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[Burnside-Gorge] The Powerhouse


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#41 Rob Randall

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Posted 17 May 2020 - 07:15 AM

The only surviving remnants of Constance Street is the cement plant entrance off Store street and a small part right up against the Powerhouse building separating it from the cement plant.

 

Capture.JPG

 


Edited by Rob Randall, 17 May 2020 - 07:16 AM.


#42 Rob Randall

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Posted 17 May 2020 - 09:36 AM

constance.jpg


Edited by Rob Randall, 17 May 2020 - 09:41 AM.


#43 Matt R.

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Posted 17 May 2020 - 09:57 AM

Isn’t there a Constance street in Vic west?

Matt.

Eta: Esquimalt, not Vic west.

Edited by Matt R., 17 May 2020 - 09:58 AM.


#44 Nparker

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Posted 17 May 2020 - 10:03 AM

I believe Constance Avenue in Esquimalt runs parallel to Admirals about 1 block west.



#45 Rob Randall

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Posted 17 May 2020 - 10:21 AM

Old newspapers show there were two Constance Streets or at least there was inconsistency in how they were described until mid-20th century when the Esquimalt one was named Constance Avenue and the Burnside one eventually disappeared. 

 

This 1913 article seems to suggest the public were allowed on it:

 

constance2.jpg

 

 



#46 Redd42

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Posted 17 May 2020 - 07:36 PM

Isn’t there a Constance street in Vic west?

Matt.

Eta: Esquimalt, not Vic west.

 

Yup, attended a few good parties at a house on Constance in Esquimalt.


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#47 Mike K.

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Posted 18 May 2020 - 06:39 AM

Nice! Thanks for that, Rob.

G-Man, it sounds like leasable commercial and light industrial space.

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#48 Rob Randall

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Posted 18 May 2020 - 06:47 AM

A quick look at the zoning map suggests the Powerhouse building is surrounded on three sides by the Island Asphalt property.

 

My question is at when did Island Asphalt or its predecessors either buy out the City or stop paying rent on Constance Street? Is it possible a dormant easement exists that would allow the Powerhouse valuable rear access?

 

It wouldn't be the first time the City lost track of an agreement.


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#49 AllseeingEye

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Posted 18 May 2020 - 06:04 PM

So does that blue fence around the site indicate work is actively underway on updating and renovating the building, or is that just more site (pollution) remediation?



#50 IPH

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Posted 21 May 2020 - 11:29 AM

A quick look at the zoning map suggests the Powerhouse building is surrounded on three sides by the Island Asphalt property.

 

My question is at when did Island Asphalt or its predecessors either buy out the City or stop paying rent on Constance Street? Is it possible a dormant easement exists that would allow the Powerhouse valuable rear access?

 

It wouldn't be the first time the City lost track of an agreement.

Hi Rob,

That part of town has been a real jumble as far as ownership.  Large parts of it are actually below the original high water mark and were infilled and used by adjacent businesses.  Years later Transport Canada laid claim to the infilled pieces and leased them to various businesses before remediating it along with BC Hydro who use to own the Powerhouse building. 

 

 BC Assessment currently shows the property to the west and south of the Powerhouse is the island asphalt property but the land to the north and wrapping around to the northwest are all part of the lot the Powerhouse building is located on.  As noted above this was originally owned by BC Hydro as was the lot to the east across the stub of Store street that runs down to the Powerhouse building. 

 

https://www.bcassess.../QTAwMDBITjVYNA==

 

The lot to the North between the Powerhouse property and the water is old infill harbor land that was owned by Transport Canada and was part of a sale agreement with the Songhees and Esquimalt FN's several years ago.  This includes the north end of Constance Street. 

 

The lot to the West of the Powerhouse building where the rest of Constance Street would have been is shown on BC Assessments map as one lot with no road allowance.  I know there was remediation work completed in this area by BC Hydro/Transport Canada around 2004-08 but don't recall if either of them owned the land, or were just cleaning it up as their contamination migrated onto the property. 



#51 Rob Randall

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Posted 21 May 2020 - 08:20 PM

The question remains, when did the entirety of Constance Street pass from the public domain into private hands?



#52 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 21 May 2020 - 08:25 PM

if there is one thing around this town that's a constance, it's street name and ownership changes.  and puns.



#53 tiger11

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Posted 21 May 2020 - 08:47 PM

Bored and started doing some research into constance street. Here it shows constance and Discovery street, so at some point it was a road in the downtown area. 

 

Plan is poor quality but I'll keep looking. Keep in mind, this plan is from 1880 haha. 

Attached Images

  • Screen Shot 2020-05-21 at 9.43.51 PM.png

Edited by tiger11, 21 May 2020 - 08:48 PM.

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#54 tiger11

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Posted 21 May 2020 - 09:59 PM

Looks Like it closed in and around 1949 as shown in plan VIP8448 when it was closed by bylaw 3551.

 

 

The question remains, when did the entirety of Constance Street pass from the public domain into private hands?

 



#55 Rob Randall

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Posted 19 June 2020 - 06:44 AM

Apologies for the quality but here is an old map of the area. The original map dates to the early part of the century but this copy had been updated to the 1940s so it's interesting this layout of the Rock Bay area was still considered current by at least one source.

 

Note that Constance St. is called Wood St. and it was laid out with 20 lots.

 

It also appears to show the natural shoreline and the built up areas.

 

rb.jpg


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#56 Brantastic

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Posted 19 June 2020 - 08:09 AM

105185972_688703678631123_10087934704121


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#57 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 25 July 2020 - 05:21 AM

Workers are repairing the old brick smokestack rising out of the historic Powerhouse building near Rock Bay.

 

The chimney project — costing hundreds of thousands of dollars — is part of an overall upgrade of the 1892 heritage building at 2110 Store St., purchased from B.C. Hydro by developer Chris Le Fevre.

 

https://www.timescol...look-1.24176257



#58 amor de cosmos

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Posted 19 September 2020 - 08:06 AM

tc-31942-web-vka-arcade-1120209161637694

The team behind Quazar’s Arcade is giving pinball fanatics an opportunity to stay engaged during the pandemic with a new members-only pinball venue at a unique site in downtown Victoria.

The Powerhouse Pinball Club will open its doors at 1 p.m. today in the newly renovated Powerhouse building at 2110 Store St., which was recently leased by LeFevre & Company to Metropol Industries owner Steve Webb.


https://www.timescol...ding-1.24205957
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#59 Mike K.

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Posted 19 September 2020 - 09:05 AM

That’s cool. Steve’s a great guy. With the events industry decimated this will be a good interim endeavour and Steve has had a relationship with Le Fevre for a long time. I can also see a printing business eventually operating out of that space as Metropol’s existing space adjacent to Ironworks are redeveloped (another space is next door with a heritage restored building).
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#60 Matt R.

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Posted 19 September 2020 - 11:08 PM

Ah, neat. My dad used to do the same thing in Rock Bay, but with poker tables instead. 
 

Matt. 



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