1722 replies to this topic

[hungryryno]

1985-86, SkyTrains first line was built... and there was question of viability and how many people would use it. Now every station on that route has its own little "sustainable downtown" with high density living.

Then the second line was built alongside Lougheed Hwy. serving very low dense areas, much like the first. Now just take a look at Brentwood Station and Gilmore Station, just two examples, and once again you are seeing the creation of little "sustainable downtowns".

Now two more lines are being built, one skytrain, and one LRT line. Already at Broadway & Cambie the land is being snapped up... and it's smart sustainable development - 1st few floors commercial, then the rest residential (Height not mattering). A new development at that corner will have a Save-on-foods and Home Depot as anchor tenants and condos above.

Right next to G.M. Place, there is the worlds first "Urban Costco", WITH NO VISIBLE PARKING whatsoever! Yes a Costco.
My question is, Why didn't Saanich consider the same option for the new Real Canadian Superstore on the old Mayfair Lanes lot. They said they had there hands tied as to disollowing R.C.S.S. to be built. So why didn't they make them add 5-10 storeys of living space above??? then you have sustainable urban development. And R.C.S.S. would have 5-10 storeys of customers at their doorstep - literally!

So, What I am trying to say - "If you build it, they will come" to steal someone elses words. Wherever our LRT line gets built (and henever), it will start something big. The entire Colwood Corners situation is great because any LRT alignment will route right through there. That's smart thinking on Colwood's behalf.

SORRY FOR WRITING SO MUCH!!!
I am all for any development, as long as it is smart development. Maybe something as big at Colwood Corners will force the LRT issue to the provincial gov't a little faster.

[Mike K.]

Virtually all munis along Skytrain routes in Vancouver are a different species than the most progressive municipalities in Victoria. Even-so, the millennium line, built around low-density areas, has significantly less riders than Translink fore casted and will remain under-used even with current construction.

Downtown Victoria remains one of the most difficult places to build density yet its touted as the place for density in the CRD. The HWY1 LRT line will essentially be a shuttle between downtown and Langford with few reasons to slow down in between unless we start buildings tens of thousands of homes around the HWY 1 corridor soon or at the very least start changing municipal attitudes towards density and infrastructure for those nodes.

[Scaper]

That's why the Esquimalt bridge idea needs to be concidered. It would also be a much faster shuttle route too.

[Ms. B. Havin]

Something along the lines of what hungryryno wrote was also my point re. when museums (substitute LRT) get built. It's the sort of thing that acts as a focus for other developments.

Speaking of which (development), did everyone see the letter to the editor in today's T-C, [url=http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/letters/story.html?id=71dff327-5fc0-4160-b6ae-cec638ff0db7:341bc]Coalition needed to fight urban sprawl[/url:341bc]? The letter is locked, but I bought the paper edition -- someone from Sooke, excellent points. The "teaser" goes like this:

Coalition needed to fight urban sprawl
Re: "Time to embrace greater density," editorial, Dec. 12.

[Scaper]

I don't have the electronic edition of the paper but there has been three good letters in the last three papers. I was hoping someone could post them. Can you do this in the letter thread?

[Ms. B. Havin]

I don't have the electronic edition either, which is why I bought the paper when I saw the teaser. But I can fetch the paper (woof woof) and at least post more than the online snippet in the letters section... Give me a coupla minutes, though...

[Scaper]

thanks..I will also fetch the last few days papers too...I will do this in the next few hours...I am web surfing for float ideas right now!!! :-D thanks by the way.

[Walter Moar]

Just to be the Devil's Advocate on this: doesn't the TC lock articles so that people will buy the paper or an electronic subscription?

I can understand posting the text of articles that they allow free access to. It makes sense from a forum perspective, as just posting a link means that if the TC ever shuffles their site or removes articles, this forum loses continuity. What I'm thinking is that posting fee-based articles seems like it undermines their revenue model (not that I buy the TC, or ever will, and yes I find the locked articles annoying).

[Ms. B. Havin]

I typically quote selectively from longer articles, and include a link to the page (even though, yes, there's the eventual link-rot). This I consider "fair use." The letter-to-the-editor from today I typed out by hand -- AFAIConcerned, fair use. As for locking down their content: I think they're shooting themselves in the foot, quite frankly. It makes me even less likely to buy a paper when it's full of locked articles (especially since the majority of them aren't worth the paper they're printed on). Yes, I did buy the paper today, but only because I didn't have time to get a look at a copy at the library. So ...what?, we're going to start charging to look at the paper at the library? Where does it stop? Besides, this newspaper doesn't make its money from who buys it, it makes its money from who advertises in it. The more they lock down their content, the less quite a few people want to look at it, and that means that there will be fewer people willing to give the paper's advertisers a second look. The T-C should think about that. The more they try to remove their content, the more they're removing their advertisers (their bread and butter) from consumers.

[gumgum]

I have a paper subscription and I'm *supposed* to be able to have access to the online version, but no matter what I try I can't access it. I'm pretty computer savvy, so I don't see it as something I'm doing wrong.
B's right, the paper make their money on ads; a LOT of money. I know people in the business, known people who work at the TC; the amount of money that pours into that paper is disgracefully huge.
I see your point Walter - fair dues. But I doubt they care.

[Walter Moar]

I see your point Walter - fair dues. But I doubt they care.

That's all I'm wondering/worried about... if they care.

[Icebergalley]

[quote name='"Ms. B. Havin"']Something along the lines of what hungryryno wrote was also my point re. when museums (substitute LRT) get built. It's the sort of thing that acts as a focus for other developments.

Oh yes... when Ms. B cited the "museum" example, I thought that there was a study done which linked up a # of "museums" for the first LRT in the Victoria.. I think some of them are noted on one G-man's map.. (source)?

Yes, someone has ploughed the ground about an optimal LRT route..

It's 10 years old...

and, I think it gave us the Langford, Colwood, Royal Roads/Colwood Corners, Casino, Vic General Hospital, Forestry Centre, Town and Country, and eventually the Douglas Street corridor reservation...

Might be worth reviewing.. as it seems that the serious players have taken it as "it will be built" and are already planning the "transit orientated development" centres..

Take a peak at the report and see how it fits now..

http://www.bctransit... ... ssr647.pdf

Victoria (18 May 2006) - Victoria Light Rail Transit Implementation Strategy - Phase 1 Alignment Evaluation Strategy [13.6MB PDF]

[G-Man]

My Source was the LightRailNow website that compiles LRT news from around the world. The info on Victoria is definitely old.

I agree a new look at routing is a great idea. I also like the E&N but think that it must be double tracked and it must be frequent. Unless the plan is just to have a West Coast Express type service.

The optimal initial routes would be the one out to Colwood Corners as suggested by Scaper, one to T&C Mall along Douglas and one up Johnson and Shellbourne to Mackenzie and then to UVic.

[Mike K.]

Although the article alludes to the 29-storey tower as no longer a part of this development, I think that's an error.

Colwood project sent to staff for zoning
A mammoth development that would reshape Colwood’s business core received a lukewarm reception from council.
BY SANDRA MCCULLOCH Times Colonist staff

Still, the approval of three councillors was all it took Monday night for council to send the matter to staff to draw up zoning bylaws that, if approved, would change the Official Community Plan and allow the first phase to go ahead.

Turner Lane Development Corp., headed by Colwood resident Les Bjola, wants to build a hotel, residential and business project on 2.9 hectares at Colwood Corners, an area bounded by Sooke and Jerome roads and Colwood Crescent.

Mayor Jody Twa and Coun. David Saunders did not vote because both have business interests in the area. That left five councillors to decide on whether to ask staff to move the application along. Voting for the motion was acting chairman Gordie Logan, Carol Hamilton and Ernie Robertson. Voting against were Cynthia Day and Jason Nault.

The public will have its chance to weigh in on the project in a few months through a public hearing, said administrator Chris Pease, who describes the proposed project as “a very large, sophisticated development replacing everything that’s there now with a very comprehensive building regime.

“If it actually goes ahead, it will revitalize Colwood in terms of its business core and will also draw other businesses into the area.”

The cornerstone and first part of the development will be a hotel, he said. It would take 18 months to build and could be open by Christmas of 2008.

Parking shouldn’t be a problem, with two levels of underground parking accommodating those who don’t walk or take B.C. Transit to the commercial area.

The project has already gone to the planning and zoning committee for its first airing. The committee decided that the buildings fronting on Sooke Road should not be higher than 15 storeys and those on the Galloping Goose Trail be no higher than four storeys.

That’s a sharp departure from the initial plan put forward by the developer, who wanted zoning for a 29storey condominium at the centre of the project.

The developer is asking for a tax freeze on the properties until occupancy permits are issued. He also wants a five-year tax-free status for the hotel.

[Mike K.]

Downtown revamp crosses another hurdle

By Edward Hill
Goldstream News Gazette
Dec 22 2006

Colwood highrise and hotel complex narrowly passes into bylaw phase, but questions remain

Colwood council endorsed developer Les Bjola’s plan to rebuild the city’s downtown core from scratch with a $500-million highrise and hotel complex.

The project would scrap Colwood Plaza and a handful of adjacent lots for three towers reaching up to 29 storeys, three low-rise condominium units, and a hotel and commercial frontage along Sooke Road.

The seven acres need rezoning and an official community plan amendment to allow increased density and buildings taller than six storeys. Bjola announced last week he bought the London Drugs half of the plaza, but that isn’t yet included in the development.

Council eked the project into the bylaw phase voting 3-2, showing a clear philosophical divide over how the OCP should be interpreted. Mayor Jody Twa and Coun. Dave Saunders sat out due to a possible conflict of interest.

Couns. Jason Nault and Cynthia Day went against the grain, citing concerns about increased traffic snarls and extending the OCP far beyond its vision.

Colwood’s OCP is up for a public rewrite next year that would likely take until 2008 to complete. Nault wants the review to come first, calling the development proposal “premature.”

“There are parts I do support but I can’t support that degree of variance without an OCP review,” Nault said. “If council goes ahead with this they might as well scrap the OCP review.”

Nault also said without a regional traffic plan to ease daily congestion on Sooke Road, developing Colwood Corners would only add bad to worse.

“We are not going to mess up Sooke Road, it is already messed up,” he said. “Putting in another 1,200 doors will only make it that much slower. Until the province comes up with a way to move traffic effectively, Sooke Road will be a bottleneck.”

Other councillors argued that an OCP written in 1997 shouldn’t stand in the way of a long-awaited revitalization of the downtown core. Coun. Ernie Robertson said a two-year delay risks the entire project.

“I don’t like putting public process to the back seat, but we were elected to lead,” Robertson said. “We shouldn’t look for excuses to delay. Colwood Corners is an eyesore and we need an effective plan, the plan that is in front of us.”

Coun. Carol Hamilton approved of the project, but says a “more significant conversation is needed on affordable housing.” Bjola has offered two affordable housing units in the development.

Hamilton suggested allowing the development might force the province’s hand on funding transportation infrastructure on the West Shore. “It might take development to bring this to a head,” she said.

Coun. Gordie Logan pointed out most of the cars congesting Colwood’s portion of Sooke Road come from outlying communities. Poor provincial and regional planning shouldn’t hobble Colwood’s growth, he said.

“I’ll be damned if I let Metchosin or Sooke or bits of Langford hamper development of the downtown core. It isn’t going to happen,” Logan said. “It’s time to move the village of Colwood to the city of Colwood.”

As precedent, council has given third reading to a 17-storey building on Nob Hill Road and a 29-storey tower called Royal Roads Place. Mayor Jody Twa said in an interview an OCP review does not mean rezoning is halted for two years.

“You can’t hide behind the OCP and say stop development in the city,” Twa said.

The Colwood Corners project is estimated to have a 15 to 20 year build-out. Bjola says he will contribute at least $1 million to a public amenity that could be an arts centre or a contribution to the new stadium at the Juan de Fuca Recreation Centre.

He would also contribute $50,000 to train Colwood firefighters on highrise firefighting.

Bjola is seeking tax relief for the hotel and a freeze on property taxes until the buildings are finished. When complete, it’s expected to pay $3 million in property taxes per year to Colwood.

mailto:reporter@goldstreamgazette.com

[ressen]

Towers project growing



By Rick Stiebel
Goldstream News Gazette
Jan 17 2007


Billion-dollar proposal for downtown Colwood expected to double in size, but developer planning to limit building heights to 16 and 20 storeys

A new plan would double the size but reduce the height of a commercial-residential proposal for Colwood Corners that would give the city a downtown core.

Developer Les Bjola told the News Gazette in an exclusive interview Monday that the purchase of an additional two acres last week following on the heels of the purchase of the London Drugs property in December would effectively double the size of the proposal he brought forward to Colwood council last month.

“Members of council struggled with the height of the original proposal,” Bjola said. “They made it clear they didn’t want 29 storeys on any part of the site.”

The new proposal, valued at more than $1 billion, would limit the height of buildings to 16 storeys on the perimeter and 24 storeys in the centre of the 14-acre site.

“At all times, we’ll be staggering the buildings so there’s good vertical articulation,” Bjola said.

Bjola could not say at this time how many buildings in total would be involved because the project is in the concept stage, and some of the proposed buildings could be combined if a specific use or economics dictates that.

Bjola has committed to Colwood that the first building would be a 50 to 100-room hotel located in the same place as the original proposal, at the corner of Colwood Crescent and Sooke Road.

“Some members of Colwood council have expressed a desire for conference facilities and we’re trying to accommodate that,” Bjola said. “The most important goal is the hotel first.”

See DEVELOPER Page A3

Not a lot has changed from the original proposal, Bjola noted, other than changes to accommodate height restrictions in the interior portion.

“This is a 20-year project that’s going to establish the centre of Colwood,” Bjola said.

While two Colwood councillors have excused themselves because of the possibility of a conflict of interest, Bjola says he’s been working with the other five to forge a partnership with the City for the project.

While Colwood is looking for amenities and a contribution to the fire department, it’s too early to say what shape that will take, Bjola said.

“There are five separate opinions and five separate wish lists,” Bjola said. “We’ve received great support and some interesting, thoughtful ideas from Colwood residents for the project, many of which have been included in the preliminary planning.”

The architect, Ziedler partnership, is an international Toronto-based firm that did the design for Bear Mountain Resort and is currently involved in projects in Budapest and Peru, Bjola noted.

Archeological, environmental and geotechnical assessments have already been completed, as well as a phase one site analysis for contaminants, Bjola said.

“I’ll build as fast as Colwood gives me a permit,” Bjola said. “If we could be in the ground this summer, that would be great.”

mailto:news@goldstreamgazette.com


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

© Copyright 2007 Goldstream News Gazette

[Mike K.]

Sounds good. A 20-year build-out will come with a bundle of changes and surprises. What works today may not economically work tomorrow, so for those of you disappointed about the reduction in height, don't lose sleep over it

[DelsterX]

“At all times, we’ll be staggering the buildings so there’s good vertical articulation,” Bjola said.

Give this guy a nobel peace prize!!! Finally someone who gets it!!

[ressen]

COLWOOD HIGH-RISE DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL HEADED TO COUNCIL
Feb 7, 2007

A DEVELOPER LOOKING TO BUILD A HUGE MIXED RESIDENTIAL/COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT AT COLWOOD CORNERS, IS OFFERING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN AMENITIES IN EXCHANGE FOR REZONING.

THE PROJECT, WHICH WOULD ALSO INCLUDE A HOTEL, WENT BEFORE THE CITY OF COLWOOD'S PLANNING AND ZONING ADVISORY
From C-FAX

COMMITTEE TUESDAY NIGHT.

COUNCILLOR GORDIE LOGAN SAT AS ACTING MAYOR DURING THE MEETING, AND SAYS OVER $19 MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF AMENITIES ARE ON THE TABLE.

THEY INCLUDE MONEY FOR A NEW COLWOOD CORNERS FIRE STATION AND REBUILDING AND EXTENDING GOLDSTREAM AVENUE ACROSS THE GALLOPING GOOSE TRAIL.

THE DEVELOPMENT WOULD INCLUDE SEVERAL HIGH-RISE TOWERS, TWO OF WHICH WOULD REACH 29 STORIES.

- PRICE


I wonder if the original plan for the Island Hwy was to cross Esquimalt Harbour, and go into town via Esquimalt Rd. It just seems that Goldstream Ave lines up perfectly with the narrowest gap across the water and the shortest distance to town.

[ressen]

Bjola’s billion-dollar baby



Edward Hill/ News Gazette
Developer Les Bjola presents his vision for Colwood (see diagram below) at the planning and zoning committee meeting Tuesday.


By Edward Hill
Goldstream News Gazette
Feb 09 2007


$1-billion proposal for downtown Colwood brooking little opposition


If you start with a $500-million development, why not double the size for twice the price?

Colwood developer Les Bjola unveiled updated plans for Colwood Corners Tuesday night for what is easily the largest residential-commercial development on Vancouver Island: 11 buildings on 14 acres for an estimated price tag of $1 billion.

The project aims to do nothing less than build a downtown core from scratch. It envisions a mix of condo and office towers staggered up to 29 storeys, retail space along Sooke Road and a hotel, built out over 15 to 20 years.

Completed, it calls for almost 2,800 living units, 200 commercial units, and about 400,000 square feet of office and retail space. It also plans to extend Goldstream Avenue through the property, snaking to Ocean Boulevard via a bridge over the Galloping Goose Regional Trail.

“The project is huge by anyone’s description,” Bjola, the president of Turner Lane Developments and the developer of Bear Mountain, told Colwood’s planning and zoning meeting.

Except in scale, the project isn’t radically different than the seven-building layout Bjola proposed in December. That expanded after he acquired all of Colwood Plaza and an adjacent parcel on Belmont Avenue.

Colwood’s planning and zoning committee unanimously recommended the project go before council. That would begin the rezoning process for what are now 15 separate land parcels, and an amendment process for the official community plan (OCP) to allow buildings taller than six storeys.

“This will be a milestone of this council,” said Coun. Ernie Robertson, acting chair of planning and zoning. “In the long run this will be remembered as a pivotal step in the planning of the community. This puts Colwood in the 21st century for development.”

Nobody from the public or the committee spoke against the project at Tuesday’s meeting, but it isn’t a foregone conclusion it will survive at council.

Mayor Jody Twa and Coun. Dave Saunders have excused themselves from voting due to a possible perceived conflict of interest. That leaves five councillors, and the project needs two-thirds majority, or four votes, due to the OCP amendment.

Couns. Jason Nault and Cynthia Day, while not opposing development, have expressed reluctance in stretching the OCP far beyond its vision by allowing tall buildings. Nault, for one, asked to delay the project in December until the upcoming OCP review is finished.

“This whole application and the future of the town centre rests in their hands,” Robertson said. “They have a lot of reflection to do between now and Monday.” The Colwood Corners project is expected to be discussed at council Feb. 12.

Bjola presented his project as fulfilling the OCP’s mandate –– it creates a revitalized, high-density downtown core that is urban chic and pedestrian- friendly. “The trend is away from big box stores to traditional shopping,” Bjola said. “The idea is to create an urban streetscape.”

The buildings will be as “green as possible,” Bjola said, employing geothermal heating, solar and possibly wind energy capture. He also proposed capturing heat from the Capital Region’s main sewer trunk to heat sidewalks and roads in the winter.

“This will adhere to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards, but we certainly are not going for a LEED certification,” he said.

Bjola has committed to keeping Colwood Plaza’s commercial tenants in business during the long construction phase. He plans to shift tenants around as buildings go up, while at the same time creating two storeys of underground parking.

“My biggest concern is not to disturb tenant businesses. It will be a challenge to say the least,” he said.

Details of the hotel haven’t been finalized, but it is leaning toward a 150-room Radisson-brand Carlson building. David Oliver, Carlson’s vice-president for development in Canada, was on hand at the meeting, and said a Radisson hotel would help put Colwood on the radar of thousands of travel agents.

“We want to make the hotel as large as possible, for it to be a success in the community and to create jobs,” Oliver said.

Colwood Corners property taxes will earn the City about $5.6 million at full build-out, as opposed to about $500,000 now. Bjola is asking council for a five-year tax holiday for the hotel and for a property tax freeze at current rates, to be increased as buildings receive occupancy permits.

On the flip side, Bjola is offering a long shopping list of amenities. He has committed $2.6 million for the road extension, traffic signals and bridge over the Galloping Goose, a 10,000-square-foot indoor play area, $2.5 million toward a new Colwood fire hall near Belmont Park, plus $50,000 for firefighter training, and a 20,000-square foot arts and culture centre worth $10 million.

Also included are six handicap-accessible condo units, six cars from a car-share organization, and two ride-share vans. In all, Bjola is offering $19.5 million in enticements. He said current bylaws would have demanded only $12.4 million from the project.

Residents at the meeting were supportive, but complained for a project of this magnitude, the City did a poor job of advertising the start of the public process.

Larry Jacobi, a Colwood resident, told the committee that if council intends to upend the OCP for development, it needs public “buy-in” and better advertising of its public meetings.

“This is a huge change for the OCP and you don’t have any public input as to what city residents want,” Jacobi said. “(Colwood Corners) shouldn’t be put on hold, but you have got to get buy-in from residents.”

mailto:reporter@goldstreamgazette.com