Skip to content

Mid-rise apartments approved for LoLo

Despite some neighbours taking a dim view of the project, the City of North Vancouver council approved a new six-storey Lower Lonsdale apartment building recently.
development

Despite some neighbours taking a dim view of the project, the City of North Vancouver council approved a new six-storey Lower Lonsdale apartment building recently.

Developer Magnolia House Holdings won the right to replace the six and five-unit rentals on 362 and 368 East Third St. with a 40-unit apartment building on one consolidated lot, following a split vote.

Describing herself as being “torn” on the project, Coun. Holly Back cast the decisive vote after concluding the project’s 16 parking spots would be sufficient for younger renters. “It’s shocking to me, but they don’t have cars,” she said.

The project also includes one car-share vehicle.
“You’ll never see me doing that, but it seems to be the way to go,” Back said.

Coun. Don Bell disagreed.

“The density doesn’t concern me so much as the lack of parking for it,” he said.

The building includes five low-cost units that will be rent-controlled for at least five years – not long enough for Coun. Rod Clark.

“We’re not driving a hard enough bargain,” he said, calling for the units to be rent controlled in perpetuity.

The five units were originally going to be low-cost for one year, but after conversations with city staff, developer Nevin Sangha agreed to a five-year commitment.

As long as a tenant moves into one of the low-cost units within five years, their rent would stay below market until they move out. “I expect those units to be low-cost rentals for a lot longer than five years,” Sangha said.

The building includes 13 two- and three-bedroom units, 17 studios, and 10 one-bedroom units.

Discussing what some councillors described as a parking shortage, Sangha said most residents in the smaller and the low-cost rentals likely won’t have cars.

The project was assailed by neighbour Tanya Oliva, who called the building an “eyesore” that would block her view.

Despite having lived at 362 East Third Street for the last decade, Scott Sorrell supported the development.

“It will provide decent homes for those of us who can’t afford to break into this ridiculous real estate market,” he wrote in a letter to the city.

The new development is necessary, according to Sorrell, who described the two existing buildings as being “not in the best shape.”

The rental buildings on 362 and 368 East Third St. were built in 1977 and 1966.

With vacancy rates “at an all-time low” and rental housing stock at risk, the development is essential, said Coun. Linda Buchanan.

“Keeping our neighbourhoods exactly as they currently are is not really an option,” she said.

Buchanan reminded her colleagues that the project is OCP compliant, embraces active living guidelines and is situated on a transit route.

“If we say no to this, there’s five (low-cost) units that are not going to get built. We will wait forever for someone to build these non-market rental units for us.”

While the area is earmarked for transit improvements, Coun. Pam Bookham pointed out there are no guarantees.

“We don’t see any evidence of how that’s going to be funded and when that transit will be coming,” she said, describing the development as exacerbating an “already fraught” parking situation.

With the population of neighbouring Moodyville scheduled to quadruple, Mayor Darrell Mussatto said the area will hopefully be a rapid transit corridor within five years. “It’s the right place to put this density,” he said.

At a height of 59.5 feet, the apartment would be the tallest building on either the 200 or 300 block of East Third Street.

The building would include 31,606 square feet of residential floor area. The development also includes shared space – including a study space, television room, fitness centre, and laundry room.

The shared space is intended to counter the isolating environment of many rental buildings whose residents avoid eye contact on elevator rides, according to prospective landlord Sangha.

“My goal is for the neighbours to get to know each other,” he said.

Once a building permit is issued, construction will likely take between 15 and 20 months, according to Sangha.

The development passed third reading 4-3 with Bookham, Bell and Clark opposed.

Council will need to tally a final affirmative vote in favour of the development before the project is officially approved.