The towers will reach 37, 38 and 44 storeys, making it an application that exceeds the anticipated height and density of the Grandview-Woodland Community Plan.
At the meeting, city staff described how the project could be rendered uneconomical if made smaller. The project proposes a floor space ratio of 8.30 and a maximum height of 146 metres, according to a summary released by city staff ahead of the public hearing.
As with other real estate projects, market conditions will ultimately determine if the project breaks ground and completes.
—With files from Mike Howell
