PC Urban and Harrison Street Asset Management have teamed up to develop a twin-tower healthcare worker-oriented apartment project near Vancouver General Hospital.

According to a published report, Harrison Street recently acquired a majority stake in the project from PC Urban for an undisclosed price. Both towers are slated to stand 22 storeys.

The project is located at West 13th Avenue and Willow Street, across from the back (north) side of VGH. The site is within walking distance of the Canada Line’s existing Broadway-City Hall station and the future Oak-VGH Millennium Line station near Broadway and Oak Street. The future station is part of the Millennium Line’s extension from its western terminus at Broadway and Commercial Drive to UBC.

Under an approved, amended development application, the towers are slated to comprise a total of 507 rental units, a bump from the originally sought 354 suites. The unit mix was modified to allow for dedicated workforce housing for VGH and Vancouver Coastal Health Authority staff.

Under the modifications, the city permitted all of the units to be classified as affordable housing, instead of following policy requiring only 20% of the residential floor area to be available at below-market rents.

Vancouver Coastal Health expressed strong support for the project in a letter submitted to the city as part of the development-application process.

“With an estimated 1,000+ homes urgently needed for VCH staff in the City of Vancouver, this project is a crucial step forward,” wrote Fernando Pica, the health authority’s CFO and vice-president of strategic business services.

“By providing stable, affordable housing for essential healthcare workers, the 13th & Willow development will help strengthen the city’s healthcare system, improve staff recruitment and retention, and ultimately benefit the broader Vancouver community.”

The project will include an 11,000-square-foot childcare facility. Construction is slated to begin in fall 2026.

PC Urban is a local developer. Chicago-based Harrison Street is alternative real estate investment company. Harrison Street’s Canadian business is headed by Jonathan Turnbull and based in Toronto.

Pictured: Future PC Urban and Harrison Street healthcare workforce-oriented apartment project.

Rendering: City of Vancouver/PC Urban