In a meeting this morning of the Planning and Land Use Committee at City Hall the go-ahead was given to send a proposed Victoria West BMW/Mini dealership to a Public Hearing before Council.

Architect's rendering of the dealership as seen from Esquimalt Road. Graphic provided.

The proposal would see a sales lot and sleek, low-rise glass and aluminum service centre atop the foundation of the current old warehouse at 95 Esquimalt Road. The site sits just metres from the western approach to the Johnson Street Bridge near the infamous “S-curve”. The basement of the building would be used for car storage. The main floor would house the show rooms, offices, parts sales, service bays and auto-related retail. Entrances to the bays would be accessed from the interior and would not be visible from the street. Although it is not shown in the architect’s rendering, the proponent intends to retain most of the line of mature trees along Esquimalt Road. Additional landscaping will enhance the 75,000 square foot site. Architect Peter de Hoog of de Hoog & Kierulf says in a letter to Mayor and Council that the eastern portion of the lot will be left as green space and will support future plans for the realignment of Esquimalt Road.

The former PSC Natural Foods warehouse in Vic West, proposed site of a new BMW dealership. Photo by Robert Randall © VibrantVictoria.ca.

The soon-to-be-demolished 1953 concrete building has been home to many food-related businesses in the past, including PSC Natural Foods and Snoboy produce wholesalers. Commercial Real Estate brokers Colliers recently marketed the site with a price tag of $4,250,000.

In 1993, City Hall changed the zoning on the site from heavy industrial to light industrial in order to reduce the impact on nearby condos and to encourage new development. The current Victoria West plan calls for a mix of residential and commercial uses on the triangular-shaped lot. Although there is no residential component to the proposal, it is supported by City Planning staff and the car lot conforms to the M-2 zoning.

Architect's rendering of the 95 Esquimalt Road proposal. Graphic provided.

The fate of the lot currently occupied by the BMW/Mini Dealership on Cook St. bounded by Yates St. and View St. is unknown. That site sits just across the Harris Green border in Victoria’s Fernwood neighbourhood.

Take part in a discussion on this proposal by following this link to the VibrantVictoria forum.

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