Updated plans for the redevelopment of downtown Victoria’s former Pacific Mazda property at 1050 Yates Street have been officially unveiled following last fall’s purchase of the 1.2-acre site by Chard Development.

 

On the heels of a rezoning achieved in 2019, the site permits a density of close to 500 residential units plus ground floor retail spaces and a public plaza fronting Yates Street near Cook Street. The proponent is seeking a variance to adjust building heights higher than the 50 meter or approximately 17-storey permitted height, and to reallocate the density across two, rather than three towers.

 

In documentation supplied to the City, Chard Development states the approach is intended to reduce overshadowing, expand view corridors, increase light permeability and air flow, and enhance privacy for residents through a two-tower massing of 15 and 25 storeys, connected by a five-storey podium.

 

A reduction in mandatory on-site parking capacity is also being sought, that would see the volume of stalls reduced to 200 from the zoned 373-stall minimum, with 160 available to residents in lieu of the originally approved 296 for residents. The move comes amid Victoria council’s desire to see fewer parking stalls among downtown’s new generation of residential buildings.

 

The proposal will proceed under Chard with an all-rental investment that will yield upwards of 488 purpose-built rental apartments rather than condominiums or a mix of condominiums and rentals.

 

“Chard Development is committed to making a difference in Victoria’s housing sector through an infusion of nearly 500 rental homes in Harris Green, in a forward-thinking, environmentally-conscious way that aligns with council’s goals,” said Byron Chard, President and CEO of Chard Development. “We are excited by the opportunity to make a significant investment into the City’s rental housing stock at a time when it is needed most.”

 

Formerly rezoned by Victoria-based Jawl Residential, approval for a proposed four-phase redevelopment was granted alongside an affordable rental tower nearing completion at 1025 Johnson Street with a fire hall and ambulance bay at its base serving both the Victoria Fire Department and the BC Ambulance Service. Known as The Dalmatian, the 11-storey, 130-unit complex delivers the Mazda dealership redevelopment’s affordable housing component. Chard’s proposal combines phases two, three and four and in combination with The Dalmatian, and brings the site’s total housing density to 618 units.

 

Community engagement regarding the public plaza at 1050 Yates began earlier this year, and extensive public realm improvements are coming to the eastern border of Harris Green as part of Chard’s effort, including what the developer describes as ‘community-serving’ retail.



 

A site plan depicting the locations of Chard Developments' two proposed highrise residential towers (joined by a five-storey podium) at 1050 Yates Street, relative to a planned public plaza at-centre fronting Yates Street.  Chard Development

 

The housing make-up will include studio, one, two and three-bedroom layouts along with what Chard refers to as an industry-leading package of lifestyle amenities for residents that include a large dog run, a children’s play area and a rooftop gym space that opens onto an outdoor running track. A penthouse level amenity lounge and extensive terraces with outdoor kitchen, dining and lounge areas are also proposed.

 

Parking will be in the form of an underground parkade that in addition to 160 stalls for residences, will provide 11 retail-visitor shared spaces, 17 spaces for future restaurant use and 10 for future retail use, plus two car-share spots and 16 accessible stalls.

 

“As Victoria transitions towards a more comprehensive and all-encompassing model of mixed-use housing in the downtown core, we believe that residents will depend less and less on personal private vehicles. Through a reduction in on-site parking, we feel our vision will be more in line with future demand, while requiring less carbon emissions today to build what would otherwise be a large multi-storey underground parking structure accommodating nearly 400 vehicles,” Chard said, adding that “from a walkability and transit-connected location, Harris Green is a walker’s paradise, and nearby transit routes connect to every corner of the Capital Region, which makes vehicle use less desirable than in other settings.”

 

With the proposal in its infancy, Chard Development expects to go before council some time this year, and pending municipal approvals for its proposed variances, construction could begin in 2024.

 

Meanwhile, immediately east of 1050 Yates Street, Chard Development is overseeing the construction of two residential buildings known as Nest and Haven. Nest, rising to 12-storeys along the 1100-block of Yates Street, is nearly sold-out of its 107-suites. Its smaller sibling, BC Housing-backed 104-unit Haven, is sold-out and rising to six-storeys along the 1100-block of Johnson Street. Both buildings will complete next year.

 

Nest and Haven are part of a 20-year legacy of Chard’s development activities in downtown Victoria and surrounding communities, which include the 15-storey Yello rental block on Yates Street near Blanshard Street, and the twin-tower Yates on Yates and Vivid at the Yates condominiums in the 800-blocks of Yates and Johnson streets.

 

The company will also be spearheading the delivery of downtown Victoria’s newest hotel project, coming to the 1300-block of Broad Street between Johnson and Yates streets. The Hyatt Centric-branded hotel will offer 135 rooms in Victoria’s Old Town, plus ground-level retail space by 2026. C

 

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