The residential development proposed by the Squamish First Nation for band-owned lands at the foot of the Burrard Bridge will bring downtown-style density to Kitsilano.
The $3-billion Senakw project will consist of 6,000 mostly rental units in 11 towers on a five-hectare parcel at the western foot of the Burrard Bridge.
The tallest tower is expected to be 56 storeys, almost as tall as Vancouver’s Shangri-La and the Trump Tower.
The early proposals for this parcel of land date back to 2010 and maxed out at a 35 storey tower.
As recently as last April 2019 the project was described as a two-tower, 3,000-unit development.
This new concept adds nine towers.
According to Squamish Councillor Khelsilem, Senakw’s design has changed several times over the years and this latest iteration reflects the extreme shortage of rental housing in Vancouver.
“The Squamish Nation kept pushing to explore the near-maximum the site could handle. This is our jewel of developable land and we’re only going to get once chance in the next 100 years to develop it,” Khelsilem said on Twitter.
Senakw will not employ the typical podium and tower design used in most development projects but rather a tower-only design enabling 80 per cent of the land at grade to be activated for public use such as park space.
Last modified: September 7, 2022
Disgusting! High rise buildings are the last thing we need in Kits.