The Big W now stands for Woodward’s, Westbank and Winner.
   Woodward’s finally got a saviour last night after 20 perilous years for the Downtown Eastside landmark.
   After fine-combing the three final bidders, city staff have chosen the Westbank Projects/Peterson Investment Group proposal, and are recommending it for council’s approval next week.
   “It’s a momentous occasion for us,” said Michael Flanigan, the city’s project manager, as he announced the winner inside the old department store.
   “We feel that the Westbank project offers the best overall package for the city. It’s going to be a wonderful legacy for the city.”
   Coun. Jim Green, who has spent two decades trying to save Woodward’s, called it a landmark moment.
   “This is it, this is the takeoff spot now,” he said. “The design was very big. The response to community needs was the highest. Social housing was very good. The way it fits into the community is very good.” Project architect Gregory Henriquez said his design keeps the old Woodward’s look, while creating a community-based vision for the future. “This building is about the Downtown Eastside and really includes the community,” he said. His design includes: Restoring the original 1908 building and keeping the Big W. Starting a day and night market for local retailers. Building between 100 and 236 socialhousing units.
   Adding as many as 236 low-income units, ranging from one to four bedrooms. 31,500 square feet of community services and city offices. Public indoor spaces and a rooftop daycare. The project, due to start next year, will train local youth to work on the building site. Local groups ranged from cool to hotunder-the-collar in their reactions, but all are united that there needs to be much more social housing than the 100 the city’s guaranteeing. Jim Leyden of the Woodward’s Social Housing Coalition said there should be more than twice that number of the cheaper suites. Kim Kerr, executive director of the Downtown Eastside Residents Association, said there should be 250 socialhousing units. “This community has fought over 10 years to see social housing here,” he said. “We’ve got to get housing.” A key tenant will be Simon Fraser University, which needs 180,000 square feet for its Contemporary Arts School.
   On Tuesday, staff will tell council why it chose Westbank. Council will hold a special public meeting on Wednesday to hear from delegations and vote on the Woodward’s proposal.
   The city then has six months to iron out the details with the developers, while keeping the other two proposals as possible fallback options.
   Some of the outstanding issues will include choosing an operator for the social-housing units and deciding which community groups get space in the project.
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1903: Woodward’s Department Store opens at 101 West Hastings St. 1908: Woodward’s brick building completed. 1956: Rooftop searchlight on top of the mini-Eiffel Tower replaced by “The Big W.” 1993: Woodward’s goes bankrupt. Hastings store closes on Jan. 31. 1995: Fama Holdings buys property for a condo and retail complex. 1996: B.C. Premier Mike Harcourt promises 200 social housing units for the project. Both sides fail to conclude the deal. 2001: B.C. government buys building from Fama for $22 million, but can’t find a commercial partner. 2002: Homeless protesters start “the Woodward’s Squat,” which lasts four months, to campaign for social housing. 2003: City of Vancouver buys building from the province for $5 million. 2004: City unveils three designs for Woodward’s. Staff recommends Westbank Projects’ proposal. 2006: Work scheduled to begin. 2007: Woodward’s redevelopment completed.

— The Province. The Westbank Projects/Peterson Investment Group design for the Woodward’s building is seen in an artist’s drawing.