Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/178323
COURTESY QUALEX-LANDMARK DEVELOPMENTS INC. District Crossing by Kim Wooder ualex-Landmark's newest project is at the head of its class. District Crossing in North Vancouver is the irst mixed-use development along the Marine Drive corridor. It is also the District's irst walkable and transit-oriented, medium-density development as well as the irst project based on the new Marine Drive Design Guidelines, which underscore the movement toward a sustainable urban lifestyle. Qualex-Landmark's VP of marketing and new development, Parham Mahboubi, says a great development starts with a great location. "The site is strategically located along a pedestrian-friendly transit and commercial corridor. As a result, District Crossing offers living and employment opportunities in close proximity to all local amenities, services, shopping, public transit, restaurants and parks." The development features a range of residential suites overtop retail shops anchored by a Bank of Montreal, several health-related clinics, a pharmacy and a café. The bank is a repeat customer: the old inancial institution was torn down to make way for the new. General contractor Marcon Construction project manager Mark Fraser says the irst order of business concerned water. Since the water comes down from the North Shore Mountains and lows all around and under the city, the site was likely a riverbed at one time and pumps were needed to dry out the soil before the concrete foundation could be poured. Time and money were also required to deal with a unique site feature. On the north side, the property backs onto a vegetated bank that the District of North Vancouver wanted to save. Landscape architect Durante Kreuk Ltd. principal Peter Kreuk says that residents living above the development understandably wanted to keep the bank's vegetation intact to help screen the view of buildings down below. "At the same time," Kreuk adds, "we had to integrate the building into the toe of the slope." A compromise was reached that allowed most of the vegetation to be saved while stabilizing the bank to allow construction to proceed. Geotechnical engineers were brought in to help. "It was a real team effort on the part of the architect, the geotechnical engineers and ourselves to get that to work," Kreuk recalls. Creus Engineering developed the off-site infrastructure required to bring District Crossing to its successful completion. "Our work included the design and close coordination with the District of North Vancouver, Qualex, Raymond Letkeman Architects Inc. and Marcon for the Marine Drive arterial road repaving night project, including rerouting of Coast Mountain bus routes," says Kevin Healy, senior engineer and project manager with Creus Engineering. "The Marine Drive sidewalk was the irst successful construction of the District of North Vancouver's new design guidelines and has been used as an example for future projects along the corridor." Raymond Letkeman Architect Inc. project lead Ray Letkeman says a traf ic consultant was hired to ensure the Q District Crossing p.66-67District Crossing.indd 67 layout worked for everyone, including owners, retailers and clientele. Letkeman says, "We couldn't have any access from Marine Drive so access had to come from Lloyd, the side street, and that could have created a potential con lict with local traf ic." A plan was devised that allowed easy and quick access to the development without interfering with the trafic low. Site parking is tucked underground, with access through a well-appointed courtyard. Letkeman says the courtyard is one of his favourite features. "Even though cars are on it, we wanted to make it look like a pedestrian mews that provides entrance to all the residential buildings from the back." The mews has one entrance for each of the three buildings; cars drive into this 'pedestrian realm' enroute to the parkade. Peter Kreuk is also a fan of the design. "It proved to be an interesting integration," Kreuk says, "where we had to go from commercial parking to the drop-off turnaround and to residential entrances all within the same courtyard space." The courtyard is accented and bordered by raised landscaped planters, green walls and drive aisle paving stones. The project scores more points for esthetic appeal with its building design. The building facades with their combination of brick, steel and glass, along with the varied roo lines and three four-storey complexes give District Crossing a distinct and distinguished streetscape. "The challenge was to achieve the permitted density on the site while keeping a small-scale feel," Letkeman says. "We didn't want a monolithic front on Marine Drive, so we came up with a design for smaller buildings, three versus one, with breaks in between to provide a distinctive personality." The storefronts are also varied and well-articulated to provide a friendly pedestrian street environment. One of the many unique design features involves window walls. Marcon's Mark Fraser says he doesn't often see window walls in wood-frame buildings; they are more often used in highrises. "They are dif icult to install," Fraser explains, "but from an architectural point of view help create a more industrial-looking window that can encompass two or three loors at a time." Large metal frames were built to go around the surface of the window wall. The huge heavy pieces of iron added another distinct design feature,and they too provided a challenge for the crew. The project's structural consultant, Weiler Smith Bowers, was asked for its advice. Company principal Darryl Bowers says, "For us, it was a question of iguring out how to hang the steel frame off the building so that it was secure seismically." The result is an eye-catching feature which helps set District Crossing apart from its Marine Drive peers. The District of North Vancouver's emphasis on sustainability is also on display. Two designated co-op car sharing stalls have been provided to District Crossing residents, along with charging stations for hybrid and electric cars. Bike storage and bike racks encourage two-wheeled transportation. Residents can also practice conservation while inside their new homes, which feature energy ef icient appliances and wateref icient ixtures. The residential units sold quickly. Prospective buyers included irst-time homebuyers along with those wishing to move up or downsize. QualexLandmark's Mahboubi says, "The high rate of absorption following the 2008 economic downturn is yet another con irmation that the location, affordability and quality of this development successfully served the needs of the local businesses and residents at a time when housing is relatively unaffordable in the District of North Vancouver." Clearly, this new trend in urban living is proving to be a hit. ■ LOCATION 1673, 1677, 1679 Lloyd Avenue North Vancouver, B.C. OWNER/DEVELOPER Qualex-Landmark Developments Inc. ARCHITECT Raymond Letkeman Architects Ltd. GENERAL CONTRACTOR Marcon Construction STRUCTURAL CONSULTANT Weiler Smith Bowers Consulting Structural Engineers MECHANICAL CONSULTANT Jade West Engineering Co. Ltd ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT DF and Associates Consulting Ltd. CIVIL CONSULTANT Creus Engineering Ltd. LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT Durante Kreuk Ltd. TOTAL AREA 137,595 square feet TOTAL COST Undisclosed AUGUST 2012 /67 7/13/12 10:27 AM