DNV Design Panel raises questions about Delbrook Lands project

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The District of North Vancouver’s advisory body that looks at design issues in projects has raised some questions about the planned Catalyst Development project for the Delbrook Lands.

While passing a motion in support of the concept pending possible changes, several members of the panel raised concerns about the mass of the project.

The Advisory Design Panel (ADP) was established in 1987. It may have up to 11 members including architects, engineers, representatives of people with disabilities and an RCMP crime prevention expert. The panel also includes members of the development industry and the building industry.

The panel’s mandate for development permits and siting area amendments is to advise Council on “all aspects of the site layout, the exterior design of proposed buildings and structures, landscaping, and environmental quality.” The panel also examines proposed developments in terms of their conformity with District design objectives or guidelines.

The Tuesday, July 12 meeting of the ADP had its first look at the proposed design for the Delbrook lands under the agenda item, “600 West Queens Rd, Detailed Planning Application – Rezoning with Development Permit for a 5-storey mixed-use building with 80 non-market rentals and a seniors respite care facility.”

Following presentations by District staff, the projects architect and the landscape architect, panel members touched on a number of issues but the most frequently mentioned subject was the mass of the building.

The following, while not verbatim, were comments from panel members taken from notes made during the meeting.

• I like to think that the architect was thinking about the massing and long façade. It presents itself as a very big building. If you have some vision you might be able to see larger buildings in the area. It might relate when buildings on both sides were larger. For pedestrians on Queens it comes down to the height of the parkade and how much it sticks out. It is very noticeably higher. There has been a lot of effort to mitigate that but it is still high.
• The building is “overbearing on the east and west end.” Speaking later this panel member said it was a complicated building with a lot of storeys.
• I don’t believe stepping the walls is sufficient to bring it down to the street. It is so far forward and high up.
• The building should slope down to the west. The overall design is kind of busy.

Another issue that came out in discussion was that while described as a five storey building, it is really six storeys because, “the parkade is entirely above ground and more than above ground.” The street appearance of the parkade also raised issues, particularly at the southwest end of the building adjacent to the neighboring condominium complex.

There were comments on a number of other areas, particularly related to parking access off Queens. People were also particularly concerned about the appearance of the parkade wall on the west side.

Responding, the architect said he had heard the comments about the building ends and the need to step it down.

The ADP gave concept support and said they looked forward to seeing it at a later stage in the project stage.

In response to a request for a copy of the staff presentations to the ADP at the meeting, the DNV staff liaison to the Panel responded, “the Advisory Design Panel does not keep the “presentation” as that is verbal / live thing.”

This panel hearing came after first reading of the bylaw for the project which took place on June 25^th. It came two days after the planed public hearing on the project which was planned for July 10^th but cancelled because of a possible fire. In contrast, the ADP’s comments came in before either of these things happened for the Whitely Court project.

The public hearing for the Delbrook Project has not yet been rescheduled.

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