30 affordable rental homes for artists open in Mount Pleasant in Vancouver

Artist homes at 187 East Hastings Street, Vancouver. (221A Artist Housing Society)

Affordable rental homes for dozens of artists and their families have reached completion and opened at the northwest corner of the intersection of Main Street and East 3rd Avenue in Vancouver’s Mount Pleasant neighbourhood.

The 30 affordable homes are integrated into the south side of the newly-built mixed-use development of Second & Main at 187 East 3rd Avenue, built by Create Properties and designed by Francl Architecture and DYS Architecture.

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The unit size mix is 13 studios, 15 one-bedroom units, and two two-bedroom units, with monthly rents ranging from a low of $646 for a regular studio (for an average annual household income of $22,700 to $55,000) to a high of $1,556 for a regular two-bedroom unit (for an average annual household income of $54,600 to $67,500). These rents range from income assistance rates to a maximum of BC Housing’s Housing Income Limits.

Residents were selected through an application process for their entry into a lottery.

Amenities provided to residents include a rooftop outdoor space with a children’s playground, and shared laundry facilities on each floor.

187 East 3rd Avenue Vancouver 221A artist housing

Artist homes at 187 East Hastings Street, Vancouver. (221A Artist Housing Society)

Additionally, the building includes a 4,000 sq ft shared artist production space in a co-working environment on the ground level. The building’s artist residents have free access to this production space, while other artists and cultural organizations in the community can access the space for a membership priced at an at-cost basis. Part of the production space will be home to Ethos Lab, which is described as a Black-led, non-profit youth academy that offers science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) education to youth ages 12 to 18.

“Ethos Lab is thrilled to be moving into a new home at 177 East 3rd Avenue after operating predominantly online over the course of the pandemic,” said Anthonia Ogundele, parent and founder of Ethos Lab.

“As an inclusive, STEAM-based program for youth, being able to offer a hybrid in-person and online curriculum means reaching even more community members who are ready to shape and challenge our shared digital future. This increased accessibility marks the launch of an exciting new era for the organization.”

second and main 187 East 3rd Avenue Vancouver 221A production space

Production space at 187 East Hastings Street, Vancouver. (221A Artist Housing Society)

The artist homes and production space are owned by the City of Vancouver, and operated by 221A Artist Housing Society — an off-shoot of Vancouver-based artist hub 221A — in collaboration with Community Land Trust.

In exchange for Second & Main’s rezoning approval in 2015, Create Properties offered $6.75 million in community amenity contributions (CACs), including $5.6 million from the in-kind value of on-site affordable rental homes for artists, $875,000 from the in-kind value of the on-site production space, and a $250,000 contribution towards the 20-year operating cost reserve of the production space.

Other uses within the Second & Main building include over 200 condominium homes, and 13,000 sq ft of ground-level retail and restaurant spaces.

Second & Main at 1847 Main Street includes the artist homes of 187 East 3rd Avenue. (Google Maps)

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