Skip to content

High-rise developer snubs Coquitlam policy on three bedrooms

Another high-rise is planned for Oakdale, a Coquitlam neighbourhood close to Burnaby Mountain that’s transitioning from single-family homes.

Another high-rise is planned for Oakdale, a Coquitlam neighbourhood close to Burnaby Mountain that’s transitioning from single-family homes.

Tonight (April 3), city council is expected to give first reading to the proposal to rezone 618–624 Tyndall St. and 617–631 Claremont St. for a 29-storey concrete condo tower and a six-storey wood-frame purposed-built rental building.

If approved following the public hearing on April 24, the development by Strand Holdings would have 355 units:

  • 250 market condos
    • 48 one-bedroom, 74 one-bedroom plus den, 28 two-bedroom, 76 two-bedroom plus den and 24 three-bedroom units
  • 92 market rental suites
  • 13 below-market rental homes

Of the 30 three-bedroom units proposed — representing 8.4 per cent of the overall count — Andrew Merrill, Coquitlam’s director of development services, said that city staff told Stand Holdings to boost the number to the required 10 per cent.

However, he wrote in his report to council, they were “advised by the applicant that the proposed unit mix is based on recent census data, which indicates that the city’s average household size has decreased in the last two census periods.”

The bid calls for a consolidation of six single-family lots, as well as a road cancellation, to construct the two buildings, with a total of 29,547 sq. ft. for the common amenity areas — including a yoga room, co-working space, meditation room, steam room and sauna, and a tea/water lounge — and 395 parking spaces, of which 341 would have electric vehicle charging capabilities at Level 2.

Still, the site is about 820 feet from the Burquitlam SkyTrain Station.

In his report, Merrill also indicated that the land slopes from east to west with a 13-ft. drop between Claremont and Tyndall streets.

Several other high-density buildings are also proposed for the surrounding area, which is close to the City of Port Moody border and Simon Fraser University (SFU) in Burnaby.

If approved, the Strand development would bring in for the city:

  • $7.8 million in development cost charges
  • $7.1 million in density bonus
  • $311,000 in community amenity contributions
  • $114,700 in child care reserve fund contributions
  • $7,100 for transportation demand management