A five-storey residential and commercial building will go up near a mosque and train tracks in Port Coquitlam.
On Tuesday, June 25, the city’s committee of council unanimously approved the project by Burnaby’s Otivo Development Group, which has built a number of multi-family homes in the Tri-Cities including:
- Hawthorne (Port Coquitlam)
- Lariva (Port Coquitlam)
- Simon (Coquitlam)
- Simon2 (Coquitlam)
The site of its next build, at 2650 Burleigh Ave. and 2634–2636 Kingsway Ave. in an industrial enclave in Port Coquitlam and close to the CP Rail tracks, was rezoned last December.
Currently vacant, the consolidated properties will see a mixed-use building with commercial on the ground floor, facing Kingsway Avenue, and 45 residential strata units above, ranging in size from 597 sq. ft. to 1,563 sq. ft.:
- 28 one-bedroom units
- 14 two-bedroom units
- three three-bedroom units
According to a report from Bruce Irvine, PoCo’s director of development services, there will also be a two-level underground parkade — shared with commercial shoppers — as well as 27 trees circling the site.
In addition, Otivo will have garden beds, a common area and a playground for residents on the roof.
“Great-looking building,” Coun. Darrell Penner said while inquiring about non-market units in the complex (there are none, staff said) and permitted commercial uses (child care is allowed).
Coun. Nancy McCurrach also praised the building design, which has separate front doors for ground-floor homes and provides privacy to neighbours.
She also encouraged civic staff to press for gardening plots with future development applications.
“Anytime we can get a garden, please do it.”
Irvine said the development will generate about $486,275 for the city in additional density fees; the money will go into the city’s Community Amenities and Special Needs Housing Reserve.
Coun. Dean Washington was not present for the development permit vote.
