After years of planning dating back to before the pandemic, construction is well underway on The Salvation Army’s new Harbour Light complex in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.
This will be a new nine-storey building at the large mid-block property of 128 East Cordova Street, which is near the southeast corner of the intersection of Columbia Street and East Cordova Street. It replaces The Salvation Army’s previous emergency shelters, administrative offices, and community spaces on the development site and is immediately across the street from the existing Harbour Light facility at 119 East Cordova Street, which will be replaced by the new facility.
The new Harbour Light building will contain 116 affordable homes — including 46 below-market rental homes and 70 supportive housing units — as well as 134 permanent shelter beds, 50 correctional beds, and community programming space.
The provincial government, through BC Housing, is funding 57 of the new supportive housing units.
Site of The Salvation Army’s new Harbour Light building at 128 East Cordova Street, Vancouver, and the existing building of 119 East Cordova Street. (NSDA Architects/Salvation Army)
Existing condition:
Site of The Salvation Army’s new Harbour Light building at 128 East Cordova Street, Vancouver. (NSDA Architects/Salvation Army)
Future condition:
Artistic rendering of The Salvation Army’s new Harbour Light building at 128 East Cordova Street, Vancouver. (NSDA Architects/The Salvation Army)
Artistic rendering of The Salvation Army’s new Harbour Light building at 128 East Cordova Street, Vancouver. (NSDA Architects/Salvation Army)
Model of The Salvation Army’s new Harbour Light building at 128 East Cordova Street, Vancouver. (The Salvation Army)
These units and shelter spaces expand Harbour Light’s emergency shelter and transition capacities and are intended to better enable individuals to focus on their health, participate in substance-use recovery programs, build employment skills, and re-establish their community connections.
Community uses are all located within the main level, with 6,400 sq ft dedicated to community programs and 8,300 sq ft for food services. On the second level, 13,000 sq ft will be set aside for client programs. The project’s design firm is NSDA Architects.
“The new Harbour Light facility will offer additional safe housing options to people who need it most in the Downtown Eastside,” said Ravi Kahlon, BC Minister of Housing, in a statement today.
“This project is an example of what can be realized when partners work together to help address the complex challenges faced by people experiencing homelessness in Vancouver — and this important work is ongoing as committed in the Belonging in BC homelessness plan.”
Artistic rendering of The Salvation Army’s new Harbour Light building at 128 East Cordova Street, Vancouver. (NSDA Architects/The Salvation Army)
Artistic rendering of The Salvation Army’s new Harbour Light building at 128 East Cordova Street, Vancouver. (NSDA Architects/The Salvation Army)
Artistic rendering of The Salvation Army’s new Harbour Light building at 128 East Cordova Street, Vancouver. (NSDA Architects/The Salvation Army)
Artistic rendering of The Salvation Army’s new Harbour Light building at 128 East Cordova Street, Vancouver. (NSDA Architects/The Salvation Army)
The project carries a total construction budget of over $91 million, with the provincial government providing $29.6 million through an equity contribution, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation providing $23.6 million, and the Correctional Services of Canada providing $3.6 million. The City of Vancouver has also provided $756,000 in development fee waivers and grant funding of $910,000.
“The new Vancouver Harbour Light facility will allow us to continue to provide hope to those in need in the Downtown Eastside for years to come,” said Jim Coggles, executive director of The Salvation Army Harbour Light.
“With safe and welcoming social, living and learning spaces, the new purpose-designed residential facility will enhance our existing comprehensive continuum-of-care model, further serve our clients’ diverse needs, including new specialized programming space dedicated for women in need, and provide new opportunities for the skills and personal development to bring the lasting renewal our clients desire for their lives.”
Artistic rendering of The Salvation Army’s new Harbour Light building at 128 East Cordova Street, Vancouver. (NSDA Architects/The Salvation Army)
Artistic rendering of The Salvation Army’s new Harbour Light building at 128 East Cordova Street, Vancouver. (NSDA Architects/The Salvation Army)
Artistic rendering of The Salvation Army’s new Harbour Light building at 128 East Cordova Street, Vancouver. (NSDA Architects/The Salvation Army)
Artistic rendering of The Salvation Army’s new Harbour Light building at 128 East Cordova Street, Vancouver. (NSDA Architects/The Salvation Army)
Model of The Salvation Army’s new Harbour Light building at 128 East Cordova Street, Vancouver. (The Salvation Army)
Construction on the new Harbour Light facility is expected to reach completion in 2026. Work on the project first began in early 2023 with site preparation and the start of excavation.
Additionally, the provincial government, through BC Housing, has acquired the existing Harbour Light building at 119 East Cordova Street to preserve the 1987-built, six-storey building’s 124 affordable homes and 30 shelter beds. The provincial government acquired the building for $42 million in 2022, plus $4.3 million for fees associated with the purchase closure.
In its previously stated rationale in 2019 for not upgrading 119 East Cordova Street, The Salvation Army indicated that it is not feasible for renovations or conversions because of the building’s configuration, failing mechanical systems, and seismic deficiencies.
The provincial government’s release today states that 119 East Cordova Street’s existing building will be “assessed for repairs and renovations,” which are expected to begin in 2026 when the new Harbour Light building is complete. Through BC Housing, the provincial government will spend $10 million for necessary building renovations.
Existing building of The Salvation Army’s Harbour Light at 119 East Cordova Street, Vancouver. (Google Maps)