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736 Princess Avenue
Uses: rental, commercial
Address: 736 Princess Avenue
Municipality: Victoria
Region: Urban core
Storeys: 6
736 Princess Avenue is a proposal to build a six-storey, mixed-use complex for the John Howard Society, an org... (view full profile)
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[Burnside-Gorge] Hive (formerly Seven-36) | Micro-rentals | 6-storeys | Proposed


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#1 Kapten Kapsell

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Posted 19 July 2017 - 06:59 PM

Large & Co will be submitting a rezoning request for 736 Princess Street. The plan is to build 75 micro apartments in a 6 storey wood frame building with a coffee shop on the first floor. Cool Aid is a partner in this development as 1/3 of the units are for shelter rate tenants and the other 2/3 of the units are affordable workforce housing (80% of market rate).

Keay Cecco is the architectural firm of record. There was a community meeting Monday but only two members of the community attended.

Can anyone share renderings of this development?


Edited by Kapten Kapsell, 20 July 2017 - 07:25 AM.


#2 Kapten Kapsell

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Posted 20 July 2017 - 09:59 AM

Large & Co will be submitting a rezoning request for 736 Princess Street. The plan is to build 75 micro apartments in a 6 storey wood frame building with a coffee shop on the first floor. Cool Aid is a partner in this development as 1/3 of the units are for shelter rate tenants and the other 2/3 of the units are affordable workforce housing (80% of market rate).

Keay Cecco is the architectural firm of record. There was a community meeting Monday but only two members of the community attended.

Can anyone share renderings of this development?

 

I think these units will be some of the smallest ever built in Victoria (under 300 sq feet).



#3 thundergun

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Posted 20 July 2017 - 10:14 AM

Another parking lot gone  :)



#4 AllseeingEye

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Posted 20 July 2017 - 10:48 AM

/\....yup, and better yet new development in an area of the d/t core that is way, way overdue and sorely in need of a massive make-over. Good stuff.


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#5 Mike K.

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Posted 20 July 2017 - 10:54 AM

Yes, very good. I'll try to get additional details.


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#6 Jackerbie

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Posted 20 July 2017 - 01:20 PM

 

Large & Co will be submitting a rezoning request for 736 Princess Street. The plan is to build 75 micro apartments in a 6 storey wood frame building with a coffee shop on the first floor. Cool Aid is a partner in this development as 1/3 of the units are for shelter rate tenants and the other 2/3 of the units are affordable workforce housing (80% of market rate).

Keay Cecco is the architectural firm of record. There was a community meeting Monday but only two members of the community attended.

Can anyone share renderings of this development?

 

Apparently the developer has been to a CALUC earlier this year. Burnside Gorge sent a summary letter to Council in January, which is available online, here. No renderings, but a couple clues about proposed massing, variances, etc.



#7 FirstTimeHomeCrier

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Posted 20 July 2017 - 01:28 PM

Large & Co will be submitting a rezoning request for 736 Princess Street. The plan is to build 75 micro apartments in a 6 storey wood frame building with a coffee shop on the first floor. Cool Aid is a partner in this development as 1/3 of the units are for shelter rate tenants and the other 2/3 of the units are affordable workforce housing (80% of market rate).

Keay Cecco is the architectural firm of record. There was a community meeting Monday but only two members of the community attended.

Can anyone share renderings of this development?

 

I like affordable housing, but I don't like micro lofts/suites, so I don't know how to feel about this. Micro will be great for the shelter-rate units, but not as great for the workforce housing. It's only catering to a small portion of the working population who are single, childless, and fond of small spaces. (Also, at this point, 80% of market rate is going to be like $800/sq foot).

 

It is better than a parking lot, though.


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#8 Kapten Kapsell

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Posted 20 July 2017 - 01:45 PM

 

 

Apparently the developer has been to a CALUC earlier this year. Burnside Gorge sent a summary letter to Council in January, which is available online, here. No renderings, but a couple clues about proposed massing, variances, etc.

The follow up meeting with Burnside Gorge was held Monday, July 17 (earlier this week).


Edited by Kapten Kapsell, 20 July 2017 - 01:49 PM.


#9 lanforod

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Posted 20 July 2017 - 01:46 PM

I like affordable housing, but I don't like micro lofts/suites, so I don't know how to feel about this. Micro will be great for the shelter-rate units, but not as great for the workforce housing. It's only catering to a small portion of the working population who are single, childless, and fond of small spaces. (Also, at this point, 80% of market rate is going to be like $800/sq foot).

 

It is better than a parking lot, though.

 Rentals... so maybe $800/mo, not $800/sq ft.



#10 Jackerbie

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Posted 20 July 2017 - 01:57 PM

I like affordable housing, but I don't like micro lofts/suites, so I don't know how to feel about this. Micro will be great for the shelter-rate units, but not as great for the workforce housing. It's only catering to a small portion of the working population who are single, childless, and fond of small spaces. (Also, at this point, 80% of market rate is going to be like $800/sq foot).

 

It is better than a parking lot, though.

 

Micro suites make sense in a particular set of circumstances: neighbourhood dense with amenities such as transit, parks, retail, etc. But there's not much of that in this location at the moment, so it will be a difficult sell I think.



#11 Kapten Kapsell

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Posted 20 July 2017 - 02:06 PM

Micro suites make sense in a particular set of circumstances: neighbourhood dense with amenities such as transit, parks, retail, etc. But there's not much of that in this location at the moment, so it will be a difficult sell I think.

 

Well there are some amenities close by:

* Several bus lines serve the Douglas Street corridor

* The new brewpub at Hudson Mews 2 and the arena within 3 blocks

* The location is within a short walk of Discovery Coffee and Phillips Brewing as well as other 'downtown north' amenities (White Spot, Paul's, etc.).



#12 Mike K.

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Posted 20 July 2017 - 02:08 PM

Just to clarify, these will be rentals, not condominiums. 2/3's will be rented at 80% of the market value of a comparable new-build rental, while 1/3 will be operated by Cool Aid who describe the units as "shelter rate" housing, which I think means housing at zero or very little monthly cost?


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#13 Mike K.

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Posted 20 July 2017 - 02:10 PM

From the link Jackerbie posted:

 

Vote:​ As per the process of a BGCA rezoning community meeting, there was a straw poll. Of the meeting attendees who chose to vote, 7 were generally in favour, 15 were opposed to the proposal as presented, and 19 people abstained from voting. While the straw poll is meant to indicate general support or opposition from community members, many attendees chose not to vote. Several attendees commented to the Chair after the meeting closed that they were not comfortable voicing support for the proposed project, given the hostile tone of the meeting.


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#14 Kapten Kapsell

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Posted 20 July 2017 - 02:31 PM

From the link Jackerbie posted:

 

Vote:​ As per the process of a BGCA rezoning community meeting, there was a straw poll. Of the meeting attendees who chose to vote, 7 were generally in favour, 15 were opposed to the proposal as presented, and 19 people abstained from voting. While the straw poll is meant to indicate general support or opposition from community members, many attendees chose not to vote. Several attendees commented to the Chair after the meeting closed that they were not comfortable voicing support for the proposed project, given the hostile tone of the meeting.

 

Burnside Gorge posted a letter today to council summarizing the meeting held Monday:  http://www.burnsideg...2017.07.19 .pdf . 

 

Just two community members attended the meeting this week.

 

From what I can gather Cool Aid is no longer involved in this project and there are no supportive housing units.  It appears as if the earlier controversy was specifically related to Cool Aid's involvement.

 

There will be 17 electric cars housed on site for tenant rental. 


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#15 FirstTimeHomeCrier

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Posted 20 July 2017 - 02:55 PM

 Rentals... so maybe $800/mo, not $800/sq ft.

 

Oops, missed the rental part. I still think it may be a bit of a niche market for the workforce housing. Tenants must: a) have no family, b) have few material objects, c) not own a car, and d) not mind sharing space with shelter residents. Month-to-month rentals could work for people here on temp jobs or for graduate students.

 

The link Jackerbie posted mentioned that cooking spaces would be shared. Would that be the case for the workforce housing, as well? Because that's a whole new level of niche.


Edited by FirstTimeHomeCrier, 20 July 2017 - 02:56 PM.


#16 Mike K.

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Posted 20 July 2017 - 03:03 PM

It also looks like the units will not be subsidized/80% of market rate rentals. At least that's not explicitly mentioned.


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#17 Jackerbie

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Posted 20 July 2017 - 03:14 PM

^ Based on the July letter Kapten shared, it looks like the shared facilities have been replaced with a cafe. Maybe? In any case, 220-290 sq. ft. is enough to have a kitchen in each unit, and purpose-built micro suites are a far cry from converted SROs. Take a look at the pictures from this one in Vancouver from the Globe and Mail. I'm holding out hope that this will be a successful project. It's a niche market for sure, but not every project has to appeal to a broad demographic. Better an affordable collection of microsuites than more high-end condos, am I right?


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#18 Jackerbie

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Posted 20 July 2017 - 03:14 PM

Also, should this one be given it's own thread?


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#19 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 20 July 2017 - 03:59 PM

17 electric cars for 75 units?  That seems a little far-fetched.  Modo only has about 40 cars in all of the City of Victoria.  95 suites at Dominion rocket, how many of those people have/use cars?


Edited by VicHockeyFan, 20 July 2017 - 04:01 PM.

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#20 Kapten Kapsell

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Posted 20 July 2017 - 04:41 PM

17 electric cars for 75 units? That seems a little far-fetched. Modo only has about 40 cars in all of the City of Victoria. 95 suites at Dominion rocket, how many of those people have/use cars?


I could be wrong but given the fact that this project is a little further from certain services (pharmacy, grocery, etc) than the Rocket I can see a demand for a handy car share to make quick errands.

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