Largest residential neighbourhood at UBC wins inaugural Master Planned Community award and named Best in Show
Vancouver, BC – In a historic first, UBC Properties Trust (UBCPT) has won Urban Development Institute’s (UDI) inaugural “Master Planned Community” award for the development of Wesbrook Place. It was also selected as “Best in Show” out of all the category winners.
UBCPT builds according to UBC’s Land Use Plan, the long-term vision for campus growth. When planning began for Wesbrook Place, the vision was to create a community adjacent to campus where people could live, work and play. The awards recognize UBCPT’s purpose to provide a variety of housing, year-round amenities, and a commitment to sustainability in an urban setting.
“We are honoured by this award which embodies exactly what we set out to do when developing Wesbrook Place,” says UBC Properties Trust CEO Aubrey Kelly. “Our goal was to create a community with a sense of belonging.”
More than 9,100 people now live in Wesbrook Place since construction began in 2007. Of the more than 4,000 homes in the neighbourhood, 35 per cent are purpose-built rental units, and two thirds of those are offered to UBC faculty and staff at rental rates below market value. More faculty and staff housing will be completed in the coming months.
When it is fully completed in 2033, 17,000 residents are expected to live in Wesbrook Place, including families, seniors, students, faculty, and staff. They live in an “urban village in the woods” with walkable access to shops, services, schools, a community centre, restaurants, cafes, entertainment, and the university.
“Imagine having all of the amenities of a city and still living within a few minutes of forests and beaches,” says Kelly. “This is truly a liveable neighbourhood.”
As part of its sustainability plan, the community is connected through a network of pathways designated for pedestrians and bicycles and green spaces, which includes six parks featuring playgrounds. The green spaces include a rainwater management system that channels water from rooftops to a collection pond, which is then recirculated through the waterway.
UBC was the first university in Canada to establish a real estate development arm to create diverse and vibrant campus neighbourhoods in support of the university’s academic mission. That pioneering effort began with the foresight of Robert H. Lee, a UBC alumnus, local developer, and philanthropist.
Lee recognized an opportunity to develop vast areas of underutilized campus lands into residences that would create diverse and vibrant neighbourhoods year-round. He established the UBC Real Estate Corporation which would become UBC Properties Trust.
About UBC Properties Trust
UBC Properties Trust is the development arm of UBC. UBCPT has built over 12 million square feet of spaces for UBC in Vancouver and the Okanagan. This work created over $2 billion in endowment value while transforming the campuses into vibrant living and learning communities.
