Second + Main, Vancouver

Create Urban Development Corporation engaged NDY to design 180 East Second Avenue, also known as ‘Second + Main’. Located at the intersection of Second Avenue and Main Street in downtown Vancouver, this 12 storey residential building contains 233 market units, 30 non-market units for social housing purposes, and five levels of parking underground.

Currently under construction, 180 East Second Avenue offers different types of suites that vary for every floor, which was the primary challenge for building services design. NDY played a key role in overseeing the plumbing, mechanical and electrical aspects during the design and construction phases. The project is targeted for LEED Gold certification therefore we have been working with the firm Light House on items related to mechanical, plumbing and electrical to meet the intended target. After the first review from the Canada Green Building Council, our team worked with stakeholders to address items they had questions and concerns about prior to occupancy of the building.

As the City of Vancouver owns a District Energy system, heating is already available for the building. The entire building has air conditioning; however, the non-market suites for social housing purposes only have the water base board for heating and no cooling. NDY ensured the non-market suites had their own equipment to deliver an air handling solution as well as space and domestic heating. There is also an artist studio area with a spray booth in the building, and NDY ensured that there is enough exhaust and lighting in the space. There was collaboration with City of Vancouver District Energy department to ensure our space and domestic design met all their requirements prior to approval of the building permit. This included review of items such as temperatures, peak loads, flow rates and system control.

NDY collaborated with architects DYS Architecture, general contractor Urban One Builders, landscape architect Durante Kreuk, code consultant McAuley Architectural Consulting, and structural engineers Glotman Simpson to deliver this outstanding residential tower.