We partnered with BC Housing, Columbia Basin Trust, and Cover Architecture Collaborative Inc. to build an affordable housing development for the SHARE Housing Initiative, led by Kootenay Christian Fellowship in Nelson, B.C..
The wood-frame development includes 39 residential units, each approximately 420 sq. ft. It also features commercial space on the main floor and a dedicated meeting room for Kootenay Christian Fellowship on the second level. The team delivered the project through construction management. and achieved Energy Step Code 4.
During preconstruction, the team identified several challenges that could impact the schedule. One of the most significant was subdividing a difficult pie-shaped site with no street access. Through collaboration and early planning, the project team developed solutions that minimized risk and kept the project moving forward.
The project also faced budget pressures in a competitive construction market. However, the team worked closely with stakeholders and trade partners to identify efficiencies, bridge budget gaps, and secure strong trade participation.
Things to note:
- The project site was reclaimed from a heavily overgrown 15-degree slope. In addition, the property had been used for illegal dumping for many years.
- Project partners came from across Western Canada. Meanwhile, local contractors installed prefabricated wall assemblies on site.
- The development is attached to the existing Kootenay Christian Fellowship facility. As a result, extensive planning and coordination were required throughout construction.
- The team worked with the BC Ministry of Transportation to secure highway access and road closures. This reduced heavy truck traffic around the operating facility and neighbouring businesses.
- Concrete work continued through the winter months despite challenging snow and moisture conditions. Even so, the project remained on schedule and within budget.
We are proud to be part of a project that brought stakeholders together around a shared goal: creating more affordable housing in Nelson for working professionals with limited incomes.
“Affordable housing is incredibly important to us,” says Michael Lewis, senior project manager. “It gives people the opportunity to thrive in the towns in which they work and want to live in.
The project was completed with local tradespeople and includes mass timber sourced from a manufacturer located within 30 km of the site.
“We’ve been able to use smaller trees and save the old growth forest from being cut down,” says Lewis. “This is a good example of some of the sustainable development efforts Chandos works into its projects.”
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