A 50-storey residential tower with a community space that could include a food bank and a place of worship is being proposed for the Edmonds neighbourhood in Burnaby.
A staff report was presented to council on April 22 to seek authorization to rezone the area at 7135 Walker Ave. and 7244 Arcola St. for the development, and to move forward with a first and second reading at a future council meeting.
Gracorp Properties LP is listed as the applicant for this project. It includes approximately 480 purpose-built rental units, with 384 market rental units and 96 non-market rental units, which will be 20 per cent below market rates in Edmonds.
This project is a partnership between BC Builds and the Neighbourhood Church, which currently owns the land.
City of Burnaby
The development is the first BC Builds project in Burnaby. The provincial program is designed to accelerate the development of rental housing, specifically for middle-income earners.
A strong mix of unit types is presented in the report, as 40 per cent of units are planned to be two-bedroom or larger.
The proposal highlights that the 50-storey tower would be accompanied by a six-storey non-profit and commercial community hub, inclusive of an auditorium, retail space, community-serving uses (such as a food bank), and office space.
During last week’s meeting, Ed Kozak, the City of Burnaby’s general manager of planning, noted that the building would also feature a ministry hub and an arts centre complete with a theatre for community events and performances.
Following the completion of the project, the residential rental units will be managed by a non-profit housing operator. The community hub’s management is proposed to remain with its current owners.
The site is currently home to the Edmonds Baptist Church building, which was built in 1912, and is included on the City of Burnaby’s heritage inventory. It is now known as the Neighbourhood Church and also serves as a hub for the Burnaby Society to End Homelessness’ outreach programs, as well as other crucial community services.
The current Neighbourhood Church in Edmonds. (Google Maps)
The applicant is not proposing to include the church in the new development, but will be responsible for deconstruction and salvaging materials if relocation of the building is not possible.
The report says the developer is being encouraged to incorporate the salvaged church building materials into the new development’s design features.
“The applicant will also incorporate the history of the site and the Edmonds Baptist Church building into a commemorative program that is accessible to the public through strategies such as interpretive signage and artwork, public realm and landscape design, and architectural features,” reads the document.
A parking ratio of 0.25 vehicle spaces per residential unit is recommended in the report, applicable to both market and non-market residential units.
One parking space is planned for every 55 sq. m. of non-residential area.
Transportation alternatives are also noted in the staff report, including a provision of $500 for car-share vehicle driving spaces per dwelling unit, as well as on-site bicycle repair and maintenance stations.
While supportive of the project, Coun. Daniel Tetrault voiced concerns about the displacement of the community service that currently exists on the church site when development begins.
He proposed an amendment that there was a requirement for the rezoning that the applicant would find a suitable alternative space for the current service providers who use the church.
Tetrault stressed that, because this is a BC Builds project, he wanted to ensure the province was involved in finding a suitable replacement site for the church’s community services.
Several other councillors were in favour of the amendment and the development, including Mayor Mike Hurley.
The rezoning proposal was carried with the added amendment.
by Simran Singh| Apr 29 2025, 2:55 pm
Source: dailyhive.com
link: https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/50-storey-tower-community-hub-edmonds-burnaby
