604 replies to this topic

[Mike K.]

Massive pilings were driven into the soil before construction commenced. I was surprised that they would need such reinforcements for townhomes.

The Railyards' website is still lacking info on the new phase of townhomes.

[Kapten Kapsell]

Massive pilings were driven into the soil before construction commenced. I was surprised that they would need such reinforcements for townhomes.

The Railyards' website is still lacking info on the new phase of townhomes.

Are there seismic concerns for the land that the townhomes will occupy, i.e. is the soil primarily sediment and/or 'reclaimed' land?

[Mike K.]

I'm not sure, but man, were those pilings ever huge!

[Kapten Kapsell]

Framing work is well underway for the newest townhouses (aka "Harbour Homes").

Perhaps the LeFevre group is holding off on marketing as they await the results of the HST vote, which is just over 3 months away?

[arfenarf]

There's a townhouse in an older part of the development I've been eyeing up. I was seriously mulling an offer when I went for a walk in the area and found a syringe in the middle of the walkway up to the adjoining park, where I'd envisioned walking my dog morning and night.

That, and the people in the derelict boats moored above the trestle, have made me pause.

Any comments on whether drug/homeless/mental health issues are becoming a problem in the area? (Of course the realtor brushes away any possible concern, citing the high amount of foot traffic on the Goose as a helpful way to have eyes and ears open - I sort of buy that)

Would those of you who aren't downtownophobes (I like the city, I'm happy to let my kids change buses in town, etc., etc.) let your high-school daughter walk to school through that park before sunrise?

I don't want to reject the place on the grounds of baseless fear.

[G-Man]

I would say it is a neighbourhood in transition. It certainly is not getting worse. The goose has always had its sketchier sections. But with new projects this is going to improve. I certainly thought about the Railyard townhouses before getting out place, they were going for about 550k then and it was just a bit too much. Perhaps I will retire there though.

[Mike K.]

arf, for the most part, the park is not a cause of many problems in the neighbourhood (I live a stone's throw away) but teens sometimes gather there on the odd occasion on weekends. But believe me, like g-man says, the whole neighbourhood has changed for the better in the last decade and personal safety shouldn't be any more of a concern for you than it would be in other Victoria neighbourhood. And the people moored in the harbour are harmless. Other than a fire on one of the boats a little while back there are no issues to speak of (it's not Miami's water world, in case the image of that community has you jostled).

I would't worry about your kid walking through the park in the morning or afternoon but if there's any concern on darker mornings and afternoons in the winter months the kids can run up Ralston direct to Craigflower, avoiding the park altogether.

[ZGsta]

I'd definitely agree that things are only getting better in that area.

[arfenarf]

Thanks for the feedback, everyone!

[Kapten Kapsell]

Pricing information has been released for the new townhouses: they start at $449,000 (inclusive of HST).

[D.L.]

[Kapten Kapsell]

Bond's Landing has sold out. The "Harbour Homes" townhouse development will be completed sometime this summer...

[Kapten Kapsell]

Some of the townhouses appear to be almost complete now.

Darron Kloster mentioned (in today's T-C) that another phase of Bond's Landing will be built this fall and this phase will include 21 units.

[Mike K.]

"Bond's Landing II" is the next phase of Railyards and is coming down the pipes.

[Kapten Kapsell]

"Bond's Landing II" is the next phase of Railyards and is coming down the pipes.

Victoria's Planning & Land Use Committee will be considering a development permit for this project on Thursday morning (Sept 15).

I do wish that Dockside Green had some of the Railyards' momentum...

[Mike K.]

It appears as though an excavator is doing some preliminary work on what will become Bond's Landing II, the second building along Tyee of the "Bond's Landing" area of the project.

[KAS]

It appears as though an excavator is doing some preliminary work on what will become Bond's Landing II, the second building along Tyee of the "Bond's Landing" area of the project.

Bonds Landing Phase II is well underway - they're working on the parking garage now. They're also going full speed on Phase II of Harbour Homes - the townhouses on the other side of Central Spur. It's crazy busy over here on weekdays!

[Mike K.]

Thanks for the update, KAS.

I don't think many developers build condos without any pre-sales or formal marketing.

[KAS]

Somehow he manages to do it! He does make sure that all built units are sold off before breaking ground on the next.

According to the Lefevre website, the conversion that he's doing on Government St is to be office space. Its the building that used to have the Sweet Memories icecream store.

[G-Man]

OT - I wonder what happened with the Boomtown lofts... Also wonder what the "Oatplanes" they refer to on the website for travel are. Sounds sketchy.