West Vancouver’s Ambleside Village primed for a condo makeover

The 85,525 square feet of prime property currently host the district’s police headquarters, a municipally owned parking lot and laneway, a number of commercial buildings, and a former gas station.

The District of West Vancouver owns 58 percent of the land. It has agreed to sell to Grosvenor Capital Corporation, subject to terms that will be defined upon the municipality’s approval of the company’s development plans. The developer previously bought the remaining 42 percent of the site.

Grosvenor wants to erect two buildings of seven and eight storeys that will house 23 stores at grade and 88 condos above.

“Council needs to hear from the community before they can make a decision on this application,” West Vancouver communications director Jeff McDonald told the Straight by phone.

The district expects to earn up to $37 million from the sale of its land in the 1300 block of Marine Drive. It plans to build a new public-safety building at its municipal-hall location. Estimated to cost at least $39.5 million, the modern 58,100-square-foot facility will combine the police headquarters and Fire Hall No. 1.

Council received mixed reactions from the public to Grosvenor’s proposal during its November 19, 2012, meeting. These included concerns about building height and the project’s impact on the character of Ambleside Village.

The district will hold open houses about the development next Thursday (January 17) from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., and next Saturday (January 19) from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., in the West Vancouver Community Centre atrium. Grosvenor will make a presentation at the Kay Meek Centre theatre on January 23, starting at 7 p.m.