A week after we learned a developer is seeking a 30 storey building in downtown Victoria, we're now hearing that another developer is hoping to add some extra height to the city’s skyline.
Chard Development has been planning to build a pair 10 storey towers, one would front onto Yates Street and the other Johnson Street in the block between Blanshard and Quadra. Now they're asking Victoria council to approve an increase to 21-storeys for both towers.
In exchange for the extra height, the developer is offering a number of benefits. During debate at city hall, Mayor Lisa Helps listed the amenities she was happy to see, "dog run, children’s play area, urban food production, added commercial parking, affordable home ownership... this is the kind of development that we need to support and foster."
The developer is pledging to work with BC Housing so that some of the condo units could be sold at affordable rates. They would also create an extra 81 publicly accessible parking spaces under the development. The towers would be built over land that's currently used as a surface parking lot.
A committee of council voted to move the application to a public hearing before any final decisions are made. Councilor Ben Isitt was the only vote opposed.