Port Moody City Council has approved the community master plan for the redevelopment of the large waterfront site of the Flavelle sawmill.

The project was also approved by Metro Vancouver Regional District, which amended the regional growth strategy’s designation of a portion of the site from industrial to general urban use.

With both required approvals, the proponents of the project can move forward with the rezoning phase of their application.

“We applaud the leadership and vision of Mayor Mike Clay and Council along with the hard-working Port Moody City staff for their due diligence for navigating the application through the Metro Vancouver approval process,” said Bruce Gibson, Vice-President of Real Estate Asset Management for Flavelle Oceanfront redevelopment, in a statement.

“We want to also thank the Metro Vancouver Board of Directors for their careful consideration and approval of the application.”

The sawmill is located just west of Rocky Point Park, framed by the inlet to the north and west, and Columbia Street, Murray Street, and Esplanade Street to the south.

There is no question that this is a significant project, especially for the small municipality.

Designed by Wensley Architecture, it will create 3.6 million sq. ft. of floor area, including:

3.26 million sq. ft. of residential space

75,000 sq. ft. of live/work space for artists and other creative industries

103,000 sq. ft. of creative light industrial space

99,000 sq. ft. of office space

72,000 sq. ft. of retail space for restaurants, cafes, and a grocery store

106,000 sq. ft. for a ‘campus of care’ facility

30,000 sq. ft. of public amenities

Building forms make up a dozen towers, reaching up to 38 storeys in height, and low-rise podiums. There will be approximately 3,400 units of residential within a variety of configurations, including condominiums, street-oriented townhouses, low-rise podium rental units, and potentially boathouses.

Commercial and office spaces and a potential hotel are located on the eastern half of the site while light industrial uses are slated for a city block-sized parcel of land on the southern border of the site.

Altogether, when fully complete, the redevelopment could house 1,000 jobs and 7,000 residents, effectively increasing Port Moody’s present-day population by 20% – from 34,000 to 41,000.

Proponents aim to transform 52% of the sawmill site into parks and open spaces, including four park areas totalling 4.9 acres, 1.3 km of new recreational trails, a boardwalk along the waterfront connecting to Rocky Point Park, and a 1.9-acre public plaza capable of hosting community events and festivals.

The southern edge of the property is approximately a 10-minute walk from the new Moody Centre Station, which is served by both SkyTrain and the West Coast Express.

See also