A women’s shelter is being built in the Quarters neighborhood

The City of Edmonton is one step closer to building 19 transitional housing units for women.

On Wednesday, the Edmonton City Council executive committee agreed to sell the land to Edmonton City Center Church Cooperation (E4C) for $1,000 in the Quarters neighborhood near downtown.

“They have been a great neighbor, and their new building will continue to serve Edmontonians that way, but they will be adding administrative staff, which will add a lot of activity and vibrancy to the area,” Ward O- dag’min Con. said Anne Stevenson at City Hall.

The land, located next to Kinistinaw Park, is worth about $3 million. It also features the Joseph Reed Residence, which is on the Edmonton Historic Inventory.

The building from 1912 has no official name and is not protected.

E4C plans to demolish the building to make way for a new shelter and affordable housing. The project would also become the organization’s new headquarters for the work of 100 employees.

“We understand that you want to be part of a community and keep an eye on the park,” said E4C CEO Barbara Spencer. “We want the community and the seniors staying at the Chinese Seniors Lodge to feel really comfortable when they come out the front door.”

The project is also expected to spur more development in the Quarters, where the city has spent about $100 million on infrastructure such as the nearby park and LRT stop.

E4C will decide early next year whether to continue construction.