The front of a small waterfront home in sa国际传媒sa国际传媒 oldest neighborhood could be moved closer to the street to allow for construction of three new homes on the shore of Okanagan Lake.听
The unusual development proposal is said to be a way to preserve the streetscape appeal of the 1931 Spanish Colonial Revival property at 2072 Abbott Street while still complying with a provincial directive to increase residential density in existing neighbourhoods.听
Most of the existing home, which appears on the citysa国际传媒 list of heritage properties, would be demolished, according to plans now being examined by city staff.听
鈥淭he historical arched entranceway and steps will be preserved to become the common entrance to the three new homes,鈥 the development application states. 鈥淭he heritage building will serve as the lobby, showcasing its story and history through photographs and furnishings to be shared by residents and guests in social gatherings and meetings.鈥
There are several hundred homes in the Abbott Street Heritage Conservation District, built at different times and of widely-varied architectural styles. The fate of the neighborhood has been debated in light of the NDP governmentsa国际传媒 order to sa国际传媒 municipalities to significantly increase the amount of new homes in established neighbourhoods.听
Supporters of the measure see it as a way of addressing a housing shortage and making better use of existing municipal infrastructure such as parks and roads. But critics say it undermines the appeal of existing neighbourhoods and jeopardizes the investment made by people in single-family homes.听
With the changes, thousands of single-family home properties across sa国际传媒 can now be rebuilt with four and sometimes as many as six residences. In most cases, the proposed redevelopment aligns with the existing official community plan, and the city cannot hold public hearing on the building plan.听
Given its highly walkable location near the lake, and the fact that it has some of the oldest and most visually-appealing homes in sa国际传媒, the Abbott Street area has received particular attention under the densification scheme. City officials have said more homes can be introduced into the area in a way that respects its history and architecture, while advocates for the retention of heritage buildings doubt this can be successfully accomplished.听
The proposed redevelopment of the property at 2072 Abbott Street requires the city to issue a heritage alteration permit. The three new homes that are proposed to be built on the property facing the water would be stacked on top of one another.听
Municipal records indicate the existing home was built in 1931. Itsa国际传媒 described on a list of significant properties as being 鈥渁 rare and fine example of Spanish Colonial revival architecture鈥 in sa国际传媒.听
鈥淚n sa国际传媒, this architectural style was inspired by California buildings that appeared in Hollywood films of the 1930s and began appearing in house pattern books in the inter-war years of the 1930s,鈥 according to the citysa国际传媒 inventory of historically significant buildings.听
Searchable online records indicate the property sold last August for $2.5 million.听
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