A proposed 13-storey building at West 7th and Arbutus in Kitsilano which will provide housing to people experiencing homelessness and is now open for public feedback.
The new building, designed by Human Studio Architecture and Urban Design Ltd., will include 140 self-contained social housing units, and six parking stalls. There will also be 154 bicycle parking spaces.
It’s located next to the Arbutus Greenway and the future rapid transit terminus of the Broadway Extension, where passengers will transition from the SkyTrain to buses, and vice-versa, to and from UBC.
Project details for the supportive housing also revealed upcoming enhancements to the Arbutus Greenway, including overhead lighting frames, separated bike and pedestrian paths, and rain gardens. Future plans show an LRT streetcar with a ‘green track’.
The development will be one of the first of a series of permanent modular supportive housing projects the City of Vancouver is completing in partnership with BC Housing. The initiative, called ‘Permanent Modular Supportive Housing Initiative (PMSHI)’, aims to up to 350 new homes of supportive housing for people experiencing homelessness.
The units are studios and targeted at singles, seniors and people with disabilities. Five per cent of the units will provide full accessibility, although all of the units are considered universal.
The development will be the first modular steel tall building to be Passive House Certified.
There will be several social spaces for residents throughout the project. Each residential floor will have a smaller scale lounge reserved for the residents of that floor. There will also be a terrace and courtyard. A rooftop amenity space will include urban agriculture opportunities.
The application is being considered under the city’s Affordable Housing Policies. The building will be operated by MPA Society.
