An approved three-tower mixed-use development in downtown Victoria’s north end could see a significant portion of its 41,000 square feet of planned office space switched over to rental apartments, Citified has learned.

 

 

Chard Development is seeking a post-approval variance for its Douglas Street and Caledonia Avenue project (at the former location of a White Spot restaurant and the City Centre Hotel) to do away with three floors of offices in the podium of a 21-storey condominium tower, and instead replace it with four floors of residential use to provision 64 rental homes, while creating nearly 10,000 square feet of co-working space in an adjacent purpose-built rental tower.

 

The office-to-residential change is proposed for Tower B, a 21-storey condominium fronting Caledonia Avenue that as part of the variance would increase to 22 storeys, while converting approximately 39,000 square feet of office floorplate into 75 rentals. In turn, Tower C, a 20-storey rental apartment with a mixed-use podium on Douglas Street at Discovery Street, will see the addition of co-working spaces to its fourth floor and ground level (totalling some 10,000 square feet), in lieu of rental suites on the fourth floor, while an additional floor of homes will be added, pushing the height to 21 storeys. Tower A, a BC Housing-backed affordable rental block, will remain unchanged aside from a 1 meter upwards height adjustment for structural considerations.

 

“With the ongoing need for diverse housing within the City of Victoria, our proposed amendment at our Caledonia Street project looks to repurpose a net amount of approximately 20,000 square feet, that was previously designed as office, for secured purpose-built residential rental suites,” says developer Byron Chard. Chard goes on to say:

 

“The overall adjustment will add a further 64 residential units and close to 9,770 square feet as shared co-working space. With lessons learned over the past few years, we are listening to local professionals and working to adapt to their evolving preferences for flexible work environments. Further, this adjustment allows the project to remove a driveway entrance on Caledonia Avenue and moves the underground parkade access to Discovery Street to enhance safety and the public realm pedestrian and cycling experience on Caledonia.

 

“While office conversations are occurring in many Cities across North America, Chard is taking a proactive approach to convert the podium office space in this project to purposefully increase the liveability of these units and ensure the viability of the project to deliver over 450 homes including 133 below market rental homes, daycare space, a grocery store, and a significant public plaza for the community.”

 

Chard Development's variance request would also lower the volume of on-site parking stalls, from the already approved 420 parking spaces to 323, in a split dedicating 216 stalls to residences (a 0.42 ratio per unit) and 107 to commercial uses (a 1.84 ratio per 100 square meters, or 1,076 square feet).

 

Serving as a book-end for Victoria’s downtown core and as the gateway to the burgeoning Burnside Gorge neighbourhood, Chard’s concept is slated to be a focal point in an area earmarked for significant densification over the coming decade as more housing emerges on nearby parcels, which for the most part, has historically been land used for light industrial and commercial purposes.

 

 

With a full-service grocery store planned for the site – and Chard’s commitment to a cross-spectrum supply of new-build housing – the proposal aligns with parallel efforts at the hands of multiple developers each taking part in the early stages of a northern expansion of downtown Victoria. These include Nicola Wealth’s already under construction Spencer Block rental project between the 600-blocks of Herald and Chatham streets at Government Street, Le Fevre Group's newly built Ironworks condominium on Chatham Street at Store Street along with the company's Albion Residences proposal, and Reliance Properties’ pending redevelopment of the Capital Iron lands between the waterfront and Government Street along Chatham Street.

 

Over in Harris Green/Fernwood, Chard is nearing the completion of Haven and Nest, a duo of condominiums underway along Cook Street between Johnson and Yates streets. Occupancy is earmarked for this spring and summer. Across the street, meanwhile, Chard recently secured approvals for a 25 and 15-storey rental development at 1050 Yates Street at Cook Street which will deliver 483 purpose-built rental units. C

 

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