M’akola Development, a local non-profit housing developer, will redevelop the mid-block property just east of Commercial Drive into a new 88-ft-tall, nine-storey building with 84 social housing units for Indigenous people.
The existing below-market housing building at the site, owned by Vancouver Native Housing Society, was severely damaged by fire in December 2017. Residents of the existing building will be provided with the first right to refusal in the new building’s homes.
Site of 1766 Frances Street, Vancouver. (GBL Architects / M’akola Development)
Site of 1766 Frances Street, Vancouver. (GBL Architects / M’akola Development)
The unit mix is 40 studios, nine one-bedroom units, five one-bedroom accessible units, 14 two-bedroom units, six three-bedroom units, and 10 four-bedroom units. At least a third of the units will be rented to households with incomes that fall under BC Housing Income Limits levels.