The skyscrapers that NIMBYs and zoning couldn't stop

In Vancouver, a small patch of land near downtown holds a rare chance to test urban development without the usual constraints. The Squamish Nation reclaimed 10.5 acres of ancestral territory, known as Senak, and chose to build 11 skyscrapers—up to 60 stories tall—adding 6,000 rental apartments. Free from city zoning laws on their sovereign reserve, they pursued density and speed that typical developers can't achieve.

The Land's History and Return

Senak was once a Squamish village abundant with elk, moose, seals, fish, and killer whales in the 1800s. In 1913, British Columbia officials seized it for a growing seaport, forcing residents onto barges and burning the village to prevent return. The Squamish sued in 1977, winning back the land in 2003 after decades of legal battle. Chief Gilbert Jacob, known as Chief Gibby, called it the nation's biggest economic opportunity, prime real estate in one of the world's priciest cities.

The site's location—across a narrow inlet from downtown, amid single-family neighborhoods and parks—made it ideal for revenue. Squamish leaders envisioned an "ATM": steady income to address historical poverty, lacking even plumbing in Chief Gibby's 1950s youth. Unlike U.S. tribes building casinos, urban Vancouver pointed to housing demand.