Victoria Council is sending a major downtown development to the public hearing stage.
The Johnson-Cook-Yates block development in the 1-thousand block of Johnson and Yates Streets will include a new fire hall, and residential and commercial use in 4 different buildings.
Developer David Jawl describes what the proposal entails:
"The first phase of the project we are proposing a mixed use development that has 2 levels of underground parking. The first 2 floors, including a mezzanine, is the fire hall for the city of Victoria, relocating Fire Hall #1. In addition to some office space above that, and then we're proposing 130 affordable housing units in conjunctions with Pacifica Housing and BC Housing."
Mayor Lisa Helps says if the project gets through the public hearing stage and is approved -- it will fill a huge need in the city:
"This is the first new purpose-built affordable housing, again subject to the public hearing, that would be built in the city, in the downtown since the late 90's. And think that's really significant.
The last new purpose built affordable housing in the downtown were in '97-'98, the Pandora Cool Aid. Since then there's been no purpose-built affordable housing in the downtown."
The development would feature 4 buildings, ranging from 12 to 17 storeys high. A date for the public hearing has yet to be determined.