Residents in one Vancouver neighbourhood are concerned a proposed development could do more harm than good.
Mackenzie Heights residents say a developer is looking to build at the corner of West 33rd Ave. and Mackenzie St. Back in October, many of them attended an open house, where the proposed plans were unveiled. Long time MacKenzie Heights resident Deborah Henderson was there.
“Lower level is retail but the initial plan was just for two units and two upper levels of residential units,” Henderson said.
It’s the lower-level retail space that’s prompting concern, as Henderson and others say the redesign will rob the neighbourhood of retail space for small businesses–going from about nine small retail spaces to 3 or 4 large ones. Area resident Ray Schachter says businesses would be forced to leave.
“The businesses can’t afford to have large space. Once the building is redeveloped the rent will undoubtedly go up, the taxes will go up,” he said.
Some of the businesses in that location include a dentist office, a floral shop, a cafe and an Autoplan Insurance.
The proposal, which has not yet been submitted formally to City Hall, seems to run contrary to the city’s own plan for this neighbourhood. According to the 2005 Arbutus Ridge/Kerrisdale/Shaughnessy Community Vision, “more commercial activity should be encouraged” at Mackenzie and 33rd.
Schachter says they aren’t against development, but don’t feel the current plan is a good fit.
“The city is there to protect the interest of this neighbourhood and they’ve said they would. So we’re expecting some results from that,” Schachter says.
Both Schachter and Henderson say residents are not against development and they have been in touch with Vancouver’s planning department to express their concerns.
A meeting with the developer is set for later this week.
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