A 13-storey affordable housing development on East Hastings Street, on the former site of the United We Can bottle depot, is ready to open its doors to its first residents.

The building, named Olivia Skye, consists of 198 studio and junior one-bedroom suites.

Fifty-two of the units rent at B.C.’s welfare shelter rate, 68 units rent to people earning $49,000 or less at housing-income limits (HIL), and 78 units are pegged to the city’s low-end-of-market (LEM) rates. The 42 shelter-rate units are reserved for women or couples where a woman signs the lease.

Amenities include a common lounge, deck with barbecue and a fitness centre.

Olivia Skye suite photos

Local artist Judy Chartrand created the imagery on the 14 glass panels across the façade, as well as on the glass canopy over the sidewalk. The panels show enlarged drawings of women figures from around a medicine wheel.

A 7,000 square foot retail space on the ground floor is currently for lease, and was designed to accommodate a grocer or “medium box” retail tenant, with a loading bay and large power capabilities.

The building was designed by Perkins + Will.