138 affordable homes open within Pearson Dogwood redevelopment

Dogwood Gardens affordable housing within the base podium of Cambie Gardens. (Google Maps)

An initial phase of the massive Pearson Dogwood redevelopment, known as Cambie Gardens, on Vancouver’s Cambie Corridor has completed the project’s first social housing component.

And it represents about 20% of the total number of affordable homes that will eventually be built within the redevelopment.

Within the nine-storey base podium of the tower at 603 West 59th Avenue, the northwest corner of the intersection of Cambie Street and 59th Avenue, Dogwood Gardens within Cambie Gardens contains 138 new affordable homes jointly operated by SUCCESS, formally known as the United Chinese Community Enrichment Services Society, and Tivka Housing Society, which mainly serves Jewish individuals and families.

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This includes 14 shelter rate units, 10 units for people in BC’s Supporting Tenants, Enabling Pathways (STEP) program of transitioning individuals out of supportive housing, 55 units rented at rates up to BC Housing’s Housing Income Limits, and 69 units with rents at the low-end of market rate.

dogwood gardens affordable housing cambie gardens pearson dogwood 2

Dogwood Gardens affordable housing within the base podium of Cambie Gardens. (Google Maps)

Aerial of the Pearson Dogwood site, with the two towers of Cambie Gardens (including Dogwood Gardens) shown at the bottom corner. (Google Earth)

The unit size mix is 34 studio units, 35 one-bedroom units, 41 two-bedroom units, and 28 three-bedroom units. Residents will also have access to indoor and outdoor amenities, including a children’s play area.

“We’re thrilled to celebrate the opening of Dogwood Gardens. The City of Vancouver is committed to delivering much-needed quality housing while developing collaborative relationships with community partners. We applaud the work of SUCCESS and Tikva who have helped expand options for culturally appropriate housing across our city,” said Vancouver mayor Ken Sim in a statement.

Queenie Choo, the CEO of SUCCESS, added: “We’re proud to be able to help find solutions to the housing affordability crisis in our region through innovative partnerships like this one. The need in the community has increased exponentially since we began working in affordable housing in 2008. We’re thrilled to be able to bring more safe, accessible and affordable homes to Vancouver residents.”

Up above, the market residential towers of Cambie Gardens reach 24 storeys and 28 storeys, respectively. Both towers are designed by IBI Group.

Dogwood Gardens is the first of four affordable housing buildings — totalling 540 social housing units — being developed by local developer Onni Garden at the 25-acre redevelopment of Vancouver Coastal Health’s former Pearson Dogwood complex.

In exchange for the allocated market residential density allocated to the project, Onni Group is required to include a significant housing component.

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Artistic rendering of the 2022 revisions to Pearson Dogwood: blue (condos converted to rentals), and turquoise (added height for condos). Cambie Gardens is shown in detail. Langara Gardens is also shown in grey. (IBI Group/Onni Group)

2022 revisions to Pearson Dogwood: blue (condo to rental conversion), yellow (added height for condo space), and purple (Cambie Gardens towers under construction; 2022 completion). (IBI Group/Onni Group)

Based on Vancouver City Council’s approved 2022 revised rezoning for the entire redevelopment, permitting added building heights for added residential density, particularly rental housing, the number of homes upon full buildout will be over 3,000 units.

This includes 2,035 condominium homes, 216 market rental homes, 99 moderate-income rental homes, 99 moderate-income rental homes, the aforementioned 540 social housing units, and 114 supportive housing units. At least 35% of these units will be sized for families, defined as units with two or more bedrooms.

The redevelopment will create dozens of new buildings, including towers up to 369 ft tall with 35 storeys.

Pearson Dogwood is one of four neighbourhood-sized, high-density developments along the Cambie Corridor, which includes Oakridge Park (Oakridge Centre mall), Grosvenor Oakridge (TransLink’s former bus depot), and MST Development’s Heather Lands (former BC RCMP headquarters).

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