Real Estate

One of B.C.’s tallest mass timber residential buildings rises at 981 Davie

The 17-storey downtown Vancouver project combines mass timber construction with Passive House standards, delivering 154 non-market homes and a major new QMUNITY hub.

By Mihika Agarwal /

A 17-storey tower taking shape in downtown Vancouver is positioning itself at the forefront of sustainable urban housing. Now under construction at 981 Davie Street, the project is set to become one of British Columbia’s tallest mass timber residential buildings designed to Passive House standards—combining low-carbon construction with high-performance energy efficiency.

Led by Kindred Construction and developed by Community Land Trust, the mixed-use building will deliver 154 homes, including 123 co-op units and 31 operated by McLaren Housing Society. Two storeys of retail space will anchor the base, alongside a major new community hub for Vancouver’s 2SLGBTQIA+ population.

Construction is expected to be completed in 2027, with the building slated to open the same year and rental listings anticipated to follow shortly after.

On March 13, project partners hosted a hard hat tour of the site, offering a behind-the-scenes look at what has quickly become one of the province’s most ambitious hybrid timber builds. The event was attended by Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim, alongside representatives from BC Housing and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.

Project director Kenny Dempsey described the structure as a hybrid system: a concrete core rising from a two-storey concrete podium, topped by 15 storeys of mass timber reinforced with steel. The timber panels—manufactured by Castlegar-based Kalesnikoff—were recently installed, marking a major construction milestone. Interior work is now underway.

Beyond its structural innovation, the building is designed to meet Passive House standards, a rigorous benchmark focused on minimizing energy use through airtight construction, high-performance insulation and heat recovery systems. In a dense downtown environment, achieving those standards at this scale is still relatively rare—particularly for a hybrid mass timber tower.

The project also reflects a broader shift in B.C.’s housing strategy, pairing climate-conscious construction with non-market housing. By combining co-op and supportive housing with retail space, the development aims to deliver more affordable homes in one of Vancouver’s most expensive areas.

A new home for B.C’s 2SLGBTQIA+ community

At the base of the tower, QMUNITY will anchor a new 13,000-square-foot, purpose-built community centre—set to become one of the largest 2SLGBTQIA+ hubs in Canada.

 

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The facility will replace the organization’s aging space on Bute Street, just two blocks away, and significantly expand its capacity. Designed with accessibility and inclusivity in mind, the new centre will include counselling rooms, multiple lounges, a full kitchen and two half kitchens, as well as flexible spaces for community programming—from queer improv groups to recreational leagues.

“For 35 years now, people in queer and trans communities here in B.C.—but in Vancouver in particular—have been advocating for an expanded space,” said Michael Robach, executive director of QMUNITY during the tour. “This is going to be 13,000 square feet of purpose-built space for mental health and social services for anyone part of the queer and trans community.”

The organization currently serves more than 20,000 people across the province, including many in remote or underserved areas. The expanded facility, they added, will act as both a physical and symbolic hub—“a haven for folks who come in and access services they can’t find anywhere else.”

With dedicated lounges for youth and seniors, expanded offices and multipurpose programming rooms, the new centre is designed to meet a wide range of needs across generations.

As QMUNITY approaches its 50th anniversary in 2029, the new space represents a long-awaited milestone—one that project partners say will not only serve Vancouver’s Davie Village, but strengthen support networks for queer and trans communities across B.C.

Mihika Agarwal

Mihika Agarwal

Mihika is the senior editor at BCBusiness. Her work has also appeared in the New York Times, Vox, Globe and Mail, The Walrus, Vogue, Chatelaine, and more.