Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/147234
Terry guscott / atn visuals 13-06-28 8:31 AM Due to the relatively small square footage of some apartments (some under 500 square feet), kitchen countertops included deep overhangs to serve as breakfast bars. Bathrooms were also turned into "cheater" ensuites with open shelving under the sink for linens. Landscape architect Mary Chan Yip, principal of PMG Landscape Architects Ltd., was first retained to work on 2300 Kingsway back in 2007. "There were a lot of challenges, not the least of which was designing the mews – the central 'spine' of the complex – to accommodate vehicular traffic and yet appear as if it was a pedestrian-oriented area," she says. Location 4815 Eldorado Mews, Vancouver, B.C. Owner/developer Wall Financial Group Architect/Interior designer Dialog General Contractor ITC Construction Managers Structural consultant Glotman Simpson Group of Companies Mechanical consultant Sterling Cooper & Associates Electrical Consultant Nemetz (S/A) & Associates Landscape architects PMG Landscape Architects Total Area 340,000 square feet Construction cost $65 million With the aim of creating pedestrian connections and interactions, PMG refinished both Kingsway and Nanaimo with new sidewalks, boulevard street trees and site furniture. The front yards of the townhouses facing the mews have been defined with decorative walls, low fences and ornamental planting. "The mews allows the surrounding neighbourhood to be welcomed into the development to shop or access public transit," says Yip. "Seating areas allow people to interact away from busy Nanaimo and Kingsway, and since the width of the mews is six metres, this will enable various community events to be staged on site." Both Jhatam and Bowyer single out Bruno Wall for overseeing a project that, despite its huge scope, came in on budget and under the 26-month schedule. The latter remarks, "We even achieved substantial completion of Phase 2 by the third week of October, 2012 – threeand-a-half months ahead of schedule. This was possible thanks to Wall's support, talented consultants, a dedicated and hardworking ITC team, and finally a great group of sub-trades." Rennie Marketing Systems coordinated sales of 2300 Kingsway's suites and townhomes, and Bob Rennie believes the project will ultimately serve to further erode the Vancouver east-west divide. "I've been preaching about moving east since 2002," he recently told the press. "I think the eastwest divide is disappearing and eventually we'll start hearing people just asking whether or not you live in the city." n august 2013 2300 Kingsway – Phase 1 Northwest Landscape & Stone.indd 1 p70-73Kingsway.indd 73 /73 4/11/11 3:30:32 PM 13-07-12 1:52 PM