20 replies to this topic

[IPH]

Plans are up on the development tracker for The Samuel.

 

OurCity Folder Details

 

6 Storeys

22 suites

Rental building

Architect:     Christine Lintott Architects Inc.

Developer:  Harbinger Properties Inc.

 

[Victoria Watcher]

[Victoria Watcher]

[Victoria Watcher]

 

 

That's a great little street segment.

[Victoria Watcher]

This is kind of funny, too:

 

 

 

[Mike K.]

We have a run on the name Samuel. Samuel Flats just opened in Vic West, now The Samuel is coming up!

[Blue Steel]

Lol. McClure St is named for Victoria newspaperman Leonard McClure. Despite what AI might have told the developer in their brief and shallow research, the street name has no connection to Samual Maclure.

[Mike K.]

Any idea why the Vic West project was named Samuel Flats? I grew up near that site and never heard Samuel referenced for area place names. Maybe it’s an homage to the family that sold the land?

[IPH]

Lol. McClure St is named for Victoria newspaperman Leonard McClure. Despite what AI might have told the developer in their brief and shallow research, the street name has no connection to Samual Maclure.

Its a word play to generate conversation, which it obviously has. 

 

There is actually debate about the street being named after Leonard McClure.  Leonard was only a resident of Victoria for less than 7 years before he moved to San Francisco after he supported the annexation of Vancouver Island to the United States.  Some argue that McClure Street was actually named after Sir Robert John Le Mesurier McClure  an explorer and Royal Navel Officer who is credited as being the first European to navigate the North West Passage.

[Victoria Watcher]

Danda Humphries thinks McClure Street refers to either a 19th Century newspaperman/MLA or more likely, an Irish explorer from the same era (neighbouring Cook, Vancouver, Richardson, Humboldt, Meares and Collinson streets are also named after explorers).

 

Bumping this.

 

So even Humphries does not know.

 

And she is the expert.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 02 January 2026 - 10:27 AM.

[Doctor Detroit]

I pass this spot at least once a week, and whenever there's a vehicle in that steep driveway I get a little shiver. Much like the neighbours will get when six storeys of missing middle gets plopped into the cul of a cul-de-sac, cutting off sunlight.

 

Other than property actually on Fort or Cook, the seniors building in the background (on Collinson at Quadra) was, I think, within the past ten years virtually the only residential building bounded by Fort / Cook / Fairfield / Quadra over four storeys. 

 

Maybe my condo council should start inviting bids to erect 15 or so storeys where our building stands. If I told the mayor it'd make my block average out to six storeys, we'd be all set.

Edited by Doctor Detroit, 04 January 2026 - 06:18 AM.

[Doctor Detroit]

Any idea why the Vic West project was named Samuel Flats? I grew up near that site and never heard Samuel referenced for area place names. Maybe it’s an homage to the family that sold the land?

 

"Flat Stanley" was taken.

[Mike K.]

lol. Fair enough.

[mbjj]

My daughter used to live on Rupert Terrace and I would walk down this stretch regularly. I think there's a rather nice older place next to it that has been divided up into suites. This will absolutely loom over it. 

[Blue Steel]

My daughter used to live on Rupert Terrace and I would walk down this stretch regularly. I think there's a rather nice older place next to it that has been divided up into suites. This will absolutely loom over it. 

 

Close. The building you're referring to was torn down by Aryze a few years ago and now there's an empty lot. Four families lost their homes. (Just like another one on Richardson, near to it, torn down 2 yrs ago, displacing four more families, by a company connected to this new proposal on McClure.)

 

This new proposal is actually two doors away from the lost home you are thinking of. It will loom over a purpose-built multi-family building designed with that older tudor home look.

 

Incidentally, the city is calling this proposal "affordable housing". Does anyone know the definition for this? Thank you. 

[Blue Steel]

In the The Samuel proposal, this building is shown (see red circle in photo) but it does not exist. It's an empty lot. This was what Aryze was hoping to build, but changed their mind and have been trying to sell the lot.

Attached Images

• 

[Doctor Detroit]

Close. The building you're referring to was torn down by Aryze a few years ago and now there's an empty lot. Four families lost their homes. (Just like another one on Richardson, near to it, torn down 2 yrs ago, displacing four more families, by a company connected to this new proposal on McClure.)

 

This new proposal is actually two doors away from the lost home you are thinking of. It will loom over a purpose-built multi-family building designed with that older tudor home look.

 

Incidentally, the city is calling this proposal "affordable housing". Does anyone know the definition for this? Thank you. 

I'm not sure the city does, really.

 

Affordable Housing: Housing that falls within the financial means of a household living in either market or non-market dwellings. Total costs for rent or mortgage plus taxes (including a 10% down payment), insurance and utilities should equal 30 percent or less of a household’s gross annual income. Housing affordability is influenced by household income, and cost and supply of housing.

 

In other words, it depends.

Source: https://www.victoria...cpappendix-bpdf

It's the Official Community Plan, and that definition is conveniently located on page 312 of the plan, but should be the first page of the link.

[Tony]

I do not know many people who only spent 30% or less of their gross annual income on their first home purchase carrying costs.. I paid much more in 1970 for a town house.

[Mike K.]

The bank won’t give you a mortgage unless you prove to them that you’re spending about 30% or less on housing. It’s not even up for debate, either your finances make the cut or you’re told to go away and to come back when they do.

Most b-lenders won’t entertain an applicant that deviates too far from that ratio, either. They don’t want the risk of a default any more than the bank does.

[Tony]

Pehaps Banks were more personal back then, I also had very stable work with built in salary increases.

Edited by Tony, 31 March 2026 - 07:59 PM.