A car-free ‘missing middle’ rezoning application for the 900-block of Convent Place southeast of Humboldt Street at Quadra Street could finally yield a municipal approval following a years-long pursuit to deliver mid-rise apartments, Citified has learned.

 

 

Developers Lapis Homes and Urban Thrive have submitted plans for 18 one, two and three-bedroom, zero-parking, three-storey townhome-styled units to 933 and 935 Convent Place. A former rezoning application dating to 2020 with several revisions fell through at the hands of the landowner.

 

The current proponents, in a letter submitted to the City, say 25% of Victoria households do not own a vehicle, and that segment of the market is under-served by new-build housing.

 

“Car-free homes are fundamentally different from traditional car-orientated development. By providing a compelling alternative to private car ownership (and thereby removing car garages and drive aisles), our proposal can provide more of the things we want (family housing, green space, social resilience, etc.) while reducing more of the things we don’t want (traffic, air pollution, road injuries and fatalities, etc.),” the developers say.

 

The 18 homes will be split into seven three-bedroom units, six with two-bedrooms, and five in one-bedroom layouts, with a mid-century exterior design courtesy of Victoria-based Christine Lintott Architects. The three-building massing will rise to 11.48 meters (approximately 38 feet).

 

Describing the cycling infrastructure that will be included as part of the project, the letter states:

 

“Our proposal includes what will be the largest and most feature-rich bike garage in the region, providing 44 long-term bike stalls including 12 dedicated cargo and 32 standard stalls (in addition for 8 long-term weather protected exterior stalls). The garage is equipped with electric charging, accessory shelves, repair station, and wash station and is conveniently located at the front of the site with an at-grade bay door. The garage is also designed to be an adaptable space as household needs change. The middle aisle has extra width to accommodate longer format bikes and make bike stalls interchangeable – any 2 standard stalls can be converted into 1 additional cargo stall, and any cargo stall can be converted into 2 additional standard stalls. Also, stalls can be adapted to accommodate mobility scooters or bike trailers.”

 

Developer Julian West of Urban Thrive believes car-free, centrally located new-build homes can target housing affordability by delivering lower cost new housing, that balances alternative infrastructure options already in place and supports active transportation choices.

 

"All of our projects are grounded in three key principles: community-centred, sustainable, attainably-priced. 933/935 Convent Place exemplifies these values perfectly. These courtyard townhomes are designed for those seeking a car-free lifestyle, featuring a best-in-class bike garage, an electric car-share vehicle, and one of the most amenity-rich locations in the region. This proposal closely mirrors our sister project at 2859 Richmond Road, which will begin pre-sales in a couple of weeks,” West says.

 

Ryan Jabs of Lapis Homes tells Citified the pre-registration for 2859 Richmond Road is already 160 prospective purchasers deep, supporting the notion of strong demand for car-free housing in exchange for lower price points.

 

 

Lapis Homes and Urban Thrive are currently partnered on two developments, a six-unit car-free condominium project on Belton Avenue in Victoria’s Vic West neighbourhood, and a nine-unit car-free townhome community along the 2800-block of Richmond Road in Saanich. The Victoria project is expected to reach occupancy in early 2025, while the Richmond Road project could complete by late 2025.

 

Lapis Homes, meanwhile, has just completed construction and is now renting a 10-unit complex along the 800-block of Craigflower Road in Esquimalt. The three-storey building replaced a single-family-home with studio, one, two and three-bedroom homes. C

© Copyright 2024 by Citified.ca. All rights reserved.