If they can bring their 24-acre property into the city of Courtenay, the Foundation Capital real estate syndication corporation hopes to create a large condominium and single-family development near the Little River ferry terminal.
Architect Al Fritz and developer Kip Keylock were at Courtenay council Monday to unveil their proposal for Harbour View Landing, a project would include at least 15 executive home lots and the development of a 150-plus-unit premium condominium complex on 23.9 acres on an escarpment site overlooking the Georgia Strait near the Powell River ferry terminal.
Foundation Capital (FCC), Canada's second-largest real estate syndication corporation, is pursuing the development and associated land annexation to Courtenay for a terraced, sustainable $80-million housing and condominium project.
The corporation is actively seeking annexation to Courtenay, and if that is successful, it would apply for a development permit.
Condominium suites ranging from 600 square feet to penthouse suites that are 3,000 square feet, as well as 17 large residential single-family homes are being proposed for the site on Jackson Drive, which was designated within the Settlement Expansion Area in the recently-approved Regional Growth Strategy.
The condominium building steps in one-storey increments, providing an opportunity to create substantive roof decks that would be heavily landscaped. Harbour View Landing would be designed in pursuit of LEED Silver Certification.
All aspects of the design would focus on providing an energy-efficient and healthy environment, including features such as GeoExchange to store and recapture heat, vertical wind generators, solar panels and a Lilac pipe system to conserve water and rooftop gardens.
"Sustainability is something we want to work toward," said Fritz.
One of the key criteria identified early in the development of the design for Harbour View Landing was the preservation of green space and providing continuity of the forest reserve and Agricultural Land Reserve around the site, according to the developers.
They say existing trees and green space would be maintained in the area at the back of the residential lots along the southeast boundary immediately adjacent to the vineyard. A pathway system intertwined with a man-made creek would be created in this greenway.
The southeast half of the higher-density lot contains a second-growth Sitka Spruce forest in which a pathway and creek bed would be provided to facilitate pedestrian and wildlife continuity to the site.
The density is nine units per acre, while building coverage on the site is 20 per cent, according to Fritz.
The proposed condominium building, which features a West Coast architectural theme, are five storeys with rooftop access.
The developers introduced some larger single-family lots to lessen the impact of the multi-residential development.
"The people who lived there never thought there'd be multi-family near them," said Fritz.
The development team held public presentations at Crown Isle, and nearby residents had some requests, which led to incorporating such aspects as a pathway connecting Jackson Drive to the vineyard, equestrian trails and the single-family residential lots.
"We've had a very diplomatic, gracious relationships," said Fritz. "We found the community to be very accommodating and gracious to us as we discussed these things."
Coun. Manno Theos thought the project looked very appealing.
"The project looks very cutting-edge, very modern and very in-the-future," he said.
Coun. Murray Presley liked the location.
"The units are getting maximum benefit from the ocean, and even the ones in the back get to overlook the vineyard," he said. "It's probably one of the best things you could do with that property."
writer@comoxvalleyrecord.com