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Maillardville tower passes third reading in Coquitlam

The first residential highrise in Coquitlam’s Maillardville neighbourhood is one step closer to construction.
The first residential highrise in Coquitlam’s Maillardville neighbourhood is one step closer to construction.

The first residential highrise in Coquitlam’s Maillardville neighbourhood is one step closer to construction.

Monday evening, council voted in favour of third reading of the project, which would see a 21-storey, 147-unit tower with four ground-level commercial units, second-floor office space and residential space located at Blue Mountain Street and the Lougheed Highway. 

Al Johnson, a senior associate with DA Architects and Planners, said the mixed-use project would have four levels of underground parking “catering to both pedestrians… and the fact that people are going to arrive in their cars.”

Three of the four people who spoke at a public hearing in council chambers opposed the project. Most cited concerns over parking and traffic while other residents said the new development would block their views. But it was not enough to deter councillors, who voted in favour of the project, which will consist of:

• 32 micro units (350 to 400 sq. ft.);

• 14 junior one-bedroom units (440 to 500 sq. ft.);

• 44 regular one-bedroom units (500 to 595 sq. ft.);

• 32 two-bedroom units (800 to 900 sq. ft);

• nine three-bedroom units (960 to 1,100 sq. ft);

• and eight three-bedroom townhouse units (1,300 to 1,400 sq. ft.).

While all at the council table approved the project (Mayor Richard Stewart was absent), one councillor recused herself from voting.

Coun. Bonita Zarrillo has expressed concern about the company’s decision to begin advertising the sale of the residential units last year, well ahead of council approving the project, which still has to pass fourth reading next month. 

Because she regularly drives through the area and saw the advertisements, Zarrillo said she was “unduly lobbied” by the company ahead of her vote. 

“The signs had been up there over the year,” she said. “I had mentioned that I would like them removed. I felt it was unintentional lobbying. It was affecting me.”

The Tri-City News first reported on the advertisements back in May 2016.

Jim McIntyre, the city’s general manager of planning and development, said at the time that marketing for housing projects generally begins after third reading of a rezoning application, noting the developer’s advertising campaign was “a little premature.”

gmckenna@tricitynews.com

@gmckennaTC