100 social housing units proposed near Arthur Laing Bridge in South Vancouver
A new social housing development is proposed for a site in the Marpole neighbourhood within South Vancouver, near the north end of the Arthur Laing Bridge.
Brightside Community Homes Foundation and Colliers International have submitted a rezoning application to redevelop the not-for-profit housing operator’s existing property at 8725 French Street, known as MacLeod Manor.
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The site is currently occupied by a 1964-built, three-storey building with 46 secured below-market rental homes in need of replacement due to age.
Site of 8725 French Street, Vancouver. (Integra Architecture/Brightside Community Homes)
Site of 8725 French Street, Vancouver. (Google Maps)
The proposal seeks to redevelop the property into a new 65-ft-tall, six-storey structure with a Passive House green building standard.
There will be 100 units of social housing for seniors, families, and people with disabilities, set at rents that exceed the municipal government’s definition of levels of affordability. This generates a net gain of 54 units compared to the existing building.
The redevelopment’s proposed unit mix is 29 studios, 47 one-bedroom units, 14 two-bedroom units, and 10 three-bedroom units. About 20% of the units, within the ground and second levels, will be designed to accessible standards.
Artistic rendering of 8725 French Street, Vancouver. (Integra Architecture/Brightside Community Homes)
Ground level and landscaping plan of 8725 French Street, Vancouver. (Integra Architecture/Brightside Community Homes)
Residents will have access to 1,500 sq. ft. of indoor amenity space on the ground level that opens up to a courtyard and community garden that fronts the laneway.
“The character of the development follows the contemporary style of the emerging architecture in the Marpole neighbourhood and along the Granville Corridor. Creating an incremental quality to the perceived development of the block is an important consideration in the design and contribution to the diversity of the streetscape,” reads the design rationale by Integra Architecture.
“The building incorporates a palette of warm beige fibre-cement panels and dark brown/grey fibre cement lap siding. Warm wood-toned horizontal cladding is used at the Main entry facing French Street expressing a west coast character. Soffits, which are also highly visible from the pedestrian realm will also incorporate warm wood tones.”
Artistic rendering of 8725 French Street, Vancouver. (Integra Architecture/Brightside Community Homes)
A single underground level will contain 26 vehicle parking stalls and 214 bike parking spaces.
The site is located within very close proximity to the stops for TransLink’s No. 10 Downtown/Granville trolley bus, and the No. 100 Marpole Loop/22nd Street Station bus, which provides a quick connection to SkyTrain’s Marine Drive Station.
Site of 8725 French Street and the potential 12-storey development forms along Granville Street to the west in Vancouver. (Integra Architecture/Brightside Community Homes)
The proposed total floor area is 60,200 sq. ft. for a floor space ratio density of 2.6 times the size of the lot. The project falls under the city’s Marpole Community Plan, which calls for buildings up to 12 storeys along Granville Street — immediately to the west of the site.
Brightside’s redevelopment of the MacLeod Manor is part of a wider strategy of redeveloping its portfolio to renew aging properties and enable new additional affordable housing.
Their other projects, all announced over the past year with rezoning applications submitted, include 157 units of social housing at 1425-1451 East 12th Avenue in Grandview-Woodland, 146 units of social housing at 2924 Venables Street in Hastings-Sunrise, and 82 units of social housing at 349 East 6th Avenue near SkyTrain’s future Great Northern Way-Emily Carr Station.
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