Some much needed rental housing is another stop closer to reality in Rossland. The design contract for the Midtown Transition Project located in the Emcon Lot was awarded to Boni Madison Architects from Vancouver. The City says the company’s experience with workforce housing, as well as their ability to envision a structure that will fit into Rossland’s alpine community won them the project. Mayor Kathy Moore explains a bit more about the plans.
“We’re going to have probably 24, maybe 36 units there. It’s going to permanent rental housing; they’re not going to be for sale, they’re not condos, they’re apartments and they’re going to be from studios to three bedrooms.”
It’s not exactly subsidized housing. Future residents will be employed; however, may not be able to afford full market rates, according to Mayor Moore. There will be commercial or office space on the ground floor with the idea of a new City Hall going in being floated around. Council will have to approve those decisions later on.
The project will need to meet requirements set out by the Columbia Basin Trust and BC Housing. Mayor Moore is confident that things are in line with those expectations, which means major financial backing should come through. Mayor Moore expresses her thanks to the organizations for their support.
“They’re really interested in helping communities like ours find and fund housing that works for our workforce, so yeah, it’s a pretty exciting project.”
The Lower Columbia Affordable Housing Society and City Spaces are also involved.