After a lengthy public hearing on May 15th, the City of Vancouver will again hear from local residents to address the East Broadway Safeway redevelopment that has been in the works for nearly 10 years.
The proposed mixed-use project, led jointly by a partnership between Westbank and Crombie REIT, would redevelop the Safeway site at 1780 East Broadway.
Situated directly adjacent to the Commercial-Broadway Skytrain Station, one of Western Canada’s busiest transit hubs, this site is one of the province’s transit-oriented development (TOD) areas.
The project calls for 1,044 new purpose-built rental homes, including over 100 below-market units. Approximately 35% of the homes would be designed for families, with two and three bedrooms.
Westbank, Crombie REIT
“Access to safe, long-term family-oriented housing is a welcome addition to the Grandview Woodland community,” says Maria Howard, CEO of Family Services of Greater Vancouver. “This development takes meaningful steps to address the need for rentals, particularly below-market and family-centered housing, alongside amenities that families of all kinds need to thrive.”
The project would also feature an expanded and modern Safeway grocery store, 32,000 square feet of public gathering space, and a 37-space turnkey childcare facility, complete with outdoor play space. This childcare facility would be gifted to the City for operation by a non-profit provider.
The public gathering space includes a 20,000 square foot programmable plaza at ground level connecting Broadway and East 10th to support community, art and cultural events. An additional 12,000 square feet of accessible public space would be featured on the second level with elevator access.
“With a long list of public benefit contributions, this project responds to community needs, provincial mandates and City of Vancouver priorities,” says Mahbod Biazi of Westbank. “Notably, this development promises zero tenant displacement with 100% net new rental homes.”
Countless hours have gone into making this project a reality, stretching across three mayors, three City Councils, and five General Managers of Planning.
The public hearing will convene on June 10th at 3pm to help decide the future of the highly-discussed project.
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