Developer files application for 53-storey Granville Gateway tower

1.42 Acres Once Slated For Non-Profit Housing, now to be city’s fourth-tallest high-rise to echo Vancouver House opposite, to create new “Granville Gateway”.

Put #LiveabilityFirst

It’s time the City of Vancouver looked at directly providing city lands for community and housing uses, rather than relying upon massive and intrusive developer-led projects such as this destructive ‘Vancouver Gateway’ concept.

About The Application

605 Beach Crescent

The City of Vancouver has received an application from GBL Architects Ltd. for development that was designated for social housing to a new Comprehensive Development (CD-1) District to permit the development of a 53-storey, mixed-use building, consisting of:

  • 303 market residential dwelling units and 152 social housing dwelling units
  • 2,721 m² (29,288 sq.ft.) of commercial space at grade
  • A floor space ratio of 7.57
  • A floor area of 43,732 m² (470,722 sq.ft.)
  • A building height of 163 m (535 ft.)
  • Three levels of underground parking, including 453 parking spaces and 911 bicycle spaces

The application is being considered under the Higher Buildings Policy (pdf). Urban Design Panel meeting was Feb., 20, 2019. Read the Minutes: udpminutes02202019 (pdf).

RECOMMENDATION to Council June 21, 2020 (pdf): REFERRAL REPORT – DOWNLOAD PDF
PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULED: Thursday, September 17, 2020 at 6 pm.

Development Application received: February 25 2021
Development Permit Board decision: September 19, 2022 – conditional approval letter

Review the application and conditional approval letter then write to city hall with your comments.  Now is the chance for taxpayers and citizens to scrutinize the details and ensure the City puts #LiveabilityFirst for this public land on behalf of the people it serves, the people of Vancouver.

Affordability

Social Housing & Housing Affordability for Median Residents.

The Vision Vancouver-majority city council decided to sell land earmarked for non-profit housing to a luxury tower developer. The result is an application for a 53-storey tower with 303 market residential units. More unaffordable housing that resident Vancouverites will not be capable of purchasing or living in. We call on the City to use this site for liveable, affordable housing as it was intended.

Liveability

Where is the Urban Planning for Infrastructure, Traffic, Air Quality, Schools & Families, Shadowing, Daylighting?

Just because it’s physically possible to squeeze more buildings and people into a city doesn’t mean that you should. Vancouver wants and needs a variety of affordable housing, just as we need the city infrastructure to keep up with rapidly increasing density. Positive density has to be relative to what already exists and what will meet the needs of the community.

Higher Buildings Policy

Higher buildings in the downtown impact “the very character” of the city.

All Higher Buildings should be considered with careful effort to provide a public legacy to Vancouver through community benefits, public amenities and architectural excellence. By allowing Higher Buildings that do not provide a lasting and meaningful contribution, we will set precedence for other real estate developers to pressure the city to allow them to penetrate the cityscape. This will be the end of Vancouver’s unique mountain skyline as we know it.

GET INVOLVED

Get Involved – Development Permit Board conditional approval letter  issued September 19, 2022. Commenting helps the Director of Planning consider if the application needs to be revised. There are three to four ways to give your feedback about the development application.

STEP ONE

Review the Conditional Approval Letter,  Referral Report, Application, and Urban Design Panel Minutes and Comment Online.

STEP TWO

Accepting public comments.
OPEN

STEP THREE

Write a Letter to the Editor in support of the False Creek North Official Development Plan in relation to the Application at 601 Beach Crescent.

Share this Application to Social Media. When you post use the hashtags #LiveabilityFirst #PinnacleTower 

Talk to your friends and neighbours. Make sure they are aware of what is being planned for that site. 

STEP FOUR

Contact the  Development Permit Board. Let the Director of Planning know that huge towers at the expense of liveability are not acceptable on Beach Crescent.

Comment Now
Hurry! Comment to the City of Vancouver on the 605 Beach Crescent Development Application before it is too late.

605 Beach Crescent development application comments

Now that you’ve reviewed the application, its time to share your feedback. What are your thoughts on the application?

You may want to consider:

How does the application affect the immediate surroundings?
Does the application include a strong quality of life for the social housing residents?
What are your concerns about the application and how should they be addressed?

605 Beach Crescent (Formerly 601 Beach Crescent) Vancouver

Resources & Announcements

Press

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