Over 500 rental homes to replace Vancouver hospital's parking lot

Artistic rendering of rental housing at 2950 Prince Edward Avenue, Vancouver. (Acton Ostry Architects/Quadreal Property Group)

The northernmost parcel of Mount St. Joseph Hospital in Vancouver’s Mount Pleasant neighbourhood is set to become a high-density secured purpose-built rental housing complex.

Quadreal Property Group has submitted a new rezoning application to redevelop a triangular-shaped parcel of the hospital site at 2950 Prince Edward Avenue, which is located at the southeast corner of the intersection of Kingsway and Prince Edward Avenue.

The site is well served by public transit, including frequent buses along Kingsway and Main Street, and is a 10-minute walk from SkyTrain’s future Mount Pleasant Station at the intersection of Main Street and East Broadway.

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This parcel spanning an area of 1.2 acres is currently partially vacant on the west side and used as one of the hospital’s surface vehicle parking lot for the remainder of the lot. About five years ago, Quadreal Property Group acquired the parcel from Providence Health Care in a deal worth about $29 million.

2950 prince edward avenue vancouver mount st joseph hospital rental housing

Site of rental housing at 2950 Prince Edward Avenue, Vancouver, in relation to its walking distance to SkyTrain’s future Mount Pleasant Station. (Google Maps)

Existing condition:

Site of rental housing at 2950 Prince Edward Avenue, Vancouver. (Acton Ostry Architects/Quadreal Property Group)

Future condition:

Artistic rendering of rental housing at 2950 Prince Edward Avenue, Vancouver. (Acton Ostry Architects/Quadreal Property Group)

Designed by Acton Ostry Architects, the project calls for a 334-ft-tall, 32-storey east tower and a 269-ft-tall, 25-storey west tower, including a four-storey base podium.

There would be a total of 542 secured purpose-built rental homes, including 428 market rental units and 114 below-market rental units. The unit size mix is 233 one-bedroom units, 149 two-bedroom units, and 58 three-bedroom units.

Extensive shared amenity spaces would be scattered across both towers, including nine indoor amenity spaces and seven outdoor amenity spaces, such as large indoor and outdoor spaces on the fifth level — the rooftop of the base podium — and on the entirety of both tower rooftops.

Existing condition:

2950 prince edward avenue vancouver mount st joseph hospital rental housing 26

Site of rental housing at 2950 Prince Edward Avenue, Vancouver. (Google Maps)

Future condition:

Artistic rendering of rental housing at 2950 Prince Edward Avenue, Vancouver. (Acton Ostry Architects/Quadreal Property Group)

Existing condition:

2950 prince edward avenue vancouver mount st joseph hospital rental housing 28

Site of rental housing at 2950 Prince Edward Avenue, Vancouver. (Google Maps)

Future condition:

Artistic rendering of rental housing at 2950 Prince Edward Avenue, Vancouver. (Acton Ostry Architects/Quadreal Property Group)

Within the ground level of the west tower, there would be a 4,600 sq ft childcare facility for up to 37 kids, which opens up to a 5,600 sq ft outdoor play space within an internal courtyard.

The ground level’s nearly 16,000 sq ft of retail/restaurant uses would activate the complex’s street frontage with Kingsway.

Four underground levels would contain 297 vehicle parking stalls and 1,059 secure bike parking spaces.

Artistic rendering of rental housing at 2950 Prince Edward Avenue, Vancouver. (Acton Ostry Architects/Quadreal Property Group)

The total building floor area would reach 450,000 sq ft, establishing a floor area ratio (FAR) density of a floor area that is 8.5 times larger than the size of the parcel.

The project uses, tower heights, and FAR density maximizes the allowances outlined in the City’s Broadway Plan, which designates Mount St. Joseph Hospital as a “Large and Unique Site.”

“The proposed rezoning is in alignment with the Broadway Plan’s overall intent to strengthen and diversify Mount Pleasant Centre as a vibrant mixed-use area close to rapid transit by providing opportunities for additional housing choices (secured market rental and below-market rental), retail, and neighbourhood amenities (e.g. childcare) all within a transit-oriented development,” reads the applicant’s rezoning rationale.

“The proposed development strengthens Kingsway and Prince Edward Street as pedestrian and bike-friendly mixed-use streets that promote accessibility and contribute to an active public realm.”

Artistic rendering of rental housing at 2950 Prince Edward Avenue, Vancouver. (Acton Ostry Architects/Quadreal Property Group)

The remaining hospital site that is still owned by Providence Health Care spans 4.4 acres. According to Providence Health Care, the hospital, first established in 1946, has about 240 beds, including 140 acute beds and 100 extended care beds, and its emergency department is open daily from 8 am to 8 pm.

The emergency department entrance is situated on the north side of the hospital building, directly facing the rental housing complex. The hospital’s main entrance is located on Prince Edward Street.

Visuals in Quadreal Property Group’s application also show the possible scale of the potential redevelopment possibilities of other adjacent sites in the area, along Kingsway and on the main hospital site.

Just across from the hospital site is the Honda Kingsway used car dealership, which was approved in 2020 for a mixed-use development with over 200 rental homes.

The rental housing development site of 2950 Prince Edward Avenue (left) and Mount St. Joseph Hospital’s emergency department entrance (right). (Google Maps)

Mount St. Joseph Hospital’s main entrance situated on Prince Edward Avenue, within the 1940s-built wing. (Google Maps)

Existing condition:

2950 prince edward avenue vancouver mount st joseph hospital rental housing 27

Site of rental housing at 2950 Prince Edward Avenue, Vancouver. (Google Maps)

Future condition:

Artistic rendering of rental housing at 2950 Prince Edward Avenue, Vancouver. (Acton Ostry Architects/Quadreal Property Group)

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