City of Vancouver acquires Chinatown warehouse building for social housing

New uses are set for the long-vacant, mid-block building immediately north of International Village mall on the western border of Vancouver’s Chinatown district.

A newly submitted development permit application seeks to turn the 1950-built, four-storey warehouse building at 41 West Pender Street into social housing uses.

The former warehouse and retail building is best known for being a furniture store of the defunct Wosk chain, which was owned by the same Wosk family of BC real estate development fame.

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In an email, the City of Vancouver told Daily Hive Urbanized it owns the property, and a formal announcement with project details is forthcoming.

Living Balance Investment Group, the previous owner, received the municipal government’s approval for a previous mixed-use rental housing development concept in 2019. Shortly after, in Spring 2020, the property and its original approved development plans were listed for sale.

Jordan Eng, the president of the Vancouver Chinatown Business Improvement Association (VCBIA), told Daily Hive Urbanized the municipal government previously informed several Chinatown community leaders of their plan after the acquisition. Eng, who is also a realtor, says he was responsible for the property’s previous transaction, as he sold the property to Living Balance Investment Group.

Records also show the municipal government acquired the property in a deal worth $9.5 million in February 2023.

Site of the social housing project at 41 West Pender Street, Vancouver. (Google Maps)

Existing condition:

Site of the social housing project at 41 West Pender Street, Vancouver. (Google Maps)

Site of the social housing project at 41 West Pender Street, Vancouver. (Google Maps)

Future condition:

2023 artistic rendering of the social housing concept for 41 West Pender Street, Vancouver. (Carscadden Stokes McDonald Architects)

According to the new application, which is designed by Carscadden Stokes McDonald Architects, this project entails not only a renovation of the existing structure, but a vertical expansion of two storeys for a total of six storeys, with a real height of 76 ft.

There will be 40 studio units for independent Chinese low-income seniors, along with private outdoor amenity spaces for residents on the fifth level and on the rooftop. Each unit will range in size between 457 sq ft to 581 sq ft.

A small commercial retail unit and the social housing’s main entrance will provide the building’s ground-level frontage with West Pender Street.

“I am happy to hear that the proposed use supports the need for Chinese low-income seniors. VCBIA has been working with other legacy organizations to pursue a commitment for providing Chinese low-income senior housing when the viaduct comes down under the Northeast False Creek plan,” Eng told Daily Hive Urbanized.

Given the tight lot area of 6,000 sq ft and street frontage width of just 50 ft, as well as the type of housing being provided, the building will only have three vehicle parking stalls in the laneway, plus 42 secured bike parking spaces on the ground level. No underground parking is planned.

The proposed total floor area is about 32,600 sq ft, establishing a floor area ratio density of a floor area that is 5.43 times larger than the size of the lot.

The non-profit housing operator has yet to be named.

This social housing proposal is essentially a modification of the design of the previous renewal concept by Living Balance Investment Group.

Pre-pandemic 2019 concept with secured market rental housing and office uses:

Cancelled concept for rental housing and office uses at 41 West Pender Street, Vancouver. (Metric Architecture/Living Balance Investment Group)

Revised 2023 concept with primarily social housing uses:

2023 artistic rendering of the social housing concept for 41 West Pender Street, Vancouver. (Carscadden Stokes McDonald Architects)

The previous design by Metric Architecture — approved by the City’s Development Permit Board in 2019 — also called for a two-storey addition, with the revitalized building containing 16 secured market rental homes in the upper levels, office uses within levels two to four, and retail/restaurant uses on the ground level. Residents would also have an amenity terrace on the rooftop.

“Unfortunately due to the change in market conditions, their original plan for market rental and office use did not work,” said Eng.

Immediately to the west of the property is Vancouver Coastal Health’s Community Health Centre and an Atira-operated social housing building (the building with the “Landback” graffiti mural on its exterior west wall). To the east is a 2009-built, nine-storey condominium building.

2023 artistic rendering of the social housing concept for 41 West Pender Street, Vancouver. (Carscadden Stokes McDonald Architects)

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