Myths about the Viaducts #4: “this is all about condos on Main St.” No, it’s about housing affordability

Viaducts replacement would open up city land for affordable housing development.

Viaducts Myth #4: this is all about new condos on Main St.

Replacement of the Viaducts would free up two city blocks on either side of Main St. at Union. Would they be condominiums? Perhaps some, but these two blocks offer a unique opportunity to increase housing affordability in the area with a mixed-used approach that would allow Chinatown to reconnect with Main down to Terminal.

By removing the Viaducts, the city can use land that it owns to build affordable housing, at this location and others on lands now under the Viaducts.  The Main St. sites fall within the Downtown Eastside neighbourhood plan, which has inclusionary zoning requirements of 20 percent affordable housing for new developments. You can see a rendering of what such a development could look like on the city’s website.

All about condos? No, all about city benefits, including opening up land now locked under freeway ramps.