A development company has revealed plans for a four-tower project with nearly 1,200 units at one of Burquitlam’s busiest corners.
Although its application is in the early stages, Intergulf Development Group presented its initial plans for a land assembly it is doing for the northeast corner of Clarke Road and Como Lake Avenue to Coquitlam council on March 11.
Although Intergulf has yet to make a rezoning application, its initial proposal is for three condo towers of 40, 33 and 26 storeys containing 842 units. In addition, Intergulf is proposing to build a 30-storey tower with 293 market-rental apartments and a five-storey building containing 44 non-market rental apartments. It would also have a 5,000 sq. ft. private child care facility with space for 37 children, and ground-floor retail.
Most of council’s concerns about the project centred around parking entrances and exits, especially since it’s at a heavily used intersection on a triangular-shaped property.
“I suspect we’re going to end up with traffic being a main point of contention,” said Mayor Richard Stewart.
Intergulf vice president of development Michael Mortensen told Stewart the site currently has low-rise apartment buildings containing 161 rental units and a strata building with about 40 units. He also said although there has not been a neighbourhood meeting about the company’s plans the current residents are being kept in the loop.
Mortensen said the high density is appropriate since it’s only a block away from the Burquitlam SkyTrain station.
Coun. Bonita Zarrillo said what Intergulf is proposing resembles lifeless high-rise projects in Eastern Canada.
“This development is reminding me of some of the ones around Toronto,” said Zarrillo. “This is one of the things that frustrates me. We hear about how many units, but we don’t hear about who lives there and how they are going to afford to live there.
“There’s not a sense of ownership for the public space, and they get disconnected with the space when it gets taken over by entities.
“Now I’m thinking 10 years out, 20 years out that it’s going to look like some of the places I’ve seen in Toronto, that I’ve seen in Montreal. I hope not. I hope it’s vibrant and that we interact with it.”
Mortensen said if the project was to get the go-ahead construction would start with the west side of the site, with final completion about eight to 10 years away.
