The rush to build more residential mega-towers is moving at a furious pace, with yet another huge Metrotown project up for public hearing this coming Tuesday. (Another ginormous project in the Brentwood area is also up at public hearing.)
Projects were put on hold after the last municipal election as Mayor Mike Hurley fired up his task force on housing affordability. Out of that came the tenant assistance policy in late 2019 which aims to protect renters displaced when these new projects are built. (Not everyone is sold on the TAP’s effectiveness, but it’s been touted at the “best in Canada” by its founders.)
The TAP will again be tested if a new project is approved for 6615 Telford Ave. in a Metrotown area normally referred to as Maywood.
Proposed is a 31-storey high-rise strata apartment building and a separate six-storey replacement/non-market rental apartment building. By “replacement” they mean because a 54-unit, three-storey low-rise rental building will need to be demolished for this project.
A total of 261 strata units and 88 rental units are proposed within the development.
“The 54 replacement rental units are proposed at below-market rates (pre-development rents for returning tenants subject to RTA rental increases during construction, and 20% below CMHC median market rates for new tenants) in order to help meet the City's housing affordability objectives.”
The rest of the rentals will be at market rates.
As many people have said, who knows how many of the displaced tenants will be around to move back into the building, or if they will even want to in the years it will take to build this project. I hope those displaced end up being treated well.
Meantime, it’s yet another high-rise for Metrotown, which makes sense because it’s right on a transit line.
Look at the photos above. It’s pretty slick with a cool design.
Follow Chris Campbell on Twitter @shinebox44.
