New renderings of BC Housing's East Vancouver project with 1,900 homes

2023 rezoning application concept for Skeena Terrace. (Perkins&Will/BC Housing)

Even more homes are now proposed for the Skeena Terrace redevelopment near SkyTrain Rupert Station, very close to the easternmost edge of Vancouver.

A new rezoning application by BC Housing outlining refined and additional details has been submitted to the municipal government. This follows the March 2022 decision by the previous makeup of Vancouver City Council to approve the policy statement — a master plan for the site that guides the subsequent rezoning process.

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For a project of its size, the redevelopment has moved relatively swiftly through the various application and review phases of the municipal government.

The rezoning application’s details now show a project with even more homes and taller buildings on the 11-acre site, located at the northwest corner of Lougheed Highway and Skeena Street.

2022-approved policy statement master plan:

skeena terrace bc housing policy statement vancouver 2022

2022 artistic rendering of the Skeena Terrace Policy Statement. (City of Vancouver)

Revised design in 2023 rezoning application:

skeena terrace vancouver bc housing rezoning 2023

2023 rezoning application concept for Skeena Terrace. (Perkins&Will/BC Housing)

There will now be 1,924 homes, including 230 rent-geared-to-income homes, to replace the existing 230 social housing units in 1960s-built, low-rise structures, which need replacement. There will also be 1,053 social housing units with low rents set at BC Housing’s Housing Income Limits, plus 641 market rental units.

This is up from the policy statement’s tally of about 1,700 homes, including 230 replacement units, but the new total still aligns with the project aim of achieving a housing tenure mix of about 66% social housing and about 34% market rental homes.

The social housing unit size mix has been established at 421 one-bedroom units, 289 two-bedroom units, and 64 three-bedroom units, while the market rental housing unit size mix is 32 studio units, 257 one-bedroom units, 289 two-bedroom units, and 64 three-bedroom units.

2023 rezoning application concept for Skeena Terrace. (Perkins&Will/BC Housing)

Residents will have access to indoor and outdoor amenity spaces, including “The Hut,” where there will be gathering spaces and a community kitchen, as well as off-leash dog areas, plazas, accessible greenways, sports courts, children’s play areas, and other open spaces.

Other than housing, there will also be some minor mixed uses to serve the new residential population and wider Hastings-Sunrise neighbourhood, including an 11,000 sq ft childcare facility for up to 74 kids and about 13,700 sq ft of retail/restaurant space.

While about half of the buildings are still mid-rises at about six storeys, height has been added to some of the towers, which are mainly located downslope along Skeena Street and Lougheed Highway. A 12-storey tower is now 20 storeys, a 28-storey tower is now 30 storeys, a 26-storey tower is now 30 storeys, a 16-storey tower is now 20 storeys, and a 10-storey building is now 14 storeys. The tallest tower at Skeena Terrace remains at 36 storeys (371 ft), located at the intersection, which is the lowest point of the sloped site.

“The three taller point towers with related architectural expression are located near the existing City of Vancouver welcome sign, creating a gateway condition upon the approach from Burnaby,” reads the design rationale. Perkins&Will is the project’s architectural design firm.

“In sculpting the towers, views to and from the site are considered to make the site recognizable from a distance, including from the SkyTrain, the Central Valley Greenway, as well as Falaise Park.”

Building heights; 2023 rezoning application concept for Skeena Terrace. (Perkins&Will/BC Housing)

2023 rezoning application concept for Skeena Terrace. (Perkins&Will/BC Housing)

Public spaces; 2023 rezoning application concept for Skeena Terrace. (Perkins&Will/BC Housing)

Rooftop spaces; 2023 rezoning application concept for Skeena Terrace. (Perkins&Will/BC Housing)

The total floor area remains consistent at about 1.6 million sq ft, establishing a floor area ratio density of a floor area that is 3.4 times larger than the size of the lot.

The rezoning application also shows the phasing of the redevelopment; Skeena Terrace will be constructed over seven phases — starting with the northern end of the property before gradually moving southwards. The phasing also reduces the relocation impacts on Skeena Terrace’s 600 existing tenants by allowing many of them to remain on-site until their replacement homes are ready.

The policy statement notes the Skeena Terrace redevelopment will provide minimal parking for a project of its size. The rezoning application provides some figures to back up this car-light transportation strategy, as the redevelopment will provide just 469 vehicle parking stalls instead of the 996 vehicle parking stalls if it were to follow City policies, and 5,839 secured bike parking spaces instead of 4,172 secured bike parking based on City policies.

Moreover, there will be active transportation improvements in the area, including improved crossings across Lougheed Highway/East Broadway to better enable access to the Central Valley Greenway pathway and the SkyTrain station, which is currently about a three-minute walk away from Skeena Terrace’s southwest corner. Notably, the proponent envisions on-street bike lanes on the arterial road of East Broadway/Lougheed Highway.

Phasing plan; 2023 rezoning application concept for Skeena Terrace. (Perkins&Will/BC Housing)

Aerial of Skeena Terrace looking east towards Burnaby’s Brentwood Town Centre district. (BC Housing)

Skeena Terrace is one of BC Housing’s largest affordable housing sites, and its existing 20 low-rise buildings were originally developed by a partnership between the federal government’s Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and the provincial and municipal governments.

Skeena Terrace is a key project for the provincial government’s new strategy of catalyzing more affordable homes.

The City of Vancouver is also currently creating an area plan strategy for densifying the area around SkyTrain’s Rupert and Renfrew stations to enable more housing and intensify employment.

Skeena Terrace is expected to reach a public hearing as early as late 2023, while the wider area plan around the SkyTrain stations is expected to be finalized in 2024.

renfrew rupert station skytrain area plan

Major development sites within the area plan for SkyTrain’s Renfrew and Rupert stations. (City of Vancouver)

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