Victoria Construction - #7

[Vin]

Originally Posted by Mike K.

Yes, there's a significant commercial component coming to the right of the two Bosa towers. You can see the brick building to the right of the blue box, that's part of the commercial component. More info: http://victoria.citified.ca/commerci...e-marketplace/

Thank you! IMO, a rather small commercial area for an ambitious neighbourhood but at least it's in the works. I like the market-anchor component of this commercial/retail square. Hope it expands.

[Mike K.]

I'm pretty sure that this is only the first phase of the commercial component. Future residential towers will also include commercial services in podiums.

Here's a better indicator of what's to come. Encore is the second tower from the left.

[Mike K.]

 
12-storey towers near Mayfair Mall receive nudge of support
http://victoria.citified.ca/news/12-...ge-of-support/
 
A proposal to construct a mixed-use residential and commercial complex consisting of two 12-storey towers between 605-629 Speed Avenue and 606-618 Francis Avenue has taken a step forward at the City of Victoria's Planning and Land Use Committee.

Developer Oakwood Park Estates plans to provide 83 condos in the west tower and 83 condos in the east tower. Fronting onto Speed Avenue will be a collection of 10 two-level townhomes while 26,242 square feet of ground floor commercial space will be accessed via Frances Avenue.

[Full article]
 

[Metro-One]

Soooooooo

Seeing how the new Liberal Federal government is saying it will be spending lots of money on transit projects, and every community in Ontario now seems tobe announcing / building their own LRT systems, is there any chance of Victoria continuing with their LRT plan?

Is their any rail related news at all on the end recently?

Would love to see the Victoria LRT get off the ground and / or have the rail link between Victoria and Nanaimo (and other communities north) become a regular / improved transit service.

[Phil McAvity]

I emailed the incumbent MP for Sooke/Saanich/Esquimalt Randall Garrison about getting traffic moving in his riding since the issue of LRT and/or the Dayliner seems dead but he hasn't responded yet. I guess he's still celebrating his victory. I still don't understand why we can't put the Dayliner back in use as a commuter train from Duncan-Victoria with a stop in Langford. I'm sure lots of people would prefer it to sitting in traffic.

[Metro-One]

please let us know if you get a response

For an area that has such a heavy environmental culture / Green party vote it always amazes me how there is never really any strong push for rail transit in the area.

[aastra]

For an area that has such a heavy environmental culture / Green party vote it always amazes me how there is never really any strong push for rail transit in the area.

There's a huge faux-green element in Victoria and area. If you're politically green then there's a 98% chance that you're anti-density, anti-LRT, anti-downtown, pro-decentralization, and so forth. And you also probably love massively wasteful expenditures like unnecessary new bridges that cut existing rail lines.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by Phil McAvity

I emailed the incumbent MP for Sooke/Saanich/Esquimalt Randall Garrison about getting traffic moving in his riding since the issue of LRT and/or the Dayliner seems dead but he hasn't responded yet. I guess he's still celebrating his victory. I still don't understand why we can't put the Dayliner back in use as a commuter train from Duncan-Victoria with a stop in Langford. I'm sure lots of people would prefer it to sitting in traffic.

Would be lovely to have a commuter train between Uptown (Saanich) and downtown Victoria. Regular streetcar service would be excellent too.

[Phil McAvity]

Originally Posted by aastra

There's a huge faux-green element in Victoria and area. If you're politically green then there's a 98% chance that you're anti-density, anti-LRT, anti-downtown, pro-decentralization, and so forth. And you also probably love massively wasteful expenditures like unnecessary new bridges that cut existing rail lines.

By one stop that never should have been built in the first place? Having the Dayliner stop downtown may be the stupidest decision this city has ever made.


Metro, i'm not expecting a quick response because for some reason I got a message saying I need to be patient about getting a response from him which is weird because the last time I e-mailed him his office responded within 48 hours.

[LFRENCH]

Originally Posted by aastra

There's a huge faux-green element in Victoria and area. If you're politically green then there's a 98% chance that you're anti-density, anti-LRT, anti-downtown, pro-decentralization, and so forth. And you also probably love massively wasteful expenditures like unnecessary new bridges that cut existing rail lines.

and against all forms of sewage treatment

[casper]

Originally Posted by Phil McAvity

I emailed the incumbent MP for Sooke/Saanich/Esquimalt Randall Garrison about getting traffic moving in his riding since the issue of LRT and/or the Dayliner seems dead but he hasn't responded yet. I guess he's still celebrating his victory. I still don't understand why we can't put the Dayliner back in use as a commuter train from Duncan-Victoria with a stop in Langford. I'm sure lots of people would prefer it to sitting in traffic.

About two weeks ago I was up at the Vancouver Island Economic summit in Nanaimo. The group pushing for the return of the dayliner was confident it was a done deal. There were waiting on final treasury board approval on the last bit of operating funds. He also indicated that the cars were refurbished by Via rail and were in Sudbury and ready to be returned to the Island. Hopfully the election does not change those plans.

[Phil McAvity]

Well that's news to me and very good news at that! I'd love to see the ball rolling on this.

[casper]

Originally Posted by Phil McAvity

Well that's news to me and very good news at that! I'd love to see the ball rolling on this.

Here is a recent new article on the topic:
http://www.pqbnews.com/news/344838592.html

I would assume the people who own and operate the railway line have the more accurate view of what is involved in getting it up and running again. The mid-island politicians have a more skeptical view of the work involved in getting the line up and running.

[Phil McAvity]

The only way I can see that train as sustainable is by using it as a commuter train from Duncan to Victoria and back but that's obviously not the plan so I can see why they're skeptical that it will happen since it's been 4 years already and the plan as I see it, has little chance of working so I e-mailed the CEO of the ICF.

[casper]

Originally Posted by Phil McAvity

The only way I can see that train as sustainable is by using it as a commuter train from Duncan to Victoria and back but that's obviously not the plan so I can see why they're skeptical that it will happen since it's been 4 years already and the plan as I see it, has little chance of working so I e-mailed the CEO of the ICF.

When VIA rail was running the service it left Victoria in the morning hit mid-island by noon and then returned. That would work if it was a commuter service for people in Victoria working in Duncan (if there are any).

Given they are going to be operating out of Nanaimo there is a better possibility, with an early morning departure from Nanaimo, hit Duncan early morning arrive in Victoria.

Not certain if that is what they are planning.

[Phil McAvity]

I've never heard of anyone commuting from Nanaimo to Victoria but I have known people who commute from Duncan in the morning, besides just fixing up the line from Duncan to Victoria will be a lot cheaper than repairing the line all the way to Nanaimo. I expect any train going all the way to Nanaimo, let alone further, is going to be a money loser.

[casper]

Originally Posted by Phil McAvity

I've never heard of anyone commuting from Nanaimo to Victoria but I have known people who commute from Duncan in the morning, besides just fixing up the line from Duncan to Victoria will be a lot cheaper than repairing the line all the way to Nanaimo. I expect any train going all the way to Nanaimo, let alone further, is going to be a money loser.

I don't expect anyone to commute from Nanaimo to Victoria either. The point I was making is Nanaimo is a better starting point than Victoria. Having the first train of the day leave Victoria (as Via rail was doing) is silly if most of the commuting is coming into Victoria.

Via rail was trying to operate an inter-city railway. What will likely work on the island is commuter rail during the winter and rush hours. Inter city once a day during the summer when the tourist are around.

Do something like:

Nanaimo 7:00 am - Duncan 8:00 am - Victoria 8:45 am

Victoria 9:30 - Duncan 10:30 - Nanaimo 12:00 - Parksville 1:00 pm

Parkville 1:00 pm - Nanaimo 2:00 - Duncan 3:00 - Victoria 4:00

Victoria 5:30 pm - Duncan 6:30 - Nanaimo 8:00

They should be able to play with times a little bit. There are lots of smaller comunities that perhaps only warrant service mid-day.

[Mike K.]

Approvals secured for second iteration of View Street mixed-use project
http://victoria.citified.ca/news/app...d-use-project/
 
Victoria councillors have approved the latest iteration of the Jukebox Lofts mixed-use residential and ground floor commercial development at 1029 View Street.
 
Following initial approvals in 2011, developer Mosaic Properties re-assessed the market and returned to City Hall with refinements to the building's exterior and alterations to the unit mix in-keeping with changing market conditions. Despite staff objections to several aspects of the updated project and a recommendation to forward the proposal to the Advisory Design Panel for review, Mayor Helps and members of council emphasized that a rigorous project review had been conducted prior to Jukebox Lofts' original approval and a repeat process was not necessary. [Full article]

[Phil McAvity]

^Mike, the description of the building under the illustration doesn't jive with the illustration in your link unless they've already sold the top floor center to some midget's. I hope the description's right.

Originally Posted by casper

Inter city once a day during the summer when the tourist are around.

I think they've proven that train is unworkable in it's capacity for either tourists or locals to go up and down the island so what they need to focus on are south island commuters. Even then I don't know if it will be viable but I think it's the line's best hope as i'm sure many people would jump at the chance to get out of that gridlock into/out of town every day.

[Mike K.]

15-storey rental tower approved for downtown's Hudson District
http://victoria.citified.ca/news/15-...dson-district/
 
City of Victoria council has approved a 15-storey mixed-use rental and ground floor commercial tower at the southwest corner of Caledonia Avenue and Blanshard Street in downtown Victoria’s Hudson District.
 
Proposed by Vancouver-based Townline, the development, known as Hudson Walk, phase two, will include six 1,200 square foot two-storey townhomes in the tower’s podium as well as 100 apartments in one and two bedroom configurations (sized between 581 and 800 square feet). 4,000 square feet of ground floor commercial space will front onto Caledonia Avenue and Blanshard Street, with approximately 3,400 square feet occupied by a future brewpub as reported by Citified in October. However, a formal rezoning proposal for brewery usage has not yet been submitted to City Hall. [Full article]