Crombie REIT and Westbank have decided to provide only rental housing units in their redevelopment of a Canada Safeway store in Vancouver’s Commercial Drive area.

The developers had planned to include condominiums in their mixed-use complex, which also involves upgrading the Safeway store. New Glasgow, N.S.-based Crombie and Vancouver-based Westbank have now opted for rentals exclusively and withdrawn a development plan that was filed in 2019 and adjusted in 2020 and 2021.

The companies propose to construct 981 rental and below-market rental units across three towers standing 35, 36 and 39 storeys. One tower will be built atop a new, larger Safeway store. The other two buildings will be located in what is now the Safeway’s parking long.

“We have heard from this community that there is a need for housing across the continuum now,” said Westbank on the project’s website.

“This project is a direct response to this need, and aligns with municipal and provincial initiatives to promote further density on transit.”

The property is located next to the Broadway-Commercial SkyTrain station and a major bus routes.

Architects in Chicago-based Perkins & Will’s Vancouver office are designing the project.

Image: Westbank