983 replies to this topic

[Holden West]

 

Of course the real issue is that the amateurs and NIMBYs that populate many of the neighbourhood associations wield FAR too much power when it comes to civic decisions that affect the development of the city.

 

They would never admit it, but the "powers that be" recognize this and weigh opinions accordingly. 

Edited by Holden West, 05 September 2014 - 10:21 AM.

[Mixed365]

I'm so ansy to find out who bought.

[Mike K.]

We've got a little more info now. It is not the three developers hypothesized earlier.

The developer plans to build a project that meets the new downtown plan guidelines. We'll have more info to share in due course.

[Mr Cook Street]

What are the downtown plan guidelines for that area?

[jonny]

The funeral building is zoned as a special district and the only permitted use is of a "funeral undertakers' establishments".

 

http://www.victoria..../Bylaws/7.7.pdf

 

The parking lot is actually made up of several lots which are zoned R-48. Max height looks like 10 storeys, which is pretty lame.

 

http://www.victoria....Bylaws/3.67.pdf

Edited by jonny, 05 September 2014 - 01:10 PM.

[G-Man]

^ Those are out of date and don't take into account the new OCP.

[Mike K.]

Correct, the new OCP doesn't look unfavourably on height in excess of 10-floors. But that doesn't mean planning will support something like 20 floors.

[jonny]

^ Those are out of date and don't take into account the new OCP.

 

Huh. Well those are what's posted on victoria.ca! Glad to hear more height and density is acceptable in this area.

[Bingo]

An iconic design by John Di Castri

 

[G-Man]

Going to be hard to find a new use for that building. The best part of the design is the way natural light enters the chapel so you can't just keep the facade either.

[Nparker]

It might possibly work as a restaurant. Otherwise I suppose office space is the most likely use.

[Baro]

It's a really cool building but 1.5 stories downtown is just a waste of space.  That's the problem with under-building, you build-in obsolescence.  Might make a cool little museum or gallery or cultural building of some sort but Victoria doesn't have much funding or interest in that sort of thing.  I'd love to see some sort of density transfer from the corner parking lot maybe save the building.  Build some 20 story tower (or how ever big is needed to economically justify keeping the funeral building) on the corner and turn the funeral building into something cool.

[Mr Cook Street]

Though it may have some heritage value, I really don't like this building. Too small, to closed. It contributes nothing to the streetscape.

[Mike K.]

It sits on a MASSIVE property. The developer may incorporate a portion of the facade, perhaps even an element of the building into some form of podium or groundfloor but I fully expect the property to be redeveloped into something significantly bigger than the hall.

[Holden West]

I'd like to give you more details about the plan me and VHF have to open H & V's Pizza-torium but it's top secret at the moment.

[aastra]

Not that crazy scheme again.

[Bingo]

I'd like to give you more details about the plan me and VHF have to open H & V's Pizza-torium but it's top secret at the moment.

 

I'm dying to hear more......aaaaaahhhgrrreeee 

[Baro]

Wow it really is a huge lot.  The rest of the building is so absolutely boring only the corner ever registered.

 

 

Maybe save the pitched-roof corner portion but the rest might as well be a strip mall or warehouse.

 

Here is a horrible quick copy paste of what the site would look like with 834 Johnson on top with the corner "saved"

Edited by Baro, 10 September 2014 - 08:30 AM.

[Mike K.]

Density is a bigger factor in that regard. We seem to be encouraging 250 sq ft units in this city over giving developers the freedom to go bigger and higher.

And with each building comes more tax revenue (incentive for the City) while consumers expend more for housing (ie cheaper to build 350 units in one building than 350 in three).

[Mike K.]

Yes of course, but we're talking apples and oranges in that example. Woodframe is much cheaper than concrete, therefore you won't see concrete lowrises unless the target demographic is higher income earners and more expensive units. 200 Douglas is an example of a high-end concrete lowrise. The example we should be looking at is all things being equal, units in a 25-storey tower will be, as a whole, more affordable than units in a 10-storey lowrise. At 25 floors the developer will have the means to offer multople <$200,000 units whereas $220-$240k is the starting point for short concrete towers.

 

Going back to this property, the developer, CGS Property Group (same developer as 1075 Pandora) will be hosting a public information session soon. The plan is for condos and the property allows for two towers. We'll see what the developer's vision is soon.