Major redevelopment pitched for Victoria's waterfront around the Capital Iron building
Some could call the seven acres of land around the Capital Iron building under-utilized waterfront and a bit of a dead zone.
“It’s seven acres of primarily parking,” said Jon Stovell, Reliance Properties chief executive.
Reliance Properties owns the land spanning from the waterfront, through the Capital Iron building and up to Government Street, and is looking to redevelop it.
“It’s interesting, it’s part of the city’s vision called the Arts and Innovation District,” said Stovell.
The estimated $600-million project is ambitious, combining different building uses together to create a dynamic district.
“Fishing, infrastructure, arts and culture, a new art gallery, residential, rental, arts, live-work,” said Stovell.
A rendering of the proposed redevelopment from Reliance PropertiesThe Art Gallery of Greater Victoria has more than 23,000 art objects in its collection and has long outgrown its current location in Victoria’s Rockland neighbourhood.
“Contemporary art has changed a lot,” said Nancy Noble, director and CEO of the Greater Victoria Art Gallery. “It is no longer a small painting on a wall.”
The gallery says it will be making the move downtown if the project goes ahead and has signed a letter of understanding with the developer, Reliance Properties.
“The big thing is that we get to purpose build a gallery where we can showcase our collection,” said Noble.
“We’re going to be able to give the art gallery, with the cooperation of the city, a piece of land and then they are going to use their own resources to build their own gallery,” said Stovell.
That new gallery is being imagined as five to six floors of space, far more than its current location.
“(The district is) going to be a place where marine activities happen,” said Bob Fraumeni, owner of Finest at Sea.
Finest at Sea’s current operation is based in Victoria’s James Bay. It runs nearly a dozen commercial fishing vessels, a processing plant as well as a fish shop and eatery.
The operation wants to relocate to the waterfront behind the Capital Iron building.
“Hopefully a considerable amount of seafood gets brought across the docks, from sea to table as I say,” said Fraumeni.
The heritage buildings on the property won’t change much with, their current tenants remaining in place.
Under its current configuration, the seven acres of land house about 93,000 square feet of structures, employing roughly 70 people.
If the project is built out, there will be almost 900,000 square feet of structures, employing up to 1,800 people, according to Reliance Properties. It will also include 500 residential units.
“There will be good vibrancy,” said Stovell.
Reliance Properties will be submitting its master plan to Victoria council on April 18. If all goes well, the next step will be a public hearing.
If the project gets the go ahead, shovels could hit the ground within the next two years.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Federal government grants B.C.'s request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces
The federal government is granting British Columbia's request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces, nearly two weeks after the province asked to end its pilot project early over concerns of public drug use.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had with him in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
MPs agree Canadian gov't should improve new disability benefit
The federal government needs to safeguard the incoming Canada Disability Benefit from clawbacks and do more to ensure it actually meets the stated aim of lifting people living with disabilities out of poverty, MPs from all parties agree.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
CFL suspends Argos QB Chad Kelly at least nine games following investigation
The CFL suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for at least nine regular-season games Tuesday following its investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against both the player and club.
Boy Scouts of America changing name for first time in 114 years, aiming for inclusivity
The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.
opinion Tom Mulcair: Trudeau's handling of Poilievre's 'wacko' House turfing a clear sign of Liberal desperation
When Speaker Greg Fergus tossed out Pierre Poilievre from the House last week, "those of us who have experience as parliamentarians simply couldn't believe our eyes," writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in his column for CTVNews.ca
New charges for Ont. woman who previously admitted to defrauding doulas
The Brantford, Ont. woman who was previously sentenced to house arrest after admitting to deceiving doulas has been charged again in connection to a new victim.