450 Alexander Street

Updates

The open house for the rezoning application for 450 alexander street is now live on Shape Your City until August 1st! Please visit https://shapeyourcity.ca/450-alexander-st

Objective

Atira intends to create 181 units of affordable housing at 418-496 Alexander Street (to become 450 Alexander Street), Vancouver with a heavy emphasis on family units (2&3 bedroom units). The housing will be targeted towards single women and women-led families. The development will also include a childcare facility and social enterprise at grade, addressing the need for more affordable childcare in the community.

This development will allow women-led households to maintain their independence, have safe, appropriate and affordable housing as well as have access to appropriate community resources and support, including those offered by Atira. These goals are consistent with the growing emphasis in housing and health care delivery philosophies.

Atira Development Society has formed a proponent’s team by partnering with TL Housing Solutions Ltd. to further the viability of this proposal. Construction is projected to begin July 2022 and building occupancy is scheduled for May 2025.

Project Progress & Milestones

We are submitting a rezoning application to the City of Vancouver in May 2021. Following rezoning approval, the design can be developed further and refined. We meet regularly with our consultant team to get their input as the design develops. The next step is to prepare to apply for a development permit which is scheduled for September 2021. We plan to have the development and secured and for work on site to begin in Spring of 2022.

About the Project

• Location: 418-496 Alexander Street (to become 450 Alexander Street).
• Total floor area of 150,723 sqft.
• 181 units of affordable rental housing.
• Mixed income units with 37% at maximum shelter allowance, 39% at Housing Income Limits and 24% at low-end-of-market rents.
• 37-space daycare with a large outdoor play space.
• 4872 sqft social enterprise space.
• Designed to meet the Low Emissions Green Buildings pathway of the City of Vancouver’s Green Building Policy.
• This project will meet the City’s definition of Social Housing.

Location

The proposed building is on Alexander Street, intersecting Dunlevy Avenue to the west and Jackson Avenue to the east. The site is 24,415 sqft and currently occupied by aging industrial, warehouse, and storage.

Site Context

Mobility & Access – The site can be easily accessed by public transit, cars, bikes and on-foot. There will be ample bike parking on-site and a small number of underground car park spaces.

Nearby Services – Numerous amenities such as the library, parks, schools, grocery and retail stores. Wellness services such as the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre, DTES Community Resource Centre, and the Downtown Community Health Centre.

Community Benefits

• 181 below-market rental units, of which 44% will be 2 and 3-bedroom units.
• A Childcare space for 37 children, including approximately 4300 sqft of outdoor play space, with a covered area for wet weather.
• A Social Enterprise Space intended to provide employment opportunities for residents and the community. We are currently considering potential tenants for this space. An example of Social Enterprise is Enterprising Women Making Art (EWMA) – a program operated by Atira that provides women opportunities to produce and market their art and handmade products.

Policy Context & Divergence

The primary policies that guide development in this area include:

• Downtown Eastside Plan, 2014
• Housing Vancouver Strategy, 2018
• Downtown Eastside/Oppenheimer Official Development Plan,1982
• Downtown Eastside/Oppenheimer District Schedule, 1982 
• Green Building Policy for Rezoning, 2010
• Rezoning Policy for the Downtown Eastside, 2014
• Downtown Eastside/Oppenheimer Design Guidelines, 1982

The Downtown Eastside Plan indicates a maximum height of approximately 75 feet or 100 feet if 100% social housing. We are proposing to increase the height to 160 feet for the following reasons:

• Avoid creating a high street wall with bulky massing.
• Less shadowing on Alexander street.
• Achieving a higher number of social housing units.
• Providing functional daycare.
• Providing functional outdoor area for the daycare.
• Providing functional office space for social enterprise.

About the Team

Contact

We like to stay connected to the community so if you have a question, comment or a proposal, please reach out to our team.

Email: 450alex@atira.ca

Phone: (604) 681 4437 ext 101