Beach
Towers Construction Shelved
Tenants at Beach Towers in Vancouver’s West End received a letter from owner Devonshire Properties on June 5th. This is major news for the neighbourhood as well as tenants of 607 rental apartments in four towers (19 to 21 stories) at 1600 Beach Avenue and 1651 Harwood Street. After a controversial public hearing and considerable public opposition Vancouver City counsel approved the plan in February 2013.
Although no clear reason was given by Devonshire the letter did state that the project may be reactivated in the future. Devonshire has poured a significant amount of money into the rezoning, design, and application process. Concerns about heritage loss, demolition/construction disruptions, scenic view loss and many other impacts were of concern to neighborhood residents . Some even wrote to the Planning Institute of British Columbia complaining about the City’s planning department (particularly the head planner), seeking sanctions. Source: West End Neighbours
