2 days ago
Construction underway at deeply affordable housing project in Kensington Market
What was once a parking lot in Kensington Market will soon be a four-storey building with deeply affordable homes.
Construction of the 78-unit building at 35 Bellevue Avenue is underway. The project is part of the city's rapid housing initiative, which aims to create stable, supportive homes for those in need.
"The majority of them will be 350-square-foot studios, so fairly compact, but will have everything you need," said Daniel Ling, a principal at Montgomery Sisam Architects. The common spaces include a communal kitchen, laundry facilities, ample bicycle parking and a private courtyard.
"We wanted the residents to feel part of the community," he said.
The building integrates wraparound support services, including meal programs, health care, education, and employment resources, making sure residents have the tools they need for long-term housing stability, Ling said.
The building will be managed by St. Clare's Housing.
"We have a very robust and successful tenant support model," said Andrea Adams, executive director of the organization.
"It's one thing to house people but it's another to make sure they remain successfully housed, otherwise you're creating a revolving door of homelessness," she said. "Every time someone experiences homelessness, it's longer and harder, and you want to avoid that."
The Kensington Market Community Land Trust says the project is a result of eight years of advocacy for the city to redevelop the underused lot into affordable housing.
Ling says sustainability is also a priority. He hopes the mass timber structure — which also incorporates a green roof and solar panel system — serves as a model for future affordable housing builds that balance design and environmental responsibility.
"On one hand we have to build a lot and build fast, on the other hand we have to find a sustainable way to build.
This project is an example of tackling both issues in innovative ways."
