Soroptimist House

Client: Soroptimist International of Vancouver, Non-Profit

Location: Vancouver, BC

Role: Development Lead & Manager

Value: $85M

Results: Delivering 135 affordable homes, secured $85M in funding, expedited rezoning approval

Project Overview:

Purpose Driven Development co-created the vision and development concept for this innovative project, Housing for Women by Women, delivering affordable housing for senior women, women-led families, and workforce women and showcasing the leadership of women across the design and development industries. A key project priority is to highlight and expand the professional capacity of women working in development-related fields. The first of its kind in Canada, possibly North America, this project is a partnership between Soroptimist International of Vancouver, a non-profit focused on improving the lives of women and girls, and Purpose Driven Development.

This development is delivering 135 new affordable homes for women, delivered by an all women team. As the Development Manager and Lead, we have managed the project through early concept design and development, feasibility studies, financial analysis, design development, tenant relocation, financing approvals, and all regulatory permitting phases through to construction start. The project is now in the early stages of construction.

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Roles & Deliverables:

  • Key areas of our role and deliverables include:

    • Established innovative vision and priorities for the development;

    • Developed an conceptual model for the project design;

    • Achieved unanimous support from City of Vancouver Urban Design Panel;

    • Achieved an expedited 7.5 months rezoning approval;

    • Secured over $30m in funding, and $54m in financing from 5 different lenders;

    • Relocated 20 tenants from the existing building into affordable interim homes;

    • Full Service Development Management including (not limited to):

    • Procurement & management of full consultant team including the general contractor;

    • Developed a comprehensive project schedule, budget, and work plan;

    • Cost control and budget management including invoice and lender draw coordination;

    • Delivery of a financing & funding strategy to help to successfully deliver the project.