A developer believes that people will sacrifice space for place – but city council isn’t so keen on micro units being proposed in the downtown.
The city has been in talks with the developer of the fourth tower of Plaza 88 regarding a highrise planned at 900 Carnarvon St. The city wants a number of changes to be incorporated into the proposal, including a requirement that a minimum of 25 per cent of the units are two- and three-bedroom units, a maximum of 50 per cent of the units are studios, and no units will be less than 350 square feet in size.
Project architect Graham McGarva told council April 14 that the developer wants to be in line with city policies, but also needs to provide a product that is able to secure financing. With a majority of suites in the existing towers being two-bedroom suites or larger, he said the developer is also seeking to “rebalance” the unit mix offered in the development as a whole.
McGarva said the sizes of dwelling units in urban cores are steadily getting smaller. He said demographic trends in the future show that young people are willing to trade space for place, such as living in downtown New Westminster where they’re near amenities and transit.
The developer is proposing “lock-off suites” in case the development ends up having too many two-bedroom units for the market. The suites would initially operate as two-bedroom units, but if they’re vacant 18 months after occupancy, the developer would seek to convert some of them to a one-bedroom suite and a lock-off suite. The lock-off suite would be 260 to 265 square feet.
“They would have their own washroom, kitchen and sleeping area,” he said of the lock-off suites.
Some councillors, however, are concerned about the size of the proposed micro units.
“That’s the size of my tool shed,” said Coun. Bill Harper.
According to McGarva, it’s “pretty near impossible” to get financing for a rental project of this kind.
“We are trying to provide a balanced project that we can get financing for,” he said.
The idea of lock-off sites is one that is “coming” in the years ahead, McGarva said.
“This is good stuff that is being done here," he said. “That I can guarantee you.”
McGarva believes there’s a need for a full range of units, including large two bedrooms and micro suites. He noted that there are three-bedroom suites in the existing Plaza 88 tower.
Council directed staff to inform the developer that it will review the development proposal once changes have been made regarding the size of units, parking, vehicle connection to McInnes Street, storage lockers and indoor amenity space.
Coun. Betty McIntosh isn’t sold on the project just yet.
“The size of the units are so small,” she said. “At this point, there are no three-bedroom units.”
Harper said he’d like to see some large units in the building, but worries that insisting on more two- and three-bedroom units will result in the developer coming back with a project needing more parking and increase the size of the above-ground parking podium,
“This is like a canyon in our downtown,” he said of the development along Carnarvon Street. “I am not prepared to agree to that.”
