257 replies to this topic

[Biro]

Not much progress but it’s something. Anyone know why the holdup?

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[Biro]

Digging, albeit slowly.

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[Nparker]

I think the excavator is just there for show. The actual digging is done by a couple of guys with garden trowels late at night.

[Biro]

The W men come out from the shed with the white door above the right chain link. They take pride in their work and won’t accept compensation. At the end of their shift the last worker disconnects a new control valve on the excavator. Day crew can’t figure it out. Some workers believe it’s the Welburns fridge ghost exacting it’s revenge.

I think the excavator is just there for show. The actual digging is done by a couple of guys with garden trowels late at night.

[Nparker]

9 days since Biro's photo was posted and not much progress.

[G-Man]

That hole on the left is like at least 3 or 4 inches deeper.

[Barrrister]

Maybe someone can lend them a shovel.

[Biro]

More photos as of this morning. Making sure the neighbours backyard doesn’t go for a slip and slide like we saw at Haven. Also looks like they found some old bottles.

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[Nparker]

They still seem to be mostly using a teaspoon for the excavation here.

[AllEars]

A Tower crane was erected on this site last weekend. 

[Nparker]

I can see this one from my kitchen window.

[Mike K.]

Great, thank you. Is that yellow crane at HGV still there, or was the photo from a few days ago?

[Victoria Watcher]

Victoria council will decide this week if a 105-unit rental project at the former Wellburn’s grocery site at the corner of Pandora Avenue and Cook Street is eligible for an up-to-10-year tax break.

 

The goal of the tax incentive program is to help developers preserve heritage elements of buildings while they perform seismic upgrading.

 

A city staff report is recommending that council decline the tax-break application for this project — which was approved by council in 2020 and is already underway — as it meets only a few of the nine criteria required.

 

The report said while the project offers needed rental housing and has heritage designation, construction began before the tax-incentive application came to council, the developers excavated below the original building foundations and they intend to build higher than allowed, among other things.

 

 

https://www.timescol...ns-site-8538437

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 02 April 2024 - 07:00 AM.

[Mike K.]

Wasn’t this dealt with a year ago? That’s why the project is under construction, no?

A year ago: https://victoria.cit...de-tax-holiday/

Then council decided against nixing the tax break, and construction started. At least I thought.

[Victoria Watcher]

developers excavated below the original building foundations and they intend to build higher than allowed, among other things.

 

 

 

That seems a bit odd /unclear.

[Mike K.]

Odd.

[Victoria Watcher]

Developers of former Wellburn's site to get three-year tax exemption

A city staff report had recommended council decline the application, as it meets only a few of the nine criteria required for the tax-incentive program

https://www.timescol...emption-8561797


Dave Thompson and Chris Coleman were the only councillors to vote against the tax break. Both said that rather than approving the tax break for developers that don’t meet the required thresholds, the city should work on amending the criteria for the tax policy.

“If we don’t like the policy, then we should change the ­policy,” said Thompson.

Coleman said the only saving grace of giving a tax break to a project that meets only three of the nine criteria is that the city gets a rental building partially restored for heritage value.

“That may give solace to some, but I’m really struggling with this one,” he said.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 06 April 2024 - 02:55 AM.

[Vin]

That's pretty stingy on encouraging developers to do the right thing, but three years of exemption is better than none. I'm glad the developer kept up seeking it.

Edited by Vin, 08 April 2024 - 11:57 AM.