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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Cardero Grocery gets new lease on life with infill plan

The former Cardero Grocery and an adjacent heritage home will be restored in a development proposal by SHAPE Architecture.

The West End grocery store closed in 2017 after more than 75 years in business, and was a beloved corner store in the neighbourhood.

Cardero Grocery historic photo
Cardero Grocery, 1978. Credit: City of Vancouver archives

The two homes, including the former grocery store, will be revitalized, with restoration planned for the cladding, canopies, hipped roofs, cornices and other decorative elements.

Windows, doors and wall assemblies that need to be upgraded will be “sympathetically replaced” with high-performance components.

The two homes will be set on new foundations and moved forward slightly, to align with a neighbouring building and make room for the new infill building.

Proposed infill Cardero Grocery
Proposed infill building behind the former Cardero Grocery and adjacent heritage house. Credit: SHAPE Architecture
Cardero Grocery design rationale
Design rationale showing the infill building. Credit: SHAPE Architecture

The infill building is meant to be contemporary, and visually distinct from the heritage houses. In total, the project will add two new dwellings (for a total of five) — consisting of 2 three-bedroom units and 3 two-bedroom units. 

The commercial retail unit on the corner will be reestablished as a neighbourhood grocer, and heritage designation will be sought for the two ‘Class B’ heritage houses on the site.

Parking reduction sought

City of Vancouver zoning guidelines mandate six parking stalls and 13 ‘Class A’ bicycle parking spaces for the proposed density, something that will be nearly impossible given the site’s small footprint.

The applicant is proposing two, on-street parking spaces with EV charging in the laneway, and 10 ‘Class A’ bicycle parking spaces in the infill building, citing nearby bike share facilities and the West End’s high proportion of residents who walk or take transit.

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Peter Meiszner
Peter Meiszner
Peter Meiszner is an experienced journalist and media relations professional, based in Vancouver. As founder of urbanYVR.com, he has been reporting on urban development across the Lower Mainland since 2016, and has also served as vice-chair of the Gastown Historic Area Planning Committee. In October 2022, he was elected to Vancouver city council and is no longer actively reporting for urbanYVR.

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