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Mega-development The Grove moving past first phase in Burnaby approvals process

This next phase will include a market highrise of up to 50 storeys and two non-market low-rise buildings.
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The third phase of a major Burnaby development is making its way through the city’s approval processes ahead of the second phase to advance the development’s non-market units.

Phase 1 of The Grove was given second reading in September after a public hearing the month prior, with no letters or commenters speaking on the project. Now, the city is seeking to advance Phase 3 of The Grove, a four-phase development planned between Willingdon and Alpha avenues and Dawson and Alaska streets in the Brentwood town centre.

Phase 1 consists of two market strata 34- and 41-storey highrises and a six-storey non-market rental building is planned on top of a one-storey retail base. Phase 3, if it is approved, will be made up of a highrise of up to 50 storeys with market condos and rental units, along with two low-rise non-market rental buildings.

the grove
This graphic details the four phases of the Grove development just south of the Brentwood SkyTrain station. - City of Burnaby

A city staff report does not indicate how many floors each of the non-market buildings are expected to contain at this point, nor does it provide an estimate of the overall number of units expected from this phase of the development.

However, according to the staff report, Phase 3 is expected to provide the total number of rental requirements for phases 1 and 3 of the development. The requirements come from the city’s rental use zoning policy, adopted earlier this year, which mandates all multifamily developments include 20% of their market units as “affordable” rentals.

“Affordable” is defined by the city as 20% below the median rent recorded in the area by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.

To ensure the construction of the market rentals, occupancy of one of the Phase 1 towers and approvals of future market residentials on the site, including phases 2 and 4, will not be permitted until building permits have been issued for the non-market rentals in Phase 3.

Phase 3 will see developments on 2410, 2430 and a portion of 2350 Willingdon Avenue, the southwest corner of the overall site. The two non-market buildings will be at the corner of Willingdon Avenue and Alaska Street, with the market town set to go to the north, along Willingdon Avenue.

Phase 3, along with Phase 4, will be divided from phases 1 and 2 by a yet-to-be-built extension to Juneau Street.

Phase 2 will include one commercial/residential tower and a park amenity at the centre of the whole development.

City council gave staff the go-ahead to work with the developers to bring a full report and zoning amendment to council at a later date.

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