The public hearing for a proposed 12-storey rental tower attached to a new Ismaili cultural centre will now take place Tuesday, Nov. 5 — originally scheduled for Oct. 22.
The hearing for the project Vancouver-based developer Anthem Properties wants to build at the corner of St. Johns and Moray streets was postponed when it was discovered the text in the zoning bylaw that needs to be amended hadn’t accounted for the four storeys of parkade upon which the residential tower sits that will be above ground, bringing the building’s total height to 46 metres (151 ft.).
If the project is approved, it will bring 128 new rental units to Port Moody, 13 of them to be made available at below-market rates.
That’s considerably fewer than the 64 affordable units Anthem had originally proposed. A staff report said the developer had deemed the higher number financially unviable.
Mayor Meghan Lahti expressed disappointment about the revision but conceded Anthem’s original plan to designate half the building’s units as affordable was “ambitious.” She said the cut is proof the city can’t rely on private developers to provide much-needed affordable housing.
Coun. Amy Lubik agreed.
“I do think it’s important for-profit and non-profit developers be part of the solution,” she said.
Don't count on private developers to make new Port Moody rental apartments affordable: mayor https://t.co/1BryEZKXUF
— Tri-City News (@TriCityNews) October 1, 2024
But other councillors pointed out even getting 13 affordable units would be a win because Port Moody’s inclusionary housing policy doesn’t apply to purpose-built rental buildings.
Councillors also praised the 45,818 sq. ft. Ismaili cultural centre that will repatriate members of that community back to the city after its previous gathering space further west along St. Johns Street had to be closed because of structural problems. They were particularly pleased by the intricate Mashrabiya latticework that will shroud the centre and parkade.
“I think it’s a beautiful building,” said Coun. Kyla Knowles.
“It celebrates the diversity of our community,” added Lubik.
A second rental project by Anthem, with 180 apartments in a six-storey building at the corner of St. Johns Street and James Road, did receive unanimous assent from council on Oct. 22 for the zoning amendments required for it to proceed. All of its units will be made available at market rates.
Tuesday’s public hearing begins at 7 p.m.
Comments can be made in person at council chambers or through registering as a participant in the Zoom webinar presentation of the hearing. They can also be submitted through an online form, by email or delivered to Legislative Services at city hall (100 Newport Dr.).
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