241 replies to this topic

[Mike K.]

Note the opportunity for a cycling connection between Lochside Trail and Victoria International's Flight Path.

 

The proposal has also dropped one building lowering the total to nine, although the square footage has not changed.

 

Plans for Saanich Peninsula's largest shopping centre gain momentum

http://victoria.citi...-gain-momentum/

 

Plans for the largest shopping centre on the Saanich Peninsula are one step closer to becoming reality following the release of an independent study into the project's merits.

 

Dubbed Sidney Gateway, the 98,500 square foot nine building commercial node is envisioned on 7.5 acres of excess Victoria International Airport land west of Highway 17 between Beacon Avenue West and Stirling Way.

 

According to a report released by Urbanics Consultants, the development will yield over 220 jobs, recapture $26 million in retail sales and contribute approximately $700,000 in gross annual property taxes.

 

Vancouver-based Omicron Development, developer of the recently completed Eagle Creek Village shopping centre in View Royal, has identified Sidney Gateway's anchor tenants as a 32,000 square foot grocery store (yet unnamed) and a 20,000 square foot drug store/electronics retailer (believed to be a London Drugs). A total of 10,000 square feet will be available for medical office space with the remaining 36,500 square feet spread among a variety of retailers.

 

...

 

Plans also call for a pedestrian overpass between the area of Mary Winspear Centre on the east side of Highway 17 and Sidney Gateway, which opens up the potential of linking the heavily used Lochside Trail with Victoria International Airport's newly completed Flight Path airport perimeter trail. [Full article]

 

 

[SamCB]

Shaping up to be a good project. The peninsula needs more stores.

Edited by SamCB, 05 June 2016 - 10:29 AM.

[Jables]

Believed to be a London Drugs? Jables is happy!!

As a fat guy, another place to get a good, quick burger would be a major plus as well, but i'm happy enough as is.

[LJ]

To me this looks pretty similar to the Belmont development in Langford, shouldn't we all be hating this horrible abomination.

[VicHockeyFan]

To me this looks pretty similar to the Belmont development in Langford, shouldn't we all be hating this horrible abomination.

 

I not only hate it, I think it ought not to be allowed.  A lot of our tax money will go to this thing ie. us taxpayers bought/own the land, and we get zero return on the deal.

[Mike K.]

The VAA has partnered with Omicron to build Sidney Gateway. There will be profit sharing, I'm sure.

[lanforod]

I not only hate it, I think it ought not to be allowed.  A lot of our tax money will go to this thing ie. us taxpayers bought/own the land, and we get zero return on the deal.

 

I don't get that statement. If VAA owns it, why wouldn't they profit?

[johnk]

Re-capture $26 million in retail sales? I'm always suspicious of these kind of figures and what is the cost of the "re-capture"? Hollowing out Beacon Avenue?

[Mike K.]

Beacon is already a former shadow of itself. What the $26 million figure implies is that right now, regardless of the situation on Beacon, tens of millions of dollars that could be spent in Sidney by area residents are being spent outside of the municipality on goods and services that will be provided at Sidney Gateway.

But here's the interesting thing. If Sidney doesn't move on this project, Sandown will move on its plans for an even larger shopping centre. So the choice is Sidney's, do nothing and earn zero additional revenues while North Saanich benefits from Sandown, or approve this project and at least earn the revenues.

Because as it stands, one of those two shopping centres will get built and Beacon Avenue is going to experience whatever effects are in-store for it regardless of the location of the shopping centres.

[Dr. Barillas]

I imagine Capital Iron will be moving in to the new Gateway.

[VicHockeyFan]

Why is Sandown stalled?

[VicHockeyFan]

Why is Sandown stalled?

[Mike K.]

North Saanich.

[Bingo]

I not only hate it, I think it ought not to be allowed.

 

Once they widen the main runway 500 feet away, those planes will be shaking all the pepto-bismo off the shelves.

[insanelydeadlydisease]

WHERE IS THE DENSITY HERE? Think of all the people who want to live 30km away from downtown in a cat box.

[VicHockeyFan]

“Not building the Gateway centre would serve to provide additional incentives for the competing centre in North Saanich to be built,” says the report. “The net result of this scenario would see the same or greater transfer in retail sales away from Sidney retailers, while forcing the town to forgo the municipal tax advantages and potential benefits of an increased retail draw.”

 

It says the 160,000-square-foot Sandown Commons project “is proposed to be anchored by a grocery store and a small-format Walmart.”

 

Walmart is a frightening prospect to local retailers — the arrival of the department-store giant can have a substantial effect on an area’s economy and has driven out mom-and-pop businesses in many areas.

 

But the Randalls and Walmart say it’s not true, that no Walmart has been planned for Sandown. Urbanics says that information was provided by Omicron.

 

 

- See more at: http://www.timescolo...h.19sKjh05.dpuf

[lanforod]

I don't think a Walmart makes sense there. Is there at least 100k population closer to there then to the Uptown walmart? Typically, small format means no grocery section as well, so folks doing big grocery runs would still go to Uptown Walmart or to Costco.

[Robb]

I'm looking forward to Sterling Way being aligned to Galaran with a roundabout.

 

A Pedestrian overpass will be good also, although it may be better north of Beacon for the West Sidney kids walking to Sidney Elementary.

[Jables]

 

Richard Talbot, a member of Support Our Sidney, residents opposed to the Gateway project, says the town should at least commission a peer review of the Urbanics study.

 

- See more at: http://www.timescolo...5.2jRLQ83j.dpuf

 

Jesus christ, this is why nothing gets done around here.  The study didn't give us the answer we wanted, so let's study the study and repeat the cycle until we get the answer we want.

 

The Gateway project is big enough to provide us with more retail options without having to resort to a big-box store like Wal-Mart or Superstore, either of which would have a much more negative impact on businesses than the Gateway would.  Nobody will stop going to Flush to shop for soap at London Drugs instead..

Edited by Jables, 06 July 2016 - 09:52 AM.

[AllseeingEye]

Interesting debate; frankly after a visit by Mrs ASE and me last fall - the first time browsing the main drag in Sidney in close to 5 years - I don't really understand the opposition to Gateway. Speaking only for myself I found "Main Street" Sidney somewhat dull and uninteresting - with only a few minor exceptions, unless you are really into books for example - and even frumpish in spots with the exception of the newer developments near the water where we did have a very nice lunch in one of the waterfront hotel-restaurants, the name of which however eludes me.

 

Otherwise I thought it was a quite unremarkable stretch and certainly not particularly worth driving 20+ kms in the future - unless of course there was something new and different to attract and hold my attention making it worth the time, effort and gas to get out there. Certainly if I was a Sidney or nearby peninsula resident I would be all over this development in support.....