Residents of the Parkcrest condo complex across from Central Park in Burnaby are worried a "Titanic" of a building may be moving in next door.
Polygon Developments has submitted a rezoning application for a 37-storey apartment tower, with three-storey townhouses, near the nine-storey Arthur Ericksondesigned Parkcrest.
Many residents moved into the building because of its green focus - many of the units have large, landscaped terraces - and because it is located so near the park, Sandra Watling, vice-president of the building's strata council, said.
Watling has lived in the building for 20 years and said construction around it has increased in recent years, with Jewel I and II highrises being built nearby, and waterworks construction along Patterson Avenue.
"Everything is going up around us," she said. "We don't mind if it's the same height, but we don't want 37 storeys."
The Polygon development would also take out half of the alley behind the building, she said, and would bring more people and vehicles to the area.
"It's absolutely crazy to put that up there," Watling said. "It's not a good fit."
Parkcrest has a large terrace for residents' use on the eighth floor, which looks out on the park and the North Shore mountains, she said. But with the new development, the view will be blocked.
And the nearby buildings, including Parkcrest, will also lose a great deal of privacy," she added.
"They'll be able to see us eating our toast," Watling said.
Jane Gottschlag, also with the strata council, attended the May 29 public hearing on the rezoning application, and brought the residents' concerns to council.
Polygon representatives were on hand, as well as residents and strata members from three buildings in the area, including Parkcrest, she said.
Mayor Derek Corrigan asked if she and other residents had looked at the city's master plan for the area.
The land-use map for Metrotown has the area along Patterson, where the Polygon development would be located, slated for high-density multiple family residential use.
But Gottschlag and others were not informed of that when they bought their homes, she said.
Residents agreed that a 20-to 24-storey building would be acceptable but not 37 storeys, according to Gottschlag.
"It's a Titanic," she said. "We're hoping the developers heard us and want to develop along with us," Gottschlag added, "and not suffocate us."
The proposed development site is comprised of eight lots along Patterson and Barker avenues.
The Barker Avenue properties currently have single-family homes on them, and the Patterson Avenue lots are occupied by two two-storey apartment buildings with 16 rental units in total.
The development proposal includes 242 apartments; a communal lounge, meeting room and gym for residents, located on the ground floor of the tower; landscaped boulevards and trees along Patterson Avenue; and a central gar-den with a public art installation and a play area.
The proposal includes 80,944 square feet of additional floor space in exchange for an estimated $7.5 million cash-in-lieu contribution to the city's community amenity bonus fund.
Brian Ellis, Polygon's vice-president of development, did not respond to a request for an interview before press time.
