Upper 12th development back in the spotlight at New West council

A few months after hearing about a major proposal for the lower 12th St. area, there appears to be interest in developing a portion of upper 12th—which, while not new, seems to be gaining momentum.

The City of New Westminster will be taking another look at the five-storey, 40 unit building on Monday during a public hearing. The building’s units would be stratified and include addresses from 905 to 915 12th St. There would be six three-bedroom units and 18 two-bedroom units; the rest of the units would be one-bedroom units or less. The developer would also include a putting green, a community dining space, a play area, and space to practice yoga and tai chi. These are planned for the rooftop.

There would be off-street bike and vehicle parking on site:

• 51 spaces for residential vehicle parking

• 8 spaces for visitor parking

• 50 long-term bike parking spots

• 6 short-term bike parking spots

Additionally, some of the area—what the city calls an “unused portion of city lane right-of-way”—would be sold to the developer for $269,000. Rezoning to accommodate the project is also required.

The history of this plan goes back to at least 2020, when the previous council talked about the repercussions of giving it the go-ahead. At the time, this included:

• Losing retail opportunities on 12th St—at the time, the remarks on the record suggested a loss of three;

• Concerns of more developments in the area with no commercial or retail use;

• At the time, locals living in the 12th St. neighbourhood wanted to see more “compact, thriving businesses.”

Developing 12th St. comes with a number of challenges, including the aforementioned displacement of specialty businesses and mom-and-pop shops. According to a recent audit, the area has a short to medium oversupply of retail space; on the other hand in the area proposed for redevelopment businesses would include Kamini’s Corner Cafe, Top Fadez Barber Shop, and Healing House Natural Wellness.

There is also a decades-old structure in the area—believed to have been built in 1911—but after a heritage assessment done by the city, it isn’t believed to have any historical significance. Today, there are three residential units inside. Croton Studios, a photography studio, was also located within the area. The studio had a number of high-profile clients, including CKNW (now Global News 980 CKNW), The Vancouver Sun, and The Province.

The public hearing will be happening at 6pm.

Hey friend, you’ve made it to the end. Thanks for reading! We’re a tiny publication staffed by just one full-time person, and we could use your help.

Would you consider supporting our grassroots reporting for just $2 a week?

We love our community and want to be here for as long as possible. Thank you for supporting New West Anchor.