Another social housing phase at Little Mountain moves forward

Artistic rendering of the social housing project at 137 East 37th Avenue within the Little Mountain in Vancouver. (Stantec Architecture/Holborn Properties)

Holborn Properties is advancing with its commitment to complete the social housing component of its Little Mountain redevelopment east of Queen Elizabeth Park in Vancouver.

A new development permit application has been submitted to build a six-storey social housing building at 137 East 37th Avenue — a mid-block site on the southernmost end of the 15-acre property, on the parcel that was previously occupied by a temporary modular housing building.

There will be 49 social housing units, including 16 two-bedroom units, 22 three-bedroom units, and 11 four-bedroom units, along with one underground level with 29 vehicle parking stalls and 128 secured bike parking spaces.

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The total floor area is 54,300 sq ft, establishing a floor area ratio density of a floor area that is 2.4 times larger than the size of the 22,500 sq ft parcel. The design firm is Stantec Architecture.

137 East 37th Avenue Vancouver Little Mountain social housing

Site of the social housing project at 137 East 37th Avenue within the Little Mountain in Vancouver. (Stantec Architecture/Holborn Properties)

Site of the social housing building, including the former footprint of the temporary modular housing structure:

Site of the social housing project at 137 East 37th Avenue within the Little Mountain in Vancouver. (Stantec Architecture/Holborn Properties)

Future condition:

Artistic rendering of the social housing project at 137 East 37th Avenue within the Little Mountain in Vancouver. (Stantec Architecture/Holborn Properties)

In September 2021, Holborn Properties entered into a memorandum of understanding with the provincial government and City of Vancouver to build the remaining social housing units at Little Mountain by the end of 2024.

To date, 153 of the 283 social housing units on the site are complete. Over the years, there has been controversy over the developer’s decision to demolish the site’s previous social housing buildings soon after it acquired the property from BC Housing in the late 2000s, and the years-long delays, with few signs of progress in completing the project.

It was also revealed last year that the provincial government’s deal to sell Little Mountain to Holborn Properties included providing the developer with $211 million in interest-free loans on an 18-year term, with no requirement to pay any interest until 2026.

Artistic rendering of the social housing project at 137 East 37th Avenue within the Little Mountain in Vancouver. (Stantec Architecture/Holborn Properties)

Once the social housing component is fully complete, BC Housing will own 234 units, and the City of Vancouver will own 48.

Based on the approved master plan and site-wide rezoning, upon complete buildout, Little Mountain will have over a dozen buildings up to 12 storeys, with a combined total floor area of about 1.7 million sq ft, containing 1.32 million sq ft of condominiums, 330,000 sq ft of social housing, and 33,000 sq ft of local-serving retail and restaurant space.

The condominium component alone will generate 1,400 units.

Other components of the redevelopment entail a childcare facility for 69 kids, a neighbourhood house, a public park, a public plaza, open and green spaces, and new public streets.

2016 rezoning concept rendering of the Little Mountain redevelopment in Vancouver. (Holborn Group)

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