New 22-Storey Tower with Mental Health Centre Proposed in Vancouver

The Kettle Society has partnered with Cressey Development Group to propose a new high-density housing project in Vancouver’s Grandview-Woodland neighbourhood. This ambitious plan includes a 22-storey tower featuring rental housing and a supportive housing building that houses an expanded community mental health drop-in centre. The rezoning application has been submitted for the properties located at 485 Commercial Drive and 1683 East Pender Street, situated at the northwest corner of the intersection.

The new project emerges about five years after the Kettle Society’s previous partnership with Boffo Properties fell apart, primarily over financial disputes related to community amenity contributions. The planned facility aims to replace the existing mental health centre located at 1725 Venables Street, which is significantly smaller at 7,000 sq. ft. and no longer meets community needs.

Currently, the proposed site is underutilized, featuring a dilapidated two-storey building that suffered a serious fire in 2013. Previous plans by Cressey Development Group for this site included a more modest redevelopment featuring three four-storey buildings with a mix of condominiums and rental units. However, the new collaboration with Kettle Society has led to a more extensive vision.

The Kettle-Cressey project plans to build a 233-ft-tall tower that will contain 280 homes. These include 239 secured purpose-built market rental homes comprising 105 studio units, 47 one-bedroom units, and 87 two-bedroom units. The seven-storey supportive housing building will front Commercial Drive and will feature 41 supportive housing units, all designated as studio units.

The centrepiece of this development is the new 14,000 sq. ft. Mental Health Drop-In and Resource Centre, which will occupy the first two levels of the seven-storey building. It will provide various services, including nursing support, advocacy services, and homeless outreach initiatives aimed at individuals “at risk or transitioning out of homelessness.” Wayne Leslie, Executive Director of The Kettle Society, emphasized that this new facility is designed to meet the growing demand for daytime drop-in spaces and supportive housing.

“The Kettle believes that this type of housing works best when it is combined with wraparound supports,” Leslie stated. Cressey Development Group’s Vice-President of Development, Julian Kendall, echoed this sentiment, noting that their partnership is driven by a shared commitment to the community.

Once the rezoning is approved, the site will be divided into separate lots, with Cressey focusing on the rental housing tower while The Kettle manages the supportive housing and mental health facility. In comparison, the previous Kettle-Boffo project envisioned a 12-storey building with 200 condominium units and 30 supportive housing units, but faced substantial financial and community opposition.

The Kettle-Cressey project will also include significant infrastructure, with plans for up to three underground parking levels providing 111 vehicle parking stalls and 509 secured bike parking spaces. The total building floor area is projected to reach 196,000 sq. ft., leading to a floor area ratio density of 7.9 times larger than the 24,000 sq. ft. site.

This development aligns with other community efforts, including plans for an 18-storey social housing tower by Lu’ma Native Housing Society and proposals by the Urban Native Youth Association. As Vancouver continues to grapple with housing shortages, this project aims to provide essential resources and living space for a growing population in the Grandview-Woodland area.