2111 Main St rezoning application

The proposed cultural amenity is intended to primarily provide production space for artists, reflecting the existing use on-site, and informed by Broadway Plan engagement with arts and culture groups that highlighted the need for affordable artist production space. Should the rezoning be approved, staff will continue engaging with the arts and culture community to further define the use of the space and staff will undertake a process for selecting a non-profit arts and culture organization to operate the facility including sub-tenanting space to artists.

The City would seek to select a Vancouver-based non-profit arts and culture operator for the space. The operator would rent the space from the City at a nominal rate, and be responsible for a proportionate share of common area/shared facility costs. In a typical model, the operator would be responsible for the administration, programming and operation of the space and associated facility costs, including regular maintenance and minor repairs. The non-profit would sublease space to individual Vancouver-based artists on a cost recovery basis, to provide affordable long-term rates.

Selection criteria for sub-tenanting, to be developed by the non-profit operator in consultation with City Staff, will reflect priorities including artists currently in City Centre Artist Lodge as well as priorities outlined in Making Space for Arts and Culture. These priorities include Vancouver-based and/or xʷməθkʷəy̓ əm, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh and səlilwətaɬ (Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh) professional artists, cultural practitioners, and arts and culture organizations located in Vancouver or under the jurisdiction of Musqueam, Squamish or Tsleil-Waututh Band Councils.

This proposal is covered by the Broadway Plan Section 10.17 – Mount Pleasant Centre Area G. Under this policy, rezonings can be considered where a minimum of 20% of the residential floor area is secured for below-market rents. The proposal meets this requirement. While no artist live-work studios are proposed, a 5,000 sq. ft. cultural production space, turnkey to the City, is included. The potential for additional public benefits are being examined as part of the rezoning application review process.

Should an application be approved at Public Hearing, it is typical to take another 1.5 to 2 years to receive development and building permits. The developer estimates that construction time would take approximately 3 years after that.

 Under the Parking By-law, there are no minimum off-street residential or commercial parking requirements in the Broadway Plan area, and developers can choose to provide an amount of off-street parking in line with anticipated market demand. Off-street visitor and accessible parking stalls are still required by the Parking Bylaw.

This proposal is located within walking distance of a current and a future rapid-transit station, frequent bus transit with a stop at its doorstep, and cycling routes all around. The proposal will provide off-street parking spaces for future residents and commercial users in the underground parkade. The parking for the residential uses will not be pre-assigned. The final number of residential and commercial visitor parking spaces offered will be determined  at the development permit stage. The proposal includes additional bicycle parking and service spaces to promoting alternative modes of transportation. 

The proposed cultural amenity is anticipated to provide artist studio production space, reflecting the existing use on-site, the City's priorities for arts and cultural space retention and expansion in Mount Pleasant and industrial areas. Engagement during the development of the Broadway Plan, including with arts and culture groups, highlighted the need for affordable production space for artists. Should the rezoning be approved, staff will continue engaging with the arts and culture community to further define the use of the space and staff will undertake a process of selecting a non-profit arts and culture organization that would be responsible for operating the space.

There are no childcare units included in this proposal.

80% of the rental units in the proposal will be rented at market rates. 

The proposal includes 5,000 sq. ft. of contiguous, standalone arts production and presentation space. It will be delivered to the City and operated by a non-profit arts and culture operator. It is intended that this space will be used for arts and culture studio production use by Vancouver-based artists and non-profit arts organizations. 

The City’s cultural infrastructure plan, Making Space for Arts and Culture as part of Culture|Shift, and the Arts and Culture policies for Broadway Plan all highlight concerns with loss of arts and culture spaces to redevelopment in the city and aim to incentivize the preservation and delivery of new accessible and affordable arts and cultural spaces.   

This proposal includes on-site 5,000 sf of contiguous, standalone cultural arts production and presentation space, that would replace the temporary cultural space with long term affordable space. The space will be delivered to the City and operated by a non-profit arts and culture operator. It is intended that this space will be used for arts and culture studio production use by Vancouver-based artists and non-profit arts organizations.