Vancity has signed on to be the anchor tenant of the City of Vancouver's first Technology and Social Innovation Centre, to be housed in the former Vancouver Police Building near Main and Hastings.
Under the arrangement, Vancity will lease the second floor of the building and act as facility manager. The remaining space will be sub-leased to "a broad range of entrepreneurs, social innovators, and non-profit organizations," according to a City press release. The ground floor of the centre will function as a community space for various events and programs, services, and training.
Vancity will contribute $1.5 million towards upgrading the 100,000-sq. ft. facility.
“The new centre will focus on social innovation and involve a diverse mix of people in initiatives that make a positive impact and benefits the community for the long term,” said Derek Gent, executive director of the Vancity Community Foundation.
The Vancouver Police Building at was built in 1953 and housed the entire department – more than 750 officers – until 1961, when VPD opened a second facility in Oakridge.
The VPD began moving its officers and equipment out of the Main Street building in November 2010 to a seven-storey building at 3585 Graveley, near East 1st and Boundary.
