7 replies to this topic

[Victoria Watcher]

With many congregations shrinking, places of worship are looking to expand their role in Canada’s communities.

 

“There’s many churches across the country that I think are faced with the same position,” says Chris Quigley, director of development at Aryze Developments.

 

That position is often having large properties with parking lots that are both expansive and expensive, sitting empty six days a week.

 

The congregation of the First Metropolitan Church in downtown Victoria left the sanctuary on Quadra Street in 2023. The 1913 Gothic revival church is still a place of worship for three small churches that gather only on Sundays.

 

“We were approached by the United Church of Canada,” says Quigley. The crux of the call was a way to reimagine the 112-year-old church.

 

 

https://cheknews.ca/...centre-1246901/

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 01 April 2025 - 03:13 AM.

[Mike K.]

It’s happening a lot in Victoria.

Two properties alone on Feltham. Then there’s the church being redeveloped in Cadboro Bay. Another off Shelbourne near Cedar Hill (I think? Maybe I’ve got that wrong).

Whatever happened to the United Church redev in Fairfield? That stalled out. On and on it goes.

[lanforod]

Some going the other way too. https://www.timescol...ld-one-5930145 

[Victoria Watcher]

Victoria property developer Aryze has partnered with the United Church of Canada to breathe new life into First Metropolitan Church at Quadra Street and Balmoral Road.

The project could yield 128 rental homes, new purpose for a heritage building and a home base for a local arts group.

 

Aryze is planning to start more formalized engagement this month with the North Park neighbourhood to gauge reactions to the project, which would include performing arts space inside the existing church and commercial space in a new building north of the church.

 

“It’s an area that definitely has had its challenges since COVID-19, and we want to understand how we can try to work with the community and other providers to make sure that the area really is a shining beacon for the city,” said Chris Quigley, Aryze’s director of development.

 

Quigley said early conversations in the neighbourhood have been positive, though he knows there is some development fatigue setting into the community.

 

“But there’s also a huge amount of excitement that an underutilized site can bring, while a new program brings new activity to the neighbourhood,” he said.

 

While the exterior of the church, built in 1913, would not be touched, interior improvements would be made to the floor, stage, acoustics and it would be connected to the new building proposed for the site north of the church.

 

 

https://www.timescol...-space-10463102

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 02 April 2025 - 03:36 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

 

https://tender.victo...kEUq8nTYYig0DzQ

 

 

 

 

[aastra]

A wisecracker on another board has made the observation that the plain white panel cladding and the coloured balcony railings are rather similar to another recent project by the same architect at 1090 Jervis Street.

 

Remember back in the day when the CoV was dead against copying so-called "Vancouver" buildings? Can't allow large windows, because some sharp Vancouver buildings have large windows. Can't allow interesting cladding, because some sharp Vancouver buildings have interesting cladding. And so forth.

 

So here we are in the enlightened 2020s and we're happily embracing Vancouver buildings and happily building them much larger than their precedents in Vancouver, but on the condition that the "Vancouver" buildings we're copying are covered in plain panels.

[aastra]

Anyway, I expect this place would probably be a net positive for the neighbourhood, even though to my eye it seems quite generic and there doesn't seem to be any architectural acknowledgment of the North Park context.

Methinks the main thing to be concerned about would probably be that fenced-off street level courtyard. Mainly because (spoiler alert) this is a side street in North Park.

[Victoria Watcher]

North Park redevelopment at church site clears first hurdle

Partnership of property developer Aryze and United Church of Canada will renovate heritage church building, add a six-storey, 129-unit rental building


https://www.timescol...hurdle-12253045

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 08 May 2026 - 04:43 AM.