149 replies to this topic

[G-Man]

For those needing documentation, the plans are on the City's development tracker here: https://tender.victo...Number=REZ00796

I'd love to see AGGV move there, but Is it fully on board with this proposal? https://aggv.ca/thenextgallery/ only says "In recent years, our community has debated the merits of relocating the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria to a downtown location or alternatively transforming it for future generations. Today, the leadership of the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria is setting the stage for making our gallery all that it can be. We ask you to consider the possibilities ahead, and help us lead the way. If you have any comments, questions, or concerns, please email us at thenextgallery@aggv.ca."

Plus I believe that they have quite a bit of endowment money that was given to them for capital building but only if they stayed in their current location.

[Victoria Watcher]

Decades of inaction.

That’s leadership.

[Nparker]

Not relocating to a purpose-built facility downtown would be a terrible mis-step on the part of the AGGV.

[G-Man]

Sure but it would mean forfeiting millions of dollars that would be used to build the purpose built building so how would it get done?

[AllseeingEye]

That is a great proposal IMO: so shall we start the betting? Will it be tied up in CoV administrative limbo as long as that other well known Reliance project just down the street? Maybe even longer? Yes, no? Will it challenge the Roundhouse for the longest ever proposal doomed to languish in the bowels of Victoria officialdom/NIMBYism? Would love to see this one come to life but because its Old Town you do get the nagging feeling this has the potential to make the agony of the Northern Junk development look like smooth sailing by comparison which would be a great crying shame. 

[Nparker]

Sure but it would mean forfeiting millions of dollars that would be used to build the purpose built building so how would it get done?

If I live another 30 years I bet nothing happens at the existing AGGV site. 

 

Selling the current location of the Art Gallery for redevelopment would likely create a decent down payment to get financing for the new building.

 

[G-Man]

^ Fair point. 

 

On the proposal her on the whole it looks amazing. I know that there are differing views on this space at City Hall and those also came up in the planning day that I participated in at Kwench last year. The opposing perspective is that this land should be more focused on job creation rather than further residential, more light industrial etc. The idea would be that residential should be focused east of Government Street. 

[Nparker]

...The opposing perspective is that this land should be more focused on job creation rather than further residential, more light industrial etc. The idea would be that residential should be focused east of Government Street. 

So the housing crisis is over then I guess.

[G-Man]

I think that quite rightly, there needs to be consideration of maintaining an employment base in Downtown Victoria considering the office vacancy that we are seeing. I think that if we only build housing that would be a grave mistake over the longer term. We are seeing significant additional housing approved but housing should not be everywhere and I would say that near the harbour is a great place for light industry.

 

I think that the developer here is very conscious of that need and we can see a significant portion of the lot is already given over to marine / light industry. That said considering the issues we already have with Dockside and Point Hope across the way, creating a further barrier between the heavier industry at the waters edge and someone's deck could be beneficial. We are very lucky to have a place like Point Hope in Victoria and encouraging further marine industry I think is a great idea and we can make people sign 'no complaint' contracts when they move in, but the reality is that those only last as long as the politicians in office at the time.

 

It is a hard thing to plan for a developer who needs to make money over a large piece of land where the highest returns are going to be in the residential with water views and I think this is a great first step for the developer. I, rightfully expect some pushback from the city. Hopefully we can get to a good in-between. 

[Nparker]

You'll have to excuse my skepticism with the "experts" at City Hall. After all, these are the same folks who believed there was such an overwhelming necessity for a narrow urban park along Blanshard Street that they spent $11 million taxpayer dollars* to purchase the Romeo's and Urbana lots. 

*$2.1 million over the assessed value