Really big changes are coming to the Downtown Eastside intersection of East Hastings and Gore

Over the last couple of weeks, I've written a number of stories about developments approved or proposed for the intersection of East Hastings and Gore streets.

It's really caught my interest how significant the changes are coming to this little area that sits on the edge of Chinatown. (Technically, it is categorized as the Oppenheimer District of the Downtown Eastside, but some people consider it Chinatown).

Three out of four corners of this intersection are already approved for redevelopment or are in the early stages of plans for major construction projects.

That the intersection falls within Oppenheimer means whoever develops these sites will not be allowed to build skyscrapers of condos on any of them.

Strict and specific rules outlined in the City of Vancouver's Downtown Eastside Local Area Development plan mean the developers must design these sites to heights not exceeding 120 feet.

Any new development within Oppenheimer must also consist entirely of rental units and include a substantial social-housing component. (The exact details for what that means appear below.)

So towers of yuppie condo owners are not coming to Hastings and Gore. But here's what is about to change.

The owner of 301 East Hastings, on the intersection's northeast corner, is accepting development proposals for the prominent but dilapidated building that stands there.

The address on the southeast corner, First United Church at 320 East Hastings, has planned a lengthy closure to allow for a “major” redevelopment.

And a number of commercial buildings on the southwest corner are slated for demolition to make way for a 12-storey tower of rental units to be developed by Wall Financial Corp for 288 East Hastings.

Here are the details on how these three buildings can take shape.

Each structure can rent 40 percent of units at market rate. The other 60 percent must be marked as social housing and take up no less than 40 percent of a building's total square footage. Furthermore, of that 60-percent social-housing units, one-third should rent at the welfare rate of $375 a month, one-third at a rate not exceeding the area’s housing-income limit ($912 for a bachelor suite in Oppenheimer), and one-third in line with “affordable market rents” ($846 for East Hastings). These social-housing units will, very likely, be microsuites built from 225 to 300 square feet in size.

Calling these units "social housing" when they can rent for more than $900 a month is perhaps controversial and a whole other story. But these new buildings will bring a lot of additional rooms for lower-income people to the Downtown Eastside.

That other 40-percent of each building can rent at market rate, though. So these buildings will also bring a lot of higher-income people to the neighbourhood. (It should be noted here First United Church has emphasized that whatever it builds will be geared to the low-income cliental it serves today.)

Over the next few years, Hastings and Gore is going to see some very big changes.