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UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Spencer Block
Uses: rental, commercial
Address: 611-635 Chatham Street / 610-618 Herald Street
Municipality: Victoria
Region: Downtown Victoria
Storeys: 5
Spencer Block is comprised of two rental buildings between the 600-blocks of Chatham and Herald streets at Gov... (view full profile)
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[Downtown] Spencer Block | Rentals; commercial | 5 & 5-storeys


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107 replies to this topic

#61 aastra

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Posted 28 October 2020 - 05:48 PM

So what does VV's braintrust think about the townhouse treatment for some of the ground floor along the east end of it? Yay or nay? Methinks something like the units on 834 Johnson could work really well there. Along with 648 Herald and 681 Herald (former Taj Mahal) I'd say there's potential for a really cozy urban residential effect.

 

post-13-0-61410600-1602792446.jpg



#62 Rob Randall

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Posted 28 October 2020 - 05:53 PM

The decision to make ground floor retail or residential is a big deal, usually the City weighs in as they have the overall vision of what streets they want having foot traffic. Streets like this on the edge of town can go either way so having a mix of retail and residential meeting the sidewalk is not a bad idea. 



#63 aastra

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Posted 28 October 2020 - 07:08 PM

When we want to waffle don't we just call them live-work units?



#64 Rob Randall

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Posted 28 October 2020 - 07:16 PM

^Basically, yes. 

 

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#65 Jackerbie

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Posted 28 January 2021 - 09:25 AM

This went to ADP yesterday and staff had the exact same concerns as this forum: 

Aspects of the proposal that would benefit from a greater consistency with the relative policy include:

  • Diversifying the distribution of massing to reduce the repetitiveness and homogeneity of the proposal and to create visual interest while responding to the site context
  • Increasing the ground floor height to achieve a minimum 4.5m, floor to ceiling, commercial ground floor height
  • Increasing the street-wall height on Chatham Street to be consistent with the form and character of Old Town
  • Revising the material selection to be of higher quality, more diverse and consistent with the form and character of Old town.

 

 

Staff report and drawings are online here: https://www.victoria...d & Chatham.pdf


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#66 aastra

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Posted 28 January 2021 - 10:31 AM

 

This went to ADP yesterday and staff had the exact same concerns as this forum:

 

That makes me uncomfortable. Thus, I will now fully reverse my position on every point.



#67 aastra

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Posted 28 January 2021 - 10:44 AM

Just kidding. Although I still think they might be able to make minimal changes for considerable improvement.

 

On page 14 there's an earlier image of Ironworks being used as a good example of facade articulation. I don't disagree, but the final product ended up abandoning that variation and went with the same rust cladding along the entire length of the building.



#68 Brantastic

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Posted 28 January 2021 - 03:56 PM

Just kidding. Although I still think they might be able to make minimal changes for considerable improvement.

 

On page 14 there's an earlier image of Ironworks being used as a good example of facade articulation. I don't disagree, but the final product ended up abandoning that variation and went with the same rust cladding along the entire length of the building.

Yeah, I was really surprised by that. What are the rules around completely changing cladding after the design has been approved? That seems to defeat part of the purpose of the approval process for the design.



#69 Jackerbie

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Posted 28 January 2021 - 04:02 PM

Yeah, I was really surprised by that. What are the rules around completely changing cladding after the design has been approved? That seems to defeat part of the purpose of the approval process for the design.

 

Generally any changes have to be approved by the City, but may or may not have to go through Council depending on the extent. For example, I had a dealership in Richmond approved with BMW corporate colours but it switched to MINI corporate colours, and all that required was a note to file. However, when MINI decided they wanted to relocate a green wall feature, that required a "general complaince development permit" to be approved by Council.

 

Bureaucracy!


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#70 Kapten Kapsell

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Posted 24 March 2021 - 04:49 PM

Revised plans were submitted on DevTracker today in addition to new letters to the city. Some units will be affordable if the project successfully obtains CMHC financing; a total of 274 units are planned.

New rendering:3DC6C0E8-A505-477B-90CA-A1111FC9699D.jpeg

Edited by Kapten Kapsell, 24 March 2021 - 04:49 PM.

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#71 Nparker

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Posted 24 March 2021 - 05:26 PM

The facades appear to be heading in the right direction. The Herald Street side still seems a bit monotonous. I also think the ground floor level could use some more work. It should stand out more from the floors above.


Edited by Nparker, 24 March 2021 - 05:34 PM.


#72 Nparker

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Posted 24 March 2021 - 05:52 PM

A few additional images from the CoV Development Tracker page.

 

Chatham Street frontage

Chatham.PNG

 

Herald Street frontage

Herald.PNG

 

Chatham @ Government

Chatham@Gov't.PNG

 

Government @ Herald

Govt@Herald.PNG

 


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#73 Mike K.

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Posted 25 March 2021 - 05:26 AM

It’s moving in the right direction, for sure.

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#74 newbie_01

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Posted 25 March 2021 - 05:53 AM

Wow looks a lot better!

 

I guess no mid-block walkway though 



#75 zoomer

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Posted 25 March 2021 - 08:39 PM

Looking really good, although something isn’t quite right yet, not sure what - waiting for Aastra to fill us in. Maybe the Herald street red brick is too red-orange and the dark brick too dark? It gives off a heavy vibe, maybe the pattern is a bit busy too - it could look very slick and sharp though, as long as it doesn’t slide into Bellewood busyness.

#76 Nparker

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Posted 25 March 2021 - 08:44 PM

....Maybe the Herald street red brick is too red-orange and the dark brick too dark? It gives off a heavy vibe, maybe the pattern is a bit busy too - it could look very slick and sharp though, as long as it doesn’t slide into Bellewood busy-ness.

Let's hope we get a lot more "1400 Quadra" and a lot less Belllewood in the brickwork at the Chatham/Herald project.


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#77 Kapten Kapsell

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Posted 28 May 2021 - 03:37 PM

This is going to CotW on June 3; staff are in favour of it moving to a public hearing.

The developer is working with BC Housing to have some units designated affordable, but as this project doesn’t require rezoning the developer is voluntarily doing this.

Staff report: https://pub-victoria...ocumentId=68121
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#78 Vin

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Posted 31 May 2021 - 11:38 AM

Lovely! This really respects the neighbourhood and surrounding architecture. The area will look great when completed. 



#79 Citified.ca

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Posted 10 June 2021 - 07:33 AM

Institutional-investment-in-Victoria's-rental-housing-market-Q&A-with-Alex-Messina-of-Nicola-Wealth.jpg
Alex Messina of Vancouver-based Nicola Wealth Real Estate speaks to Victoria's draw among institutional rental housing providers, and the region's economic resiliency in June's Ten on the 10th.
 
Institutional investment in Victoria's rental housing market Q&A with Alex Messina of Nicola Wealth
https://victoria.cit...-nicola-wealth/
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#80 Kapten Kapsell

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Posted 16 July 2021 - 02:58 PM

Revised plans were submitted today to Dev Tracker; a complete list of revisions can be found here: https://tender.victo...925112845567374

 

And here's an updated rendering: 

herald.png


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