Three years ago, just as City Council approved a rezoning for a privately built 13 storey non-market housing project, details of another similar project appeared. This was a development application for the replacement of Jubilee House, to be built in conjunction with a tower on the existing Jubilee House site.
Here’s GBL Architects model of the design for the building. The ‘as built’ is pretty much a perfect match. The firm have designed some of the best non-market buildings in the city, and this latest addition is no exception.
The 127 Society for Housing will operate the building that provides homes for all 87 current tenants living in the current Jubilee House across the street, plus an additional 75 low-end-of-market tenants. These tenants will provide a revenue stream that will allow the 127 Society to subsidize the rents of the 87 existing tenants with lower incomes at shelter rates or 30% of income.
This site can only be developed to this height if it is non-market housing. The money only exists if the tower and the land swap across the street is approved. Having attended a public meeting I expect more opposition than normal to these proposals. Time will tell.