[Harris Green] 979-983 Pandora Avenue | Rentals; retail | 16-storeys

This is a massive improvement over the original image. A bit chunky, but I love the dark brick. Providing I'm still in my current apartment in a few years, this would be my view out of my bedroom and living room windows.

The rendering is one of the nicest I've seen in ages. I'm loving the brick too. I've been missing that in most new builds over the last decade. Hope there aren't too many changes.

In reading the developer's revised submission/response to the CoV's concerns and recommendations, I came across the following (p. 30):

Please consider rain gardens with plantings along the Pandora boulevard area, currently shown as grass in the proposal. Pandora Green is an area of heavy public camping, and turf does not stand up well over the long term

I am not sure why it is up to the developer to augment their design to accommodate the CoV's lack of bylaw enforcement. There is no legitimate reason why Pandora Green is an area of heavy public camping, except that the City allows this abuse of the public realm to take place.

In reading the developer's revised submission/response to the CoV's concerns and recommendations, I came across the following (p. 30):

I am not sure why it is up to the developer to augment their design to accommodate the CoV's lack of bylaw enforcement. There is no legitimate reason why Pandora Green is an area of heavy public camping, except that the City allows this abuse of the public realm to take place.

 

The developer is being asked to change their design because the City didn't accept the proposed modification to City property. It's no different than if the developer were to propose apple trees in the boulevard and the City asked them to revise the proposal to have orange trees.

it’s still comical that the city anticipates continuing illegal use. as if it’s a given.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 07 April 2020 - 03:46 PM.

What Victoria Watcher said.

https://victoria.cit...housing-supply/

it’s still comical that the city anticipates continuing illegal use. as if it’s a given.

Its beyond comical its absurd!  If a business that pays taxes puts up an unpermitted sandwich board in front of their shop, the bylaw officers issue fines and force them to remove it.  Where as, "Campers" (love that description of what's going on)  that contribute nothing to the tax base and cost the city a fortune in policing and sanitation costs are allowed to ignore the law without consequence. 

 

On the bright side a rain garden is not likely to be a comfortable place to "Camp" so at least the developer wont have to worry about them setting up tents right in front of his building. The "campers" are more likely to use the rain garden as their outdoor toilet instead!

CHEK story on development: https://www.cheknews...ictoria-665488/

Is being demolished soon? All of the windows have disappeared over the last two days or so.

That’s quite the photo. It would appear as though the building will indeed be demolished.

Has this project been approved? Otherwise, it seems a bit premature for demolition. A vacant lot in this location is just begging for trouble.

 

Edit: Perhaps the window openings are just going to be boarded up for now. I imagine trying to maintain security around this building is a full time job.

Edited by Nparker, 19 June 2020 - 12:55 PM.

Lots of projects will pre-empt approvals by preparing the site. There are aspects to a project which you can pursue well ahead of formal approvals, and many developers are taking advantage of that.

VicMap shows that demolition permits for the church and adjacent building are in progress...

Edited by Kapten Kapsell, 19 June 2020 - 01:04 PM.

Yeah, I asked a guy today what was happening and he said they're prepping for demolition "soon".

Has this project been approved? Otherwise, it seems a bit premature for demolition. A vacant lot in this location is just begging for trouble.

Edit: Perhaps the window openings are just going to be boarded up for now. I imagine trying to maintain security around this building is a full time job.

Apparently there was an issue with some of the "locals" tapping power from the building...

I suspected demolition was being hastened as a matter of security.

Really? God forbid homeless people have the ability to charge their phones...

Not sure why this hasn’t been mentioned before, but this seems to be an undeclared purpose build for supportive housing. Something that Pacifica our Cool-Aid would run. Do we really think five students would band together in a five bedroom unit to rent an apartment next to Our Place? At the very least this is a smart strategy by Townline, because they could sell the building to the Province or City who would snap it up regardless of price. Do we know if Townline is building this for a rental company? Is there another example of a rental concept like this in Victoria, or even Vancouver?

See the quote from the Citified Article below - to me this screams supportive housing. Maybe it’ll be for people with disabilities, mental health challenges, that could be a good fit, just not a great location, unless it’s going to be a low or no-barrier building. I mean, who would have thought the Comfort Inn would be converted for this use.

“ Described by Townline as co-living units, 54 homes will be in the form of three, four and five-bedroom suites featuring a combination of bedrooms with private bathrooms, and bedrooms with shared bathrooms. Unit sizes will push to upwards of 1,200 square feet.

The new residences are in response to demand for shared accommodations, namely among those in university or college, where rental scenarios can be on a per-bedroom basis typically in homes converted into multi-tenant housing”

The overall appearance and the abundance of balconies doesn't seem to jibe with low barrier.