Jenga-like project with affordable homes nears completion in Vancouver
Officials with the BC government say two buildings in the River District, one with an eye-catching jenga-like structure and another with new rental housing, are nearing completion.
BC’s Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon and MLA for Vancouver-Fraserview George Chow announced the newly completed affordable rental project at 3338 Sawmill Crescent, near Marine Drive and Boundary Road.
The project consists of two buildings. The first is a 26-storey tower that looks a bit like a half-complete Jenga game, with balconies protruding from the building itself.Â
Adjacent to the taller tower is a six-storey mid-rise building. The two buildings contains 337 homes, 220 of which are designated for the Indigenous community and another 117 co-op units.
Rents range from $445 monthly for a studio unit to $2,660 for a three-bedroom apartment.
Artistic rendering of 3338 Sawmill Crescent at River District in Vancouver. (GBL Architects)
“We are starting to head in the right direction when it comes to making progress for renters,” Kahlon said in a news release. “In an international housing affordability crisis, we’re working hard to turn the corner and make a difference for people.”
Move-ins are set to start in January 2025. The homes were initially expected to be ready for fall of 2024.
The project was proposed in 2018 as part of the Community Housing Fund call. M’akola Housing Society will operate the homes for Indigenous community members.
BC Housing provided $37 million in funding to kickstart the project on City of Vancouver-owned land. The plot has an assessed value of $13 million. The City contributed nearly $6 million to fund the project and waived development fees.