Applications being accepted for new social housing at 58 West Hastings

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The purpose of Bob and Michael’s Place is to set a brand new normal for social housing, and to be pleasant and accessible.

Printed Mar 01, 2024  •  Final up to date 3 minutes in the past  •  3 minute learn

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An revolutionary new social-housing/well being centre venture at 58 West Hastings St. in Vancouver has a brand new identify, and is accepting functions for its 231 items of housing.

The ten-storey constructing shall be often known as Bob and Michael’s Place, after philanthropists Bob Lee and Michael Audain, who donated a mixed $10 million to the venture.

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The constructing is slated to open in Might. The items shall be a mixture of 54 micro-suites, 107 studio suites, 11 one-bedroom and 12 two-bedroom residences. Every unit may have storage and an out of doors balcony.

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One-hundred-and-twenty rooms shall be rented on the shelter (welfare) charge, whereas 110 shall be set at a Housing Revenue Limits’ charge.

“The rents I might say shall be at one-third and one-half of what the market is,” stated Carol Lee of the Vancouver Chinatown Basis, which raised $30 million for the $110 million venture.

To use to get into the housing, it’s a must to submit a B.C. Housing Registry Utility Kind, together with a SUCCESS utility type. The SUCCESS inexpensive housing society will handle the venture.

Placing collectively a constructing like 58 West Hastings took time.

“I believe I had my first assembly (in regards to the venture) in 2011,” stated Carol Lee. “It’s taken a very long time. However we’re getting there — it’s going to open in Might.”

The idea behind the constructing was “to attempt to set a brand new normal for social housing.”

Consequently, the items are far completely different than a typical single-room-occupancy room.

“I believe you may be amazed if you see the bodily construction (inside),” stated Carol Lee. “The items are lovely. We aimed for a really excessive normal.”

The mixed-use constructing may have 5 items of retail on the primary ground, a two-storey well being centre and 7 storeys of housing. The fourth ground is a standard amenity house.

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The 50,000-square-foot well being centre shall be known as the Lily Lee Group Well being Centre, after Bob Lee’s spouse Lily, who labored as a public well being nurse in Strathcona. It most likely received’t open till 2025.

Carol Lee is Bob and Lily’s daughter, and has been on the forefront of attempting to revitalize Chinatown. Bob died in 2020.

Carol Lee stated she “couldn’t be happier with the co-naming” for Bob Lee and Michael Audain.

“A part of the method for this constructing was we needed it to really feel pleasant and accessible, which is why we needed to make use of first names,” she stated. “They’ve been extremely beneficiant to Vancouver. They’re two unbelievable males, my father and Michael Audain. Very sturdy businessmen, but additionally with very deep social roots. They’re each very type and beneficiant individuals who have given over-and-over to construct a greater group for everybody.”

The provincial authorities gave $33.6 million by means of B.C. Housing, whereas the federal authorities gave $45.8 million. Town donated the land by means of a 99-year lease.

jmackie@postmedia.com

Really helpful from Editorial

An A-list of Vancouver artists have donated works for an public sale benefiting a brand new social housing/well being centre at 58 West Hastings within the coronary heart of the Downtown Eastside.

After graduating from the College of B.C. in 1956, Lily Lee turned a public well being nurse.

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