Developers have spent the better part of 15 years trying to get approval on their ambitious plans for the Roundhouse property in Vic West, just off Esquimalt Road at Catherine Street.
At the Committee of the Whole meeting on Thursday, October 26th, city council considered and reviewed the site developers’ final submission for rezoning the property.
The developers, Focus Equities Inc., primarily would like to build over 1,800 residential units with 215 affordable units to be operated by a non-profit organization. 460 of the units (25%) would be specifically for below or at-market rental units, as per their application.
These units would be within nine towers ranging between 10 and 32 storeys.
The plan would also see the Roundhouse get a large child care facility and 70,000 square-feet of retail space.
The site of this project is a unique one for the city council to consider because of its grandeur, its status as a National Historic Site and because of pushback from people in the area who are opposed to building several large towers in their sightline, despite the ongoing housing crisis in Victoria.
“The Roundhouse site will be known for its breathtaking arrival experience; an iconic sight for harbour visitors and a unique addition to the Victoria’s skyline,” reads Focus Equities proposal.
“But, as much as this vision is inspired by the potential of the site, it is also deeply rooted in the significant challenges of the site.”
“The site under its current design guidelines is not viable. The site has stalled for nearly 10 years following the successful development of Phase One. The promised potential community benefits cannot be delivered, or its vision fully realized, until a strategy to resolve these significant barriers is adopted,” their application continued.
During the city council meeting on Thursday, the mayor and councillors heard a report from city staff, spoke with representatives of Focus Equities Inc., reviewed the 261-page rezoning proposal, went over some public feedback on the project and ultimately decided to hold a public hearing as a next step.
The public hearing is set for January 18th, 2024.
