Major waterfront development with new Art Gallery of Greater Victoria proposed

Major mixed-use waterfront development with new Art Gallery of Greater Victoria proposed for Victoria Inner Harbour

Artistic rendering of the Capital Iron Lands redevelopment in Victoria. (D'Ambrosio Architecture & Urbanism/Reliance Properties)

Vancouver-based Reliance Properties is taking a big step with its major mixed-use plans to redevelop an under-utilized industrial and commercial waterfront property in Victoria Inner Harbour.

The proposal for Capital Iron Lands is the first rezoning application under the City’s designated arts and innovation district for the north end of downtown Victoria. And as a major public benefit, it will also provide the land for a new purpose-built home for the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria.

This is a redevelopment of 530 Chatham Street, 1924 Store Street, and 1900 Store Street, which entails the retail building anchored by Mark’s Warehouse and the Capital Iron store. Most of the 6.7-acre development site is used as a surface vehicle parking lot or a paved area for industrial activities.

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Furthermore, the site is just north of Victoria’s historic Chinatown, which could see a boost from the infusion of high-density and active uses from the Capital Iron Lands development’s critical mass of hundreds of residents and on-site workers, as well as from the pull of new additional visitors to the area.

capital iron lands victoria reliance properties

Site of the Capital Iron Lands redevelopment in Victoria. (D’Ambrosio Architecture & Urbanism/Reliance Properties)

Existing condition:

Site of the Capital Iron Lands redevelopment in Victoria. (Google Maps)

Future condition:

Site plan of the Capital Iron Lands redevelopment in Victoria. (D’Ambrosio Architecture & Urbanism/Reliance Properties)

Artistic rendering of the Capital Iron Lands redevelopment in Victoria. (D’Ambrosio Architecture & Urbanism/Reliance Properties)

There would be a mix of low-, mid-, and high-rise buildings, including two towers of 15 storeys and 20 storeys located on the eastern half of the development site, with the building heights generally transitioning in height from east to west towards the water.

A mix of housing is planned, including strata condominiums, secured purpose-built rental housing, including both market and below-market units, and live-work artist studios. In total, roughly 500 to 600 homes are envisioned, with about 33% being rental housing. These various residential uses would be built above significant light industrial, office, and retail/restaurant uses.

The residential uses would be largely located within the eastern half of the development site.

The western half of the development site on the west side of Store Street, closest to the water, would largely see light industrial uses, including the areas immediately adjacent to the harbour to reinvigorate working harbour uses. Some residential uses are also planned for this parcel.

The proponents note that such waterfront industrial uses are designed for Finest at Sea Ocean Products, a major maritime company considering relocation to the inner harbour.

“The Capital Iron lands are underutilized with few job spaces, no homes, and an inactive waterway,” said Jon Stovell, CEO of Reliance Properties, in a statement. “We designed a comprehensive smart-growth community that manifests Victoria’s 3.0 Vision of a ‘future-ready global influencer and innovator.’ Our proposal offers limitless economic growth potential and spinoff benefits that will ensure the district is unique, attractive and exciting for arts, innovation, and entrepreneurship.”

Bob Fraumeni, owner of Finest at Sea, added, “We envision a move that helps revitalize the local fishing industry, including collaborating with First Nations groups, as our proposed water lot falls on traditional territory.”

Artistic rendering of the Capital Iron Lands redevelopment in Victoria. (D’Ambrosio Architecture & Urbanism/Reliance Properties)

The existing condition of the heritage building containing the Capital Iron store. (Google Maps)

Three heritage buildings on the development site will be incorporated into the development, including the preservation and reopening of the Capital Iron store.

At the southeast corner of the intersection of Store Street and Discovery Street, currently used as surface vehicle parking, Reliance Properties will set aside a large site for the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria’s new home, which is envisioned to be a five-storey building.

This replaces the art gallery’s pre-pandemic plans to build a new expanded facility by redeveloping its existing Moss Street location, a less central area on the easternmost outskirts of downtown.

“As a major public art museum in BC, moving to a vibrant new space in a central district dedicated to arts and culture will create enhanced opportunities for Victoria residents and visitors to access our collections, programs and exhibitions,” said Nancy Noble, the CEO and director of the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria.

Artistic rendering of the Capital Iron Lands redevelopment in Victoria. (D’Ambrosio Architecture & Urbanism/Reliance Properties)

The new art gallery would be fronted by a large event-friendly public plaza, which is one of the significant public amenities provided by Reliance Properties.

Other public realm components include new public waterfront access, including a new pedestrian pathway from Store Street and a northward extension of the Harbour Pathway, with the crossroads of these pathways being a “public quay” activated by a significant restaurant destination with outdoor patio spaces.

Reliance Properties acquired the Capital Iron Lands site in 2020. The project’s design firm is D’Ambrosio Architecture & Urbanism.

The developer also recently began construction on its Beachlands neighbourhood — a 134-acre brownfield development on the waterfront of the Greater Victoria community of Colwood.

Over 15 years, upon full buildout, The Beachlands will have a total of 2,850 homes within apartments, townhouses, and single-detached house configurations, along with a commercial village with office, retail, and restaurant uses centred around a waterfront plaza and over 47 acres of public parks and open spaces.

Artistic rendering of the Capital Iron Lands redevelopment in Victoria. (D’Ambrosio Architecture & Urbanism/Reliance Properties)

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