A 19-storey residential tower could be coming to Ambleside if the District of West Vancouver Council considers a rezoning application at its meeting Monday, June 8.
The proposal for 1552 Esquimalt Avenue would add 126 new strata units to the site while permanently securing the existing 185-unit rental tower, bringing the total to 311 units on the property. According to the report, the staff will recommend giving first reading to amendments to both the Official Community Plan and the Zoning Bylaw, and scheduling a public hearing for June 29.
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The project includes a $9-million Community Amenity Contribution and off-site boulevard and servicing upgrades, with sanitary works near 15th Street and Marine Drive estimated at roughly $900,000.
The proposed infill building would sit on a subdivided lot at the northwest corner of the site, alongside the existing 20-storey Ambleside Tower, which was built in the 1970s. The new building would offer a mix of studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom units. Outdoor amenities would include a rooftop terrace, a landscaped pedestrian greenway connecting Esquimalt and Duchess avenues, and publicly accessible open space.
The proposal exceeds the maximum strata density of FAR 2.5 set out in the OCP’s site-specific policy for the Ambleside Apartment Area, with the applicant seeking FAR 3.0. According to the report, staff consider the project consistent with broader council priorities around housing supply, rental retention, and compact, transit-accessible growth, and will be recommending it proceed to public hearing. The Planning Committee supported the application at its March meeting.
