A Vancouver-based developer that recently received approval to build more than 300 rental apartments in two developments on Port Moody’s St. Johns Street is seeking approval for more rental units in a third project in the city.
Anthem Properties has submitted a pre-application to construct 325 rental units in a 26-storey mixed-use building at St. Johns and Williams streets.
The one-acre site immediately south of the Moody Centre SkyTrain station is currently occupied by a one-storey strip of industrial and commercial businesses.
According to the company’s pre-application documents, the rental apartments would comprise:
- 49 studios
- 165 one-bedroom apartments
- Four one-bedrooms plus den units
- 83 two-bedroom apartments
- 24 three-bedroom apartments
Sizes would range from 383 square feet for some of the studios to 891 square feet for the three-bedroom units.
The residential tower includes a podium with two storeys of retail and office spaces. The developer said they could create an estimated 148 jobs, along with another 36 home-based jobs. Currently, about 105 people are employed at the property’s existing businesses.
Anthem said the project would be highlighted by an expansive public plaza at the west end of the site linking St. Johns and Spring streets, and “offering a landscaped pathway and gathering space,” punctuated with patios, landscaping and public art.
A pet-friendly park, children’s play area, urban gardens and social lounge for residents of the tower would be located atop the podium. Other amenities include a gym, co-working spaces, children’s playroom as well as party and game rooms.
For Anthem’s proposal to proceed, the company will require rezoning for the site. But it complies with Port Moody’s official community plan for the area that allows for towers up to 26 storeys.
The tower would be the sixth proposed so far for the 23-acre area, from the Moody Centre SkyTrain station in the north, south to St. Johns Street, and from Moody Street in the west to Electronic Avenue to the east..
On Feb. 4, council gave third reading to zoning and official community plan bylaw amendments for three condo towers of 32, 34 and 38 storeys further east along Spring Street at Electronic Avenue, as well as a six-storey transitional housing facility near Spring and Moody streets. They would be built by Vancouver-based developer Beedie Living.
Another proposal for two 39-storey rental towers by PCI Developments on the north side of Spring Street at Williams Street is poised to go to a public hearing, likely in March, after two readings of amendments to rezoning and official community plan amendments were passed by council on Oct. 25, 2024. A public hearing had been scheduled for Nov. 4, but was postponed at the request of the developer.
The projects are part of a framework for the redevelopment of the Moody Centre neighbourhood that was adopted by council in December 2023, after a master plan being crafted by a consortium of property owners and developers fell apart. The policy could see as many as 14 towers up to 40 storeys constructed, along with public plazas and gathering spaces, an active transportation corridor along Spring Street, a 40,000-square-foot grocery store and the planned daylighting of Slaughterhouse Creek that would be done by PCI as part of its project.
Anthem’s two other projects that were approved last December include a 12-storey residential tower with 128 rental apartments at the northwest corner of St. Johns and Moray streets. It will be built in conjunction with a new 45,818-square-foot Ismaili cultural centre.
As well, the company got the go-ahead for another 180 apartments in a six-storey U-shaped building on the south side of St. Johns Street, at James Road.
Since Vancouver-based developer Woodbridge Properties broke through a 30-year drought of new purpose-built rental apartments in Port Moody with its 142-unit "The Moody" project on St. Johns Street that was approved by council in 2017, the city's rental stock is poised to balloon by more than 2,000 units in various projects already completed, under construction, approved by council or under its consideration.
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