FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Welcome to our frequently asked questions page! Here are a few of the most common issues people contact us about.
How did Cape Group come to be the owner of this land?
We purchased the 4 parcels of land in December 2018 when a previous deal that had been in place had fallen through.
What is this land zoned for? What has the City planned for this space?
This site is guided by the Grandview-Woodland Community Plan, which was approved in 2016 after 4 years of engagement with the community. The City identifies the Charles and Nanaimo location as a shopping node and designates the site for a 6-storey mixed-use development.
What is the height that Cape Group is proposing for this development?
In accordance with the Grandview-Woodland Community Plan, Cape proposes 6 storeys in height.
Why is Cape proposing more height than four storeys?
The community plan, that was adopted in 2016, has consistently listed this site as a 6-storey mixed-use site. We designed these homes based on the community plan.
What about the impediment of views for neighbours?
The design team has worked hard in creating a building that minimizes the impact on views from adjacent homes. The building mass is distributed in such a way that shadowing is decreased. The project does not impede the City of Vancouver’s required view cones. https://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/protecting-vancouvers-views.aspx
Where are you in the application process?
Our rezoning application was approved at the City of Vancouver Public Hearing on September 15th, 2020.
What about all of the additional traffic that will result from all of these new homes?
We have considered parking, loading, intersections and impact on adjacent homes and businesses. There are only 62 homes, and we anticipate that many will use the local transit, so effects on traffic will be minimal.
What community consultation have you done to date?
We distributed information on our vision for the community to every home within a 2 block radius (in accordance with City guidelines), the week of November 19th, 2018. December 4th to 8th, we held our first drop in engagement centre to showcase more about our vision and to hear feedback from the community. We also held an Open House December 6th and have been gathering feedback forms from the community. There was a city led Open House held at Lord Nelson Elementary School in May 2019. We have considered all the feedback received and have shared it with the City of Vancouver.
What amenities will you be providing for the community?
- We listened to community feedback and there was a consistent request for café and grocer services. We plan to make these much-needed services a part of the retail component.
- We have designed a courtyard into the building layout, which will allow homeowners to engage with their neighbours.
What will the rental unit prices be?
It is too early in the process to determine pricing but our intent is to have a portion of our units below market rent. We will share that information as soon as its finalized.
Will this building fit our community?
When Cape Group builds in a community, we make a long term investment into the neighbourhood. Even once the project is complete, we will continue to be on the ground, engaging with neighbours and working to give back to the community.
As for the building design, we were mindful of the local community throughout the design process and we have incorporated several elements such as:
- The open courtyard is a place of community, inspired by the strong outdoor community in Grandview Woodlands, where neighbours know each other.
- Taking inspiration for the exterior materials of the building from the eclectic architectural style of Grandview Woodlands.
- The sloped rooves that we have incorporated into the design are inspired by the local community.