Development could be just around the corner for the former Shell station site on Shelbourne at McKenzie.
Local development firm Nvision Properties has submitted a multi-million-dollar development proposal to the District of Saanich to build a six-storey, 78-unit rental building at 3949 Shelbourne St. with two ground-floor commercial spaces that are 1,200 square feet each.
ItB次元官网网址檚 the latest proposal as Shelbourne and McKenzie, a major commercial cornerstone of Saanich, continues its redefinition towards urban densification. Wesbild developments announced in 2017 a massive mixed-use residential and commercial proposal with 350 rental suites on about 185,000 square feet of commercial to replace most of University Heights.
Nvision Properties, the sister company to Abstract Developments, is taking an aggressive approach to bring purpose-built rentals to Greater Victoria. It will include mixed-use commercial, mostly on the ground level, when available. The aim of Nvision is to match Abstract one-to-one in terms of developments, said Nvision development manager Adam Cooper.
B次元官网网址淔or every market [condo] Abstract builds, Nvision will build a rental.B次元官网网址�
As a former gas station site, 3949 Shelbourne is the latest in Greater Victoria to complete the environmental remediation process, as Nvision was issued a certificate of compliance from the province just last month, Cooper said.
With its location a 20-minute walk from the University of Victoria, the building is targeted towards a younger demographic, which ties into its most notable feature, that it will have just 20 parking spots available.
B次元官网网址淏ecause of its status as a former gas station, it restricts us from any underground parking,B次元官网网址� Cooper said. B次元官网网址淧eople generally have the anticipation of one parking spot per condo. In a rental unit that can be relaxed, and in this case itB次元官网网址檚 20 spots.B次元官网网址�
The building falls at the core of the new Shelbourne Valley Action Plan which designates a six-storey development to encourage urban density.
ItB次元官网网址檚 marketed towards UVic students and young professionals who are happy to live car-free and desire an amenity-rich neighbourhood. The majority of the 78 proposed suites are bachelor studios, with 10 two-bedroom suites.
Cooper a former transportation planner from the University of B.C., said the 20-minute walk time from 3949 Shelbourne Ave. to UVic is actually the standard walk time from a residence in UBC to the buildings there.
B次元官网网址淸Because of the underground restriction] we had to reconcile the two ideas: councilB次元官网网址檚 direction of the site, calling for six story, and also the constraint of parking,B次元官网网址� Cooper said.
Nvision believes thereB次元官网网址檚 no risk of neighbourhood impact from parking overflow.
B次元官网网址淭he studios are sub 400-square-feet and are designed for people who are looking for accommodations coming out of student housing or more affordable option for living, such as young professionals, people in the service industry, and people looking to use the major route of McKenzie,B次元官网网址� he said.
TheyB次元官网网址檝e held four community consultation meetings, two open houses and meetings with Mount Tolmie Community Association and two with Gordon Head Residents Association.
Nvision is currently considering having the building constructed in a prefab modular format.
B次元官网网址淭he apartments would be constructed in a factory, arrive on a truck, be stacked like Lego bricks, all of which will cut down on the neighbourhood impact and cut out six months with of the on-site construction,B次元官网网址� Cooper said.
Nvision is currently building a 95-unit residential rental building at 433 Boleskine Rd., with commercial space, likely to be ready for spring 2019.
