First developers selected for portion of Heights District Plan
On Monday, Aug. 26, City staff and the Heights Community Investment Committee (HCIC) presented their recommendations for development teams to City Council for the first three City-owned development sites in the Heights District, located at Mill Plain Boulevard and Devine Road, identified as Sites B, C and P.
The development teams were selected from a pool of applicants who responded to a Request for Proposals issued in March. After a thorough review process, the HCIC selected the following lead developers:
City Council supported the HCIC’s selections allowing staff to proceed with negotiating exclusive negotiation agreements (ENAs) with the development teams on each City-owned site.
“Getting the go-ahead from City Council to begin negotiating the ENAs that will govern each of the projects is a vital and necessary step in implementing the Heights District Plan,” said Height District Project Manager Amy Zoltie. “Each development team has confirmed that they can proceed expeditiously on this project, and all three teams have said in their proposals that they would be in a position to start construction in 2026, subject to securing financing.”
All three selected development teams have extensive experience with similar large-scale affordable housing and mixed-use projects like the Heights District. They have also demonstrated a commitment to equitable development through past projects and align with the goals outlined in the Heights District plan.
The HCIC was established in 2023 to guide the development of the Heights District as recommended in the Heights Equitable Development Plan. The committee consists of Vancouver residents with experience in affordable housing development and financing and representatives from Central Vancouver businesses and organizations.
City staff will begin negotiating the ENAs with each selected team and return to Council in September to seek authorization for the City Manager to execute the ENAs. Deal terms are anticipated to be negotiated by the end of the year with the presentation of the development agreements planned to go before City Council for its approval in Q1 2025.
View the preliminary project renderings for Sites B, C and P.
