AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND SENIOR’S SERVICES – NORTH VANCOUVER

The proposed development is a six-storey rental building that will offer 89 affordable units by Catalyst and a Senior’s Daycare and Respite Services operated by Care BC (Health and Home Care Society of BC).

The subject property at 225 E 2nd Street is owned by the city of North Vancouver and will be leased to Catalyst and Care BC on a 60 year long term. The site has very challenging topography with 18 feet gradient difference and strategic planning was critical to ensure access, programming and function is satisfactory to meet the demands and requirements of the Care Facility, residential access and parkade levels.

Senior’s Day care and Respite facility at the ground level will provide day and night programs with access to abundant areas for activities and amenity spaces both indoor and outdoor. A visitor and resident lounge is situated at the North-West corner and as a distinct design feature activates the corner at the pedestrian realm.
A drop-off and HandyDart area is located along East 2nd Street, in-close proximity to the Respite main entrance creating a safe and covered access for Seniors.

This project delivers 89 new below-market rental apartments that will be developed, and operated by Catalyst, a non-profit society.  20% (18) of units are fully accessible, meeting CHMC Guidelines and additional 5% (5 units) are designed to comply with CNV Level 2 Adaptable requirements.

A residential outdoor amenity space at the 2nd floor connects to the indoor amenity, where residents have an intimate place for social interaction, gathering, and flexible activities that encourage and promote inclusive sense of community within the development.

Considering the development’s proximity to the Urban City Centre and the natural setting of North Vancouver, an urban contemporary architectural language with west-coast inspired features is being used. The building design has a clear articulation of a base, middle and top with a vertical break in the centre reducing the overall building length along the frontage. The feature ‘frame’ elements on building provide an undulating building form with a varied street frontage expression, that helps breakup up the visual mass along the street.