An interesting development proposal has been made by the Atira Women’s Society for a small (3,050 SF) site in the Downtown Eastside. The plan calls for a 7-storey building made of shipping containers to be used for “small suite” housing. The rezoning application for the site at 420 Hawks Avenue is being made under the new Downtown Eastside Local Area Plan, and intends to rezone the M-1 (Industrial) site to CD-1.  The proposal includes:

• 20 studio units and 6 two-bedroom units;
• a building height 72 ft.;
• a density of 4.7 FSR; and
• 41 bicycle parking spaces and 0 vehicle parking spaces.
• Each studio unit is made of two 8′-20′ container units, with two bedroom units being made of 3 container units

The architect, Boni Maddison, describes some elements of the containers design:

• “The end of each container is left open and the approach to the building envelope is a curtain wall system…
• The front exterior facade is modulated with the central area at teh property line an both wings set back.
• The sides of the containers will be left exposed as a face sealed metal system.
• The site built elements, stair and elevator core will be clad with insulation and prefinished panels.“