City Debate #11: BUILD MISSING MIDDLE HOUSING WITHOUT LOT ASSEMBLY (VIDEO)

Unleashing the potential of The Missing Middle will hinge on the economics of land assembly. The pervasive development culture, requiring land assembly, underground parking, presentation center marketing and tendency towards large scale developments begs big questions for this missing housing type.

Will neighbourhoods embrace more density, and more neighbours, necessary for new approaches to affordable housing? Will local governments politically support the opening up of low density neighbourhoods that have historically been sacrosanct? Will municipal rules be quickly adjusted to support the design profession in the innovation of new typologies? Will the prevailing high cost of land hinder, or enhance, Missing Middle potential?

These are some of the questions this debate will try to tackle and you get to decide!

Organized by: Urbanarium, UBC School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture

Sponsored by: British Columbia Housing Corporation, CMHC, Peeter Wesik, Vancity, Chris Dikeakos Architects, Francl Architecture, GBL Architects, Ramsay Worden Architects, Shift Architecture, Dominion Blue, cdm2lightworks, SALA, Creative Mornings

Pro

Patrick Condon

Patrick Condon came to UBC in 1992 as Director of the Landscape Architecture program. He is currently the James Taylor Chair in Landscape and Livable Environments and the founding Chair of the Master of Urban Design program. For over 30 years, he has advanced sustainable urban design in jurisdictions worldwide.

Scot Hein

Scot Hein, architect, is the University of British Columbia’s Urban Designer. Prior to joining UBC, he was the Senior Urban Designer for the City of Vancouver, leading the high profile Urban Design Studio for 10 of his 20 years there. Scot has been a tireless advocate for neighbourhoods and specific strategies of sustainable urbanism.

Con

Chuck Brook

Chuck is widely recognized within the BC development industry as a leading strategist
and urban planner. Since founding Brook Development Planning Inc. in 1988, Chuck
has been involved in hundreds of complex and often controversial development
applications and processes. Chuck applies his experience, skills and personality to development team leadership,
project oversight, facilitation and negotiation. He is recognized as competent, credible
and trustworthy, both in the private and public sectors.

Anne McMullin

Anne McMullin is President and CEO of the Urban Development Institute (UDI). Anne began her career as a journalist, and has worked for more than 30 years in public policy and communications in the resource sector.

Pre-debate poll results

Pro 74%

Con 26%

Post-debate poll results

Pro 69%

Con 31%

Location

49.282926, -123.12039

Our moderator

Dale McClanaghan

Dale McClanaghan has been in the housing sector for 30 years as a developer, banker, housing society director and consultant. His firm has completed over 50 major studies on the gambit of housing from rental, student housing, to local government affordability strategies. Dale is also Chair of Granville Island Trust.