About Vision SoHo
Our community is in the midst of an affordable housing crisis. With over 6,000 Londoners on the affordable housing waitlist, declining vacancy rates, and rapidly rising home costs, finding a safe and affordable home has become increasingly difficult for many.
The Vision SoHo Alliance plans to address this pressing issue by building a housing mix that will enhance the existing SoHo neighbourhood through beautifully designed, environmentally friendly and well-managed buildings. These mixed-income developments aim to foster a strong, safe and accessible community, create a sense of belonging, and celebrate the rich heritage of the Old Victoria Hospital Lands and SoHo neighbourhood.
Mixed-Income Model
The units will be rented at a wide-spectrum of rates from market rate, to 80% of market rate, to deeply affordable rates. The development will include a mix of unit types to accommodate individuals, couples, and families. Some of the housing will offer supports for health, wellness and belonging.
Unique Features
All non-profit developers adhere to the same basic principles which include; as high a level of affordability as possible, accessibility, energy efficiency, tenant diversity, inclusion of priority groups with on-site tenant support, partnerships with agencies and community groups.
Accessibility
All buildings are designed to be fully wheelchair accessible in common areas and over 30% of the units (about 210 units) will be designed to be fully barrier free. All common areas will also be barrier free.
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The Developers
London Community Foundation initiated the concept of bringing the six affordable housing developers together. LCF provided initial matching funding to cover the organizational, planning, and design concept costs.
The individual affordable housing developers have proven track records and many years of producing successful, award-winning projects that have greatly added to the architectural quality of the streetscape of London. While each developer will be responsible for their own unique building, the Alliance will work together to create complementary designs and a unified vision.
Having partners working concurrently on developing their own buildings means the Vision SoHo Alliance can quickly deliver the affordable housing units faster than a single developer. If a single developer were to take on this project, the time to complete it would be approximately 15 years versus the four years that it is expected with the partnership of the Alliance.
The Project Team
Architects
Nicholson Sheffield Architects Inc and Invizij Architects contributed to the design concept that embraces the vision, principles, and objectives of the Old Victoria Hospital Lands Secondary Plan, including how the cultural heritage resources and elements of affordable housing will be incorporated into the neighbourhood.
Builders
The Alliance as chosen Southside Construction as a preferred vendor because costs are open book. In addition, CMHC requires a contractor to be bonded - a requirement not all contractors could meet.
Consultants
London Community Foundation has a strong track record of investing in affordable housing and working with consultants who are specialists in their field, such as Flourish, Greg Playford (Devonshire Consulting) and Malcolm Ross (Shire Consulting), who are assisting with Vision SoHo. Megan Hobson is a heritage consultant advising Indwell on heritage restoration and preservation.
Partnerships
In addition to LCF, the City of London is providing a significant grant. Canada Mortgage and Housing has provided Seed Funding and will be offering low interest loans and additional contribution grants to the developers.
The Vision SoHo Alliance will also be partnering with community groups and agencies to provide housing and supports to priority groups; low-income households, persons with complex disabilities, persons with disabilities and limited mobility, families and households of modest means, and women and children coming from shelter housing. Others will include seniors, Indigenous persons, and new immigrants.
An initial list of potential partners who have expressed interest are ANOVA, Native Inter-tribal Housing Co-op, Atlohsa Family Healing Services, N’Amerind Friendship Centre, Cheshire Independent Living, Community Living, Participation House.
History of the Old Victoria Hospital
The South Street site of Victoria Hospital was created in 1875 when the barrack hospital on the future site of the Victoria Park was deemed too small and in poor condition. Because the City of London wished to create a Park in honour of Queen Victoria, the city offered a 4 acre property relocation along the Thames River and the London General Hospital was formed on Ottoway Street, now South Street.
The hospital grew and continued to serve the community, becoming the largest teaching hospital in Canada in the 1970s. In 2010, The hospital relocated all of its acute care and many of the hospital buildings were demolished. The War Memorial Children’s Hospital and the Health Services Building still remain on the land however, and Vision SoHo Alliance partner Indwell is set to develop them into affordable housing buildings while respecting their heritage and contribution to the look and feel of the SoHo neighbourhood.
The Public History Masters program at Western University has made a three-year commitment to the Vision SoHo project. In 2021-2022 and 2022-2023, students researched the SoHo neighbourhood and the two heritage buildings on the Vision SoHo site. Their research can be found online at the Scholarship@Western site: Echoes of SoHo. During the 2023-2024 academic year, students will translate their history into signage that will be erected around the Vision SoHo site. We are grateful for the leadership of Professor Michelle Hamilton and her students for their work in uncovering new stories and insights into the history of the neighbourhood and the hospital.
Construction Specifications
Development Location
The Vision SoHo Alliance will be redeveloping a historically significant area of the London community - the former Victoria Hospital Lands. The neighbourhood is located in the heart of the London community with close access to the downtown core. This neighbourhood has become known as “SoHo” as it is South of Horton St. While the majority of the old hospital buildings have been demolished, the Alliance plans to restore and incorporate the two remaining heritage listed buildings into its plans - the former Health Services Building and the War Memorial Children’s Hospital. These two buildings remain on the site and will be repurposed and adapted for residential use.
Environmental and Heritage Credentials
The new construction buildings are designed to similar standards with high-performance exterior building envelopes, energy efficient systems that achieve a minimum of 35% energy savings and over 40% reduction in green house gas emissions compared to the National Energy Code for Buildings (NECB). All buildings will include solar thermal panels that preheat the water used for heating and domestic use to lower the cost of electricity and natural gas consumption. The location also has good access to public transit, and the apartment buildings will have dedicated covered and secure bicycle parking.
The former Health Services Building and War Memorial Children’s Hospital remain on the site and will be taken over and renovated by Indwell and Invizij Architects, who strive to maintain as many historic elements as possible. The two heritage buildings are being restored to Passive House standards which achieves near net-zero energy efficiency through air-tight exterior, continuous insulation, high performance windows and high-performance heating and cooling systems.
Timelines
The Alliance took ownership of the land in September 2022. Construction on the underground parking began in 2023. It is anticipated that with the proper funding streams available to the developers, the site will be finished by Summer 2026.
Building Details
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Frequently Asked Questions
General
What is the Vision SoHo Alliance?
The Vision SoHo Alliance is a group of six local non-profit organizations convened by London Community Foundation that is working together to build the single largest affordable housing development in London, Ontario’s history.
This partnership is the first-of-its-kind in Canada. By coming together to purchase the former Victoria Hospital lands site in London’s SoHo neighbourhood, the Alliance is helping to address the shortage of affordable housing in the city by collaborating on a mixed-income development that will enhance the SoHo neighbourhood and honour the heritage of the area. Building environmentally friendly, attractive, and well-managed buildings, the Vision SoHo Alliance will create a safe and accessible community, and foster a sense of belonging among residents.
What are you planning to build?
Affordable housing in the City of London is becoming increasingly unattainable. Low vacancy rates and rising rental prices mean there is an urgent need for more affordable housing in our community. The Vision SoHo Alliance will work alongside the City of London towards its plan of building 3,000 new affordable homes by 2026, helping expedite progress toward creating an increased supply of affordable housing for those who need it most.
Safe, secure and affordable housing is a human right, and a crucial foundation for succeeding and thriving. Without decent housing, it is nearly impossible to deal with life’s challenges, such as illness, mental health and addictions, and feeding ourselves and our families.
Why is the Vision SoHo Project important?
Affordable housing in the City of London is becoming increasingly unattainable. Low vacancy rates and rising rental prices mean there is an urgent need for more affordable housing in our community. The Vision SoHo Alliance will work alongside the City of London towards its plan of building 3,000 new affordable homes by 2026, helping expedite progress toward creating an increased supply of affordable housing for those who need it most.
Having safe, secure and affordable housing is the foundation to building a successful life. Until people have decent housing, it is almost impossible for them to successfully deal with other issues in their lives, be that responding to the special needs of their children or dealing with mental health or addiction issues.
Tenants and Rents
Who will live in your buildings?
Our buildings will be designed for a range of people: single adults, roommates, couples and small families, and seniors. Some of the developers design their units to serve specific groups of people. For example, Chelsea SoHo’s building will target seniors, families, and individuals with physical and/or mental impairments, and Indwell offers supportive housing. We intend to create an inclusive community that welcomes all.
When will the developments be ready for tenants?
Construction at the Vision SoHo site has started! The goal is to have all buildings complete and ready for tenants by the summer of 2026. Some individual buildings may be ready for tenants sooner than that. Subscribe to our email list to get the latest news on construction progress.
How can I apply to live in one of these buildings?
Each of the six developers will manage their own rental intake. As the construction proceeds and building opening approaches, each organization will post their application process on their website. At this time, we are not taking applications for tenancy.
When you say “affordable housing” what does that mean?
In Canada, housing is considered “affordable” if it costs less than 30% of a household’s before-tax income. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) defines affordable housing as rental housing that is at or below 80% of the median market rent in a community. Most affordable housing projects have some units set aside for persons that require even deeper assistance and for persons with special needs who require supports.
The affordable housing units within this development will range between about 65-80% of Average Market Rent (AMR), according to CMHC. In London in 2020, the AMR for a one-bedroom was $1,001 and for a two-bedroom was $1,216.
What is the need for affordable housing in London?
According to London Community Foundation’s recent 2022 Vital Signs report:
- Over 6,000 Londoners are currently on the City of London waiting list for rent geared to income housing.
- Over 2,000 Londoners are experiencing homelessness
London had challenges with homelessness and a lack of affordable housing prior to the pandemic, but COVID-19 has exacerbated this issue, disproportionately impacting our most vulnerable. The City of London's Housing Stability Aciton Plan states that 3,000 units of affordable housing are needed to truly tackle our City's housing problems, and in his 2021 State of the City Address, Mayor Ed Holder challenged the community to achieve this goal in 5 years.
Will creating more affordable housing in this area lead to marginalization of residents of this community?
We plan to build mixed-income housing in this community, which means the developments will include units that range in affordability with some at market rate and others at affordable rates.
Research has demonstrated that mixed income housing is one of the most effective methods of creating affordable housing in communities in a way that does not lead to residential segregation or marginalization of the residents.
Neighbourhood Impacts
How will you manage parking and traffic?
This project prioritizes pedestrian safety and foot travel. Mid-block walkways have been added in accordance with the requirements of the Old Victoria Hospital Lands Secondary Plan.
All the new construction buildings will have underground parking. There will be some surface parking in the interior of the main block (which is contained by Waterloo, Hill, Colborne, and South Streets) and across the street at 124 Colborne Street. All garbage pick-up and services will be provided for in the alley that is interior to the main block site.
Traffic in and out of the main block will be limited to two entrances, one on Colborne Street and one on Waterloo Street. Residenza Affordable Housing at 124 Colborne Street will have vehicular traffic access on Colborne Street and on South Street.
Will there be any commercial tenants or community use spaces?
Yes, Residenza Affordable Housing intends to have some commercial space on this ground floor, as market conditions and interest from commercial tenants warrant. The other buildings will be all residential.
Indwell plans to open the auditorium in the Health Services Building to some community and public use; this is still being explored.
The City of London will create a park at the corner of South and Colborne Streets, in front of the War Memorial Children’s building.
Heritage
How will you protect and restore the two heritage buildings?
Indwell has extensive experience restoring heritage buildings in a way that honors its past while bringing it into a new future. Together with their architecture team and heritage consultants, Indwell will work with the City of London to preserve the War Memorial and Health Services buildings with the primary focus of the restoration on the exteriors and the auditorium space in the Health Services building. Indwell has committed to applying for heritage designation status before starting construction on the residential portion of the buildings.
How will you celebrate the heritage of the former use of the grounds – the Victoria Hospital?
The Old Victoria Hospital is an important part of London’s history. We are excited to celebrate the heritage of this space through signage, art, and interactive displays. We will seek participation from the community as we plan the heritage recognition.
Funding
You are non-profit developers. How will you fund the construction of these buildings?
Each of the developers will manage the revenue generation for their own project. Significant funding is being sought from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and provincial sources. London Community Foundation will provide low interest loans to help us through the construction process. Some organizations will seek donations from the community through individuals, businesses, and foundations.
What is London Community Foundation’s role in this project?
To advance this project, the members of the alliance provided $60,000 in start-up funding that was matched by London Community Foundation. In addition, LCF provided a $100,000 security deposit for the $2 million purchase of the property (conditional on due diligence completion and group purchase) - otherwise returned.
Members of the Alliance are eligible to receive financing from LCF’s Social Impact Fund for additional development related costs. This is an area the Foundation is experienced in, having loaned $21M to 20 affordable housing projects, contributing to the construction of over 600 affordable housing units in London.
Why is LCF getting into financing affordable housing?
Safe, secure and affordable housing is a human right, and a crucial foundation for succeeding and thriving. Data on the quality of life in London and Middlesex County, published on our Vital Signs Data Hub, shows that housing is one of the most pressing challenges people face.
- In 2021, the rental vacancy rate in London was just 1.7%. A healthly vacancy rate is around 3%. (Vital Signs, 2022)
- Between 2019 and 2022, the average rent for a 1-bedroom unit increased by 22.7% in London, compared to 14.6% across Canada (CMHC, 2023)
- 10.3% of Londoners are living in housing that isn’t suitable, adequate, or affordable by CMHC’s definitions. (Statistics Canada, 2022)
With the assistance of Libro Credit Union and Lerners law firm in vetting proposals, the Foundation’s social impact loan program has contributed to the creation of 600 affordable housing units, with 700 more in the planning stages.
Contact Us
Have a question, comment, or concern? Let the Vision SoHo Alliance know by filling out the contact form below!
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Phase One of Vision SoHo is expected to require $10 to $15 million in bridge financing to support construction of the parking garage on which four of the six developers are building on. LCF has approximately $15 million available in loans to support phase 1, and are looking for partners to help us kick-start the project.
Click on the button bellow to make a donation in support of the Vision SoHo Alliance. If you would like your donation to go to a specific partner, please specify which one in your donation message. Thank you!
