Local developer Gracorp Properties has recently submitted a rezoning application for the construction of a 21-storey secured purpose-built rental housing tower. The proposed development, situated just a short six-minute walk from the future SkyTrain Arbutus Station and 99 B-Line terminus bus exchange, aims to offer high-density, transit-oriented living in the heart of Kitsilano.
The project is slated for 1960 West 7th Avenue, a mid-block site in Kitsilano currently occupied by a three-storey building with 35 apartment units. Designed by Musson Cattell Mackey Partnership, the proposed tower will rise to a height of 212 feet and consist of 100% residential rental units. These units will include 38 studios, 82 one-bedroom units, 45 two-bedroom units, and 18 three-bedroom units. In adherence to the City’s Broadway Plan, 20% of the residential space, or 35 units, will be designated for below-market rental housing, ensuring one-for-one replacement units for existing tenants. The remaining 148 units will be market rental housing.
Residents will have access to shared indoor and outdoor amenity spaces on both the ground level and the entire tower rooftop. Additionally, this application unveils a larger redevelopment trend in the area, with a total of five tower proposals for the city block bordered by West 7th Avenue, Maple Street, West 8th Avenue, and Cypress Street. While Gracorp Properties’ project leads the way as the first and most advanced application, there are also three non-compliant tower proposals in the mix, potentially transforming the entire block with towers reaching at least 20 storeys each. As of now, details about the other four tower proposals remain undisclosed.
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