The Bloom Group
250 Powell Street, Vancouver, BC
May 2015
With funding from BC Housing, the Government of Canada and the City of Vancouver, this project transforms the Remand Centre into a vital community asset – 96 units of permanent, affordable and shelter-rate housing for people working and living downtown. Bright, airy apartments will replace former jail cells, featuring expansive windows with one-of-a-kind city and mountain views. What was once an inmate gymnasium will become a shared amenity space and convenience kitchen for residents, and the former exercise yard will be turned into a community garden with vegetable and flowerbeds. 37 of the 96 units will be affordable housing for participants of BladeRunners, an employment program for inner city at–risk Aboriginal youth managed by the Aboriginal Community Career Employment Services Society (ACCESS). The Community Court will continue to operate from the lower floors. This project received the 2016 Silver Award for the VRCA Awards of Excellence.