Coquitlam inks deal on Austin Heights seniors project

After three years of back and forth, it’s moving forward.

Coquitlam council unanimously approved a housing agreement bylaw on Monday regarding a 20-storey Austin Avenue highrise slated to include 170 units for seniors operated by PARC Communities Management.

The highrise includes 16 below-market units.

Located at 1015 Austin Ave., the project was initially set to include a separate entrance for the below-market tenants.

With council uneasy about the separation, the project was subsequently revised. The newly approved bylaw specifies that the below-market units are: “fully integrated into the seniors’ independent living housing program,” according to a staff report.

That includes nurse call and wheelchair accessible showers, the report stated.

The units must remain rental for the life of the building. Short-term rentals are prohibited.

Council’s approval paves the way for a formal housing agreement and a development permit.

Discussing the project in 2024, Coun. Robert Mazzarolo said the highrise offered Coquitlam seniors a chance to: “live out their golden years in the neighbourhood that they’ve called home.”

The project is also set to include approximately 2,400 square feet of commercial space.

The project is set to include 48 parking spots, a reduction of 18 stalls from the development’s previous iteration.

Across PARC residences, the average age is 88, and tenants tend to have “a significantly lower vehicle ownership rate” compared to other seniors complexes, according to a city staff report.

According to a preliminary estimate, PARC is set to pay the city approximately $5.27 million through a combination of density bonus fees, development cost charges, and community amenity contributions.