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[Downtown Victoria] The 834 | Condos | 40.7m | 14-storeys | Built - completed in 2011


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#141 http

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Posted 27 October 2008 - 10:14 AM

You're bang on, unless it's rush hour. I tried out a few semi-random places in Victoria and Langford using Google Maps, and came up with car trip times between 10 minutes (from the north border) and 25 minutes (in east Fairfield, far from any main drags) with the most common times being around 20 minutes.
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#142 jklymak

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Posted 27 October 2008 - 10:14 AM

Yep, Langford is cheap alright....

Your point that there shouldn't be "retarded" concessions is well taken, but lets not go to the other extreme of holding Langford up as a paragon of civic planning!

#143 Guest_Marcat_*

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Posted 27 October 2008 - 10:26 AM

Yep, Langford is cheap alright....

Your point that there shouldn't be "retarded" concessions is well taken, but lets not go to the other extreme of holding Langford up as a paragon of civic planning!


HAHAHA, Yah I wouldn't go as to say their city planning is exactly stellar, but, really show me a community that is planned thinking of every possible activity... their climate is much more accommodating of developers to say the least and as for HTTP's comment...even in the average "crawl" it doesn't take me much more than 30 to 40 minutes from downtown, compared to the hour, 2 hour and sometimes 3 hour comments I've endured in Calgary and Vancouver...I'll take it...

#144 aastra

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Posted 27 October 2008 - 05:27 PM

I laugh EVERYTIME I hear this...its cracks me up so much you have no idea. It takes 15 minutes, not even to drive to Langford...


I'll bite. You've got three 5-minute segments to work with. Please break it down for us. Westshore Mall to the corner of Oak Bay Avenue and Foul Bay.

ohhh and ps. it really doesn't cost that much to drive to Langford to go to the superstore...or Costco...


40 minutes round trip at a minimum, plus the cost of fuel? I'm not saying that's an unbearable ordeal unto itself; what I'm saying is that most residents of the city proper could walk downtown and back in the same amount of time, without dropping a dime at the gas station.

Hence my ironic observation about how a vile, money-grubbing developer might actually be more committed to downtown Victoria than many Victorians are. If we're talking about commitment (which we were), and if Langford is indeed as appealing as downtown -- if not more so -- in the eyes of many people, then that tells me Victoria has a problem.

#145 Caramia

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Posted 27 October 2008 - 06:07 PM

I'm a rabid pro-downtowny so the following is a confession of guilt...

I confess, dinner at Smokin Bones plus a cheap move at the Caprice is well worth the drive. The portions and the prices make up the gas money.

And Bear Mountain is beautiful. I love the Arts and Crafts Style houses.
I'm sorry.

/hangs head...
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#146 G-Man

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Posted 27 October 2008 - 07:43 PM

^ Are they arts and crafts? Perhaps faux arts and crafts.

#147 Guest_Marcat_*

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Posted 27 October 2008 - 08:16 PM

I'll bite. You've got three 5-minute segments to work with. Please break it down for us. Westshore Mall to the corner of Oak Bay Avenue and Foul Bay.

40 minutes round trip at a minimum, plus the cost of fuel? I'm not saying that's an unbearable ordeal unto itself; what I'm saying is that most residents of the city proper could walk downtown and back in the same amount of time, without dropping a dime at the gas station.

Hence my ironic observation about how a vile, money-grubbing developer might actually be more committed to downtown Victoria than many Victorians are. If we're talking about commitment (which we were), and if Langford is indeed as appealing as downtown -- if not more so -- in the eyes of many people, then that tells me Victoria has a problem.


My friend, just to satisfy you're 5 minute request, next time I'm in Oak Bay driving home, I will bring a stop watch and a notepad and give you a play by play :P

#148 Phil McAvity

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Posted 02 November 2008 - 04:54 PM

^good luck winning a semantic argument with Aastra. I'll bet he can split hairs better than anyone at this forum.

Aastra, who said anything about driving from Langford to the corner of Oak Bay and Foul Bay anyway? The discussion was about how much gas was burned driving to Langford and back from Victoria so I was also surprised you used such hyperbole because I highly doubt a WW2 tank would use up a tank of gas driving out there and back. Even in a gas guzzler, I doubt the trip to Langford and back in rush hour would use an eighth of a tank. What's more, your point about someone in Victoria walking downtown and back in the same time was a red herring because it had nothing to do with the topic.

And then you come up with; ".....then that tells me Victoria has a problem."


Are you feeling okay these days?

LOL I don't buy into either left or right wing rhetoric. I've spent a lot of time working towards the social health of downtown over the last 10 years, and I know who has been beside me with their sleeves rolled up. That's all.


It's ironic that you denounce political rhetoric because you just laid out a classic example of it. What was your point? :confused:

Mike, I know that the Pacific Monarch was built in the early 90's but I don't know the exact year. Regardless, at 11 stories (even though it looks taller from many angles) I consider it under the radar for a "high-rise", although i've always really liked that building.

Good point about the houses on Bear Mountain G-Man.

#149 Caramia

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Posted 02 November 2008 - 05:12 PM

It's ironic that you denounce political rhetoric because you just laid out a classic example of it. What was your point?


I was responding to you, when you said...

Wow G-Man! You and Caramia are actually starting to sound like a couple of sensible, perspicacious people (in other words, right-wing-like me!).


So my point is that developers like David Chard have put in a lot of personal volunteer time helping raise funds or donate services in kind to make possible initiatives that help the health of downtown. By health of downtown I mean environmentally progressive, conducive to retail and services, nurturing of new industries like the tech sector, and supportive of programs that help people get off the streets.

Being so "left wing" that I allow it to blind me to the positive contribution being made would be what I consider "buying in to political rhetoric."

Not sure what your problem is with the above sentiment. I just think we should give credit where credit is due, and try to avoid vilifying people who are working hard, just because of their profession and/or political orientation. Is that rhetoric?
Nowadays most people die of a sort of creeping common sense, and discover when it is too late that the only things one never regrets are one's mistakes.
Oscar Wilde (1854 - 1900), The Picture of Dorian Gray, 1891

#150 Rob Randall

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Posted 19 February 2009 - 11:49 AM

We should see site preparation by summer.

#151 concorde

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Posted 20 February 2009 - 08:19 PM

Things must have changed in the last few weeks. I'll make some calls on Monday to find out the details.

#152 Phil McAvity

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Posted 22 February 2009 - 12:02 PM

So my point is that developers like David Chard have put in a lot of personal volunteer time helping raise funds or donate services in kind to make possible initiatives that help the health of downtown. By health of downtown I mean environmentally progressive, conducive to retail and services, nurturing of new industries like the tech sector, and supportive of programs that help people get off the streets.


But why is it incumbent upon developers to solve the city's social problems? It seems to me that City Hall should be responsible for that, I mean, isn't that why we pay oodles of taxes? But instead of the city solving social problems they increasing look to squeeze more money from developers in the hopes that problems like homelessness, drug addiction and crime will go away......but they aren't going away. The problem is, that governments can't solve poverty or crime because sadly, there is a market for both so all we are doing is limiting those with the ability to improve our city and as long as developers like Chard are wealthy (or at least perceived as wealthy), it is somehow their responsibility, which is something I just don't understand. People get rich by doing the exact opposite of what the poor do-working hard and taking chances. We should encourage that more rather that attack it. People like Chard already do myriad good for the city, but because they make decent money doing it, we go after them to do even more when they are the last people responsible for these problems.
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#153 Caramia

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Posted 22 February 2009 - 12:14 PM

Well, the way I see it, it is everyone's responsibility to make the city as healthy as possible. Different people see different ways to do that, but as long as everyone has that goal in mind, let the thousand thoughts contend!

What I am trying to say is that business people - developers and others - who really put in personal time and effort to make the city better for its most vulnerable citizens, do deserve some respect for it. I get annoyed when people vilify those who have their shoulder to the wheel just because they have more money or are in an unpopular profession.

Once after a long, late and frustrating meeting at the end of about three months fighting to get some affordable housing provisions, I asked one of Victoria's major developers why he bothered trying so hard, when it wasn't his family that needed the housing, and it was clear there was no thanks involved. His answer was that there is no guarantee that it won't be his family on the bottom of the social ladder in a generation or two, and that it was up to all of us to make sure that survival was at least possible regardless of what rung circumstances have placed people in.

I just think that it would be nice if some of the people in this city who have built their reputations on demonizing the housing community could take a step back and show some appreciation to those people who are really working to benefit others. And I think some of the sheep who are so ready to take up the torches and pitchforks should take a moment to look twice at what that person does to support our city in their private time.
Nowadays most people die of a sort of creeping common sense, and discover when it is too late that the only things one never regrets are one's mistakes.
Oscar Wilde (1854 - 1900), The Picture of Dorian Gray, 1891

#154 http

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Posted 22 February 2009 - 12:14 PM

. . . People get rich by doing the exact opposite of what the poor do-working hard and taking chances.


This is a viewpoint I do not understand. Spare a moment to enlighten me?
"Who are those slashdot people? They swept over like Mongol-Tartars." - F. E. Vladimirovna

#155 concorde

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Posted 23 February 2009 - 10:48 AM

We should see site preparation by summer.


I just spoke to some people very close to the project and that won't be happening.

#156 Phil McAvity

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Posted 24 February 2009 - 02:21 AM

This is a viewpoint I do not understand. Spare a moment to enlighten me?


The reason many people are rich is because they work hard, take chances and make sound decisions just as the reason many people are poor is because they are not good with money and make bad decisions. I'm not saying there aren't people born into money but even those people usually have some business acumen.

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#157 Caramia

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Posted 24 February 2009 - 10:58 AM

I know a lot of rich people, and a lot of poor people. I wouldn't say your generalization holds true. Some of the hardest working people I know are poor and supporting children or aging parents. Most of the richest people I know were born into it, and kept their with a top notch education and a job secured for them by their parents. Some of the biggest slackers I have ever met are wealthy. Most of the moderately rich people I know simply don't have any dependents.

I'm not a hater of rich people, and I am sure there are some who got their by really working hard and making sound gambles. But the myth of wealth automatically coming from merit just doesn't hold true in my experience.
Nowadays most people die of a sort of creeping common sense, and discover when it is too late that the only things one never regrets are one's mistakes.
Oscar Wilde (1854 - 1900), The Picture of Dorian Gray, 1891

#158 ZGsta

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Posted 24 February 2009 - 01:26 PM

The reason many people are rich is because they work hard, take chances and make sound decisions just as the reason many people are poor is because they are not good with money and make bad decisions. I'm not saying there aren't people born into money but even those people usually have some business acumen.

You didn't know this?


All the people I've ever met who hold this viewpoint are the people who fell into money without any hard work or acumen of their own (ie, failed out of college and then got a cushy job at their parent's company). These people take any opportunity they can to go off about having money makes one better than someone who doesn't. I always figure it's a way of covering for their own inadequacies.

The people who have earned their way up through actual hard work and skill are always intelligent and knowledgeable enough to realize that the world is far more complex than "Money=good/smart/hard worker, no money=bad/dumb/lazy." They know that there are millions of reasons why someone who is smart, skilled, and hard working could still be struggling financially.

#159 Mike K.

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Posted 24 April 2009 - 08:47 AM

Positive news! The 834 is launching this May with scheduled completion in late 2011. Prices are set to start at below $200,000.

The following press release was sent our way this morning:

Urban Lifestyle Developer to Launch Third Major Residential Development in Downtown Victoria
Victoria, B.C. - (April 24, 2009) – Chard Development is backing the continued renewal of downtown Victoria as a lifestyle choice with the launch of The 834 – the company’s third major residential development in Downtown Victoria in three years. The 14-storey glass, steel and concrete structure will be the newest addition to the recently revitalized northern district of Downtown Victoria.

With more than 15 years of experience and the successful completion of two previous Victoria projects, Corazon and Juliet, Chard Development is convinced the Downtown Victoria market will continue to grow in importance as a place many people will want to live. In answer to today’s challenging economic climate – suites at The 834 are priced some 15 to 20 per cent less than originally planned due to construction cost savings. Additionally, based on the high demand for the less expensive one-bedroom suites in the Juliet development, The 834 has been designed to feature a great number of space-savvy one-bedroom homes with affordable price points starting as low as $198,900 - while still offering the quality of a concrete building and designer finishes. Combined with record low interest rates, The 834 presents an opportunity for many first time buyers to enter the market. Chard is taking this no frills approach to heart – even by simply naming the development after the street address it occupies.

“While we’re seeing many developments standing still right now, Chard has several reasons to move forward with our next project, rather than waiting for a ‘safer time’ to build,” says developer Dave Chard. “Moving forward with The 834 is about more than just selling suites – we’re keeping the neighbourhood moving forward in a very positive way while keeping our valued team of contractors, architects, engineers and business partners working.”

With Chard focusing its energy on Downtown Victoria, more specifically the northern district of the city centre, The 834 is being welcomed into a rapidly growing revitalized community with a wide selection of commercial retailers and restaurants within walking distance. One of the slogans for the new development is The Face of Downtown and with a large group of local residents and small business owners taking part in the marketing campaign for The 834, homeowners are given a firsthand peek at who their new neighbours would be and what life would be like to ‘put roots downtown.’

Scheduled to be built by local contractor Farmer Construction and designed by architects Musson Cattell Mackey Partnership, the development will feature an eco-friendly and modern design with 110 space-efficient suites. The city smart building is scheduled to launch in May2009 and is scheduled for completion November 2011.

Chard Development has been a catalyst in revitalizing Victoria’s north end. In 2006, Chard Development built Corazon, a 12-storey tower at 732 Cormorant Street. In 2008, the developer built Juliet, a 96-unit building, just half a block from The 834. In addition to The 834, Chard has 2 additional downtown projects on the drawing board for 2010. When complete, these Chard projects will bring more than 300 new homes to the downtown core.

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#160 Nparker

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Posted 24 April 2009 - 08:54 AM

This IS good news. Chard seems to have a pretty good track record of getting their projects off the ground and completed on schedule. However, I am curious about this information from the press release:

"In addition to The 834, Chard has 2 additional downtown projects on the drawing board for 2010."

Does anyone have knowledge of these additional downtown projects?

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