The first three residential towers being proposed for Port Moody’s downtown are a step closer to becoming reality.
On Tuesday, July 23, a majority of the city’s councillors gave first reading to zoning and official community plan amendments that would allow Vancouver-based developer Beedie Living to construct 981 new homes in three towers of 32, 34 and 38 storeys on Spring St., just east of the Moody Centre SkyTrain station.
The company’s proposal also includes a six-storey rental building a little further west that would provide between 40 and 50 units of transitional housing for women.
Bita Jamalpour, Port Moody’s senior development planner, said the project would be home to about 1,800 new residents. She said the developer has indicated it will exceed the city’s zoning requirement that at least 25 per cent of the strata units have two bedrooms and 10 per cent have three bedrooms or more.
As well, Jamalpour said, Beedie is working with the kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem) First Nation to allocate about 20 units for non-market housing.
That pleased Coun. Diana Dilworth who lauded the proposal for meeting Port Moody’s policy to encourage the construction of family-friendly housing.
“This is addressing a spectrum of housing,” she said, also referencing the rental transition rental apartments and plans for non-market units.
Port Moody condo proposal that includes three towers needs more work: report https://t.co/rgSyQyhUTs
— Tri-City News (@TriCityNews) February 1, 2024
Mayor Meghan Lahti liked the developer’s decision to add a second floor to the commercial podium of the westernmost tower to accommodate a 4-6,000 sq. ft. childcare facility for up to 107 kids, as well as office spaces that would employ up to 555 people.
But several councillors cautioned they want to see assurances from Beedie that the building’s commercial podiums and central plaza on Spring Street it’s calling the project’s “Living Room” won’t become a barren, concrete wasteland.
“It’s imperative we take into account what businesses are going in there,” said Coun. Callan Morrison. “I hope the developer looks at other excellent examples of diverse uses in NewPort Village and Suter Brook.”
Coun. Samantha Agtarap agreed.
“Commercial spaces need to be a variety of sizes,” she said, adding health services like dentist and doctor offices shouldn’t line the streetscape.
Coun. Kyla Knowles said she’d like to see more green spaces and opportunities for programming incorporated in the design of the plaza to encourage people to maximum use of it.
“We deserve a Moody Centre that we can be proud of, one that’s livable and walkable,” she said.
In her report, Jamalpour said the city shares that desire, adding staff continue to work with the developer on refinements to the plaza’s design as well as who will ultimately own and take care of the space.
Coun. Amy Lubik said the project’s architecture could also a little more pizzazz worthy of Port Moody’s place as a “city of the arts,” She suggested artists’ studios should also have a place in its plans.
But Coun. Haven Lurbiecki, who was the only councillor to vote against first reading, cautioned all the proposal’s desirable bells and whistles distract from residents’ general enmity toward seeing dense high-rise towers populating Port Moody’s downtown.
“People do not want this in the community,” she said. “Getting elected does not mean a councillor gets to ignore residents.”
Indeed, during public input preceding Tuesday’s formal meeting, several speakers did express reservations.
One said the project needed a greater effort to accommodate high-quality, high-paying jobs while another said the influx of new residents would make worsen traffic and congestion on already busy commuter roads through the city.
But another speaker said Beedie’s proposal would help make Port Moody a “more vibrant” community.
