The City of Victoria will spend $35.9 million to build a new a new multi-use public safety building on property at Johnson, near Pacific Mazda. The money is slated to come from the city's debt reduction reserve, and city staff say no tax increases will be necessary to finance the building.
City Hall has struck an agreement with local developer, Dalmatian Development Ltd, as well as Jawl Residential and Nadar Holdings. The property will need to be rezoned, a process that will begin within the next 6 months.
Mayor Lisa Helps is excited that the city has pursued a multi-use building for the new Fire Hall, which will include space for BC Ambulance to lease, and includes a multi-use component above. The multi-use component has not been determined yet, but Helps says there is potential for housing.
Fire Chief Paul Bruce says one of the most important aspects for him is that the building will be built to remain operational following a seismic event, which will be advantageous for firefighters, and ambulance crews. BC ambulance will lease their space from the city for 20 years. Bruce says it's also vital to be close to the growing downtown core.
City Council will be asked to approve the funding at their Thursday meeting. $33.,7 million will purchase the property and building, with another $2.2 million allotted to sidewalk improvements and other off site servicing.
It's estimated tearing down and re-building a similar structure on the current property at 1234 Yates Street would have cost $12-million more than the current plan.
If all goes smoothly the 41,700 sq. ft. building will be ready to open as early as spring 2022.