Seymour Pacific has made design changes to its proposed downtown headquarters building that will slightly downsize the facility.
The company has moved from its original plan for a five-storey building to a four-storey office on five lots that border St. Ann’s Road and Alder, Dubeau, and Beech streets.
Overall, changes to the design plan are significant enough that the company needs a new development permit which was approved at a council meeting Tuesday night.
“In July 2012 a development permit was granted for a similar development concept,” said Chris Osborne, city planner, in a report to council. “However, since that time, the design program has evolved, resulting in a revised siting and placement of the building, rearrangement of parking and landscaping, and changes to the external architectural appearance. The scale of changes is such that a new development permit is required.”
Osborne said the changes are not of concern to city staff.
“Overall, the proposed changes represent improvement on the previous design program and the revised proposal aligns well with the OCP (Official Community Plan),” Osborne said.
He noted in the designs that the building has been repositioned to sit closer to Alder Street which helps form a better sense of place and enclosure and creates a stronger edge. Osborne said the change also hides the parking areas from view, containing the parking lot to one area behind the building.
The proposed changes would also help the large building blend in with its surroundings.
“The overall massing of the building would be less than the previous proposal and while larger than nearby buildings, would not be out of scale with the surrounding areas,” Osborne said. “The addition of cedar cladding, eaves and support structures to the various canopies represents a significant change. The revised proposal as a result has a more distinctive West Coast vernacular and greater visual interest.”
The new design would also complement elements on the Chances casino building across the street.
Outside the building, design alterations provide for more room for landscaping, in particular a plaza area on the southeastern portion of the site with two infinity water walls linking the terrace of the building to the plaza. A large planting bed is proposed to screen the plaza from the parking area to the north.
Seymour Pacific Developments and Broadstreet Properties Ltd. has committed to building a new headquarters to accommodate its growing company. The locally-owned company employs 250 people and has more than 25 years of experience in land development and construction.