world’s-tallest-passive-house-planned-for-vancouver-in-doubt-as-developer-faces-$91m-debt
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World’s tallest Passive House planned for Vancouver in doubt as developer faces $91M debt

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Recent legal developments could put the world’s tallest Passive House, planned for Vancouver, in doubt.

Daily Hive Urbanized first reported on the development in 2020, when the Vancouver City Council approved a rezoning application by Henson Developments for 1059-1075 Nelson Ave.

The project was given the name “Curv” and was planned to be a 60-storey mixed-use green building. The developer behind it is the Brivia Group, based in Montreal. The developer is also referred to as Brivia Family Investments in court documents. Information found in those court documents available on the province’s court registry offers more details behind the recent legal developments that could impact the future of Curv.

The BC Supreme Court filings include a petition to the court and notice of application from the Royal Bank of Canada.

According to the Notice of Application, the debtors are controlled by the Brivia Group, with RBC serving as the administrative agent, syndication agent, and lead arranger.

RBC is now demanding payment of $90 million thanks to a loan that matured on April 30, 2025. The debtors were required to pay an extension fee of $225,000 to the lenders to extend the payment deadline to July 31, 2025; however, the lenders never received the extension fee, leading to an event of default.

As of July 10 of this year, the total amount that the debtors owe is just over $91 million. The receivership application will be heard by the BC Supreme Court on July 25, 2025.

The Vancouver Passive House was to be built on the same city block as the newly completed Butterfly tower. It would’ve become the fourth-tallest building in Vancouver at 586 feet, slightly taller than the Butterfly, which Revery Architecture says is 556 feet.

When City Council initially approved Curv’s rezoning in June 2020, the 60-storey tower was to include 102 social housing units within the lower levels, 50 secured purpose-built market rental units within the middle levels, and 328 strata market ownership condominium homes within the upper levels.

City Council later approved proposed revisions, including a cash payment by the developer of $55 million to the City to remove the on-site obligation of 102 social housing units in the tower’s lower floors.

Despite all the planning, prior to the legal proceedings, the developer hadn’t yet broken ground on the project.

We’ve contacted the Brivia Group for comment.

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