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Bringing more people to live in Chinatown will also help improve public safety by providing more eyes on the street and encourage conservation of many of the area's heritage buildings by re-occupying vacant upper storeys.
To balance the old and the new so new development can maintain and enrich the existing social, cultural and historic character of Chinatown, the City commissioned the Chinatown Market Housing Study and the Financial Pro Forma Analysis to understand the opportunities and challenges in expanding market housing in the neighbourhood. Four architectural teams, along with UBC School of Architecture and an economic consultant were hired to conduct the studies.
The Chinatown Market Housing Study concluded that the existing fine-grain development pattern is integral to Chinatown's urban fabric from both a design and economic perspective. Traditionally, buildings in Chinatown were about 50'-70' tall and were built on narrow lots (25' or 50' wide) and current property ownership patterns still reflect this fine-grain development pattern. The study determined that both new and renovated buildings need to be at a scale compatible with this historic character. This will provide Chinatown with a strong economic distinctiveness in the housing market.
Download the Study (PDF) 
In addition, the Heritage Incentive Program, a five-year program (2003-2008) introduced by the City for Chinatown, Gastown, the Hastings Corridor and Victory Square, is designed to encourage the conservation and rehabilitation of heritage buildings. To date the program has been largely successful. he program will be pivotal in retaining these unique heritage features in Chinatown by providing incentives to building owners for revitalizing and upgrading their buildings, including those owned by societies and associations.
As part of the residential intensification work, the following policy reviews are also underway:
- An overall development strategy for Chinatown
- A parking strategy
- A society building strategy, to facilitate and encourage the societies and associations to rehabilitate their buildings.
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| 5 W. Pender - Chinese Freemasons Building |
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| 104 E. Pender - Chinese Benevolent Association Building |
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| Block 17, the Taylor |
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