At 1665-1685 W 11th Avenue, a 22-storey tower is proposed. Incorrect shadow diagrams. Existing rental buildings on site. Q&A ends April 30th

There are three mature buildings providing rental units that would be demolished as part of the proposed redevelopment of 1665-1685 West 11th Avenue

The City of Vancouver is holding an online Q&A session (https://www.shapeyourcity.ca/1665-1685-w-11-ave) that concludes on April 30^th, in order to receive feedback on a 22-storey tower proposed at 1665-1685 West 11th Avenue.

Three existing buildings make up the site, all three of which provide rental apartments units (1675 W 11th Avenue is purpose-built rental while 1665 and 1685 W11th Avenue are secondary rental buildings). A redevelopment would entail the demoviction of all tenants (as allowed under the current Broadway Plan, with tenants being able to return after construction is completed).

A floor space ratio of 6.8 is being requested, with a building height measured as 75.47m (247.6 ft) to the highest point above base grade. A total of 190 units would be included in the design. The Broadway Plan lists this site as allowing up to 20-storeys and 6.5FSR; however, extra height and density is being requested in return for the inclusion of 25 childcare spaces. This is a ‘tower in the park’ design with no podium. The designers are Acton Ostry Architects while the developer is listed as Palmar Properties Inc. This company appears to have no website, but Mark Pallai of Palmar Properties was listed as a guest invited by mayor Ken Sim for his inauguration on 7-Nov-2022.

A front yard setback of just 3.7m (12 ft.) is being proposed, which is the minimum under the Broadway Plan. A total of 44 parking spaces would be provided (rather than the expected 107 spaces). This would increase pressures for limit on-street parking, as there is a cluster of similar tower rezoning proposals in the area, with other rezonings also asking for reduced parking space allocations. Active rezonings in the area include 1676 West 11th Avenue (20-storey, Q&A until May 7th), 1726 West 11th Ave (19-storey and 20-storey), 1635-1645 West 12th Avenue (20-storeys) and 1550 West 11th Ave (17-storey). Please see our interactive Broadway Plan area map for information on other nearby development sites.

Street parking is very tight in the area with cars often parked bumper to bumper. Another 5 towers are being proposed in the immediate area (putting additional pressure for on-street parking availability)

The context shadow diagrams included in section 4.9 of the application booklet are all incorrect (for spring and fall equinox and the summer solstice). Here’s a quick comparison of the direction of shadows for March 21, 10am using the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) solar calculator website:

Compare the direction of shadows from the applicant’s drawings (March 21, 10am) with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Solar Calculator (also March 21, 10am).

Acton Ostry Architects show a number of translucent towers on sites all around this rezoning proposal in a number of their renderings, including translucent towers for sites that are not under redevelopment. The City of Vancouver just posts materials from the applicant. This is how incorrect shadow diagrams are repeatedly posted on the ShapeYourCity website for public comment.

A number of the applicant’s renderings show non-existent translucent tower massing blocks on a number of sites that do not have rezoning applications or development permit applications

The “Independent” at 180 Kingsway and East 10^th Avenue was also designed by Acton Ostry Architects. Here’s a comparison of the height of the rendering shown to Council and the Public before the rezoning approval, and a photo of the finished building (see our previous post for other examples of false renderings created by Acton Ostry Architects, the shadow diagrams for that other rezoning proposal were also incorrect):

Rendering showing tower height at 180 Kingsway during rezoning stage in 2012 (left) vs. a photo of the completed tower (right). The main tower height remained unchanged during the development permit stage. As height was a highly contentious issue during the Public Hearing, does showing a rendering of a shorter tower benefit the proponent? And what does it tell us about the public process and the regulatory oversight by public employees and our elected officials?

For the rezoning application at 1551-1581 West 7th Avenue, Acton Ostry Architects included incorrect shadow studies. We’ve created our own shadow studies for 1551-1581 West 7th Avenue that show that 6th and Fir Park (the Burrard Slopes Park) would be shaded at a solar protected time (at both 10am and 11am on the spring solstice); please see our previous post for more details:

In another Acton Ostry Architects Broadway Plan rezoning, the schoolyard of Florence Nightingale Elementary would be shaded at a solar protected time (be 32-storey and 25-storey towers, for details see our post on the rezoning at Kingsway, East 13th and 2950 Prince Edward Street)

Context

Context: 1665 West 11th Avenue (left) with neighbouring building (right)

Another tower rezoning is across the street for 1676 West 11th Avenue (20-storeys, Q&A open until May 7, 2024)

References

As of the morning of April 30th, not a single question has been posted by City Staff in the Q&A section. There is no planner to contact; rather there is a generic email: 1665west11@vancouver.ca

https://www.shapeyourcity.ca/1665-1685-w-11-ave

https://www.shapeyourcity.ca/1676-w-11-ave

1551-1581 West 7th Ave rezoning (online Q&A 13-26 March). 21-storey tower would shade Burrard Slopes Park. Application (on ShapeYourCity) clearly violates Broadway Plan solar access policy

Two towers proposed at 2950 Prince Edward St, Kingsway & East 13th (25 and 32 storeys) near Mount St. Joseph Hospital. Public Q&A ends April 9. School shading & tower height violate Broadway Plan. Applicant Quadreal = B.C. pension fund.

Incorrect shadow studies for 1551-1581 W7th Ave rezoning (Acton Ostry Architects), and case study at 228-246 E Broadway & 180 Kingsway (same company). Big problems with renderings vs reality in the Broadway Plan area.

Above (previous rezoning at 180 Kingsway): Compare Acton Ostry Architects’ shadow study for March 21 10am (left, rotated to approximately line up with our model and true north) with our shadow study for the same time (right, showing model from rezoning stage). Notice how the shadow extends into the intersection of Main Street and Broadway on the right.