Esquimalt council has approved the site of the former Gorge Pointe Pub to be rezoned to accommodate mixed-use development.
Abstract Development applied to Esquimalt council to have the lot at 1075 Tillicum Rd. rezoned to allow the company to build a six-storey project, with five storeys of residential and ground-floor retail space.
“We’re very excited. This is our first project in the municipality of Esquimalt,” said Tavish Rai, executive vice-president of Abstract Development. “It’s been a pleasure working with staff and dealing with council on getting this project to fruition. Very excited last night, and happy to be able to become part of that community in a meaningful way.”
Monday night, in a 5-2 vote, Esquimalt council approved rezoning of the lot from the former Licensed Liquor Establishment designation to Comprehensive Development District. This zoning designation allows for mixed commercial and residential developments.
According to Rai, the next step in the process is to apply for a development permit.
“We still have to apply for the development permit,” Rai said. “Then after the development permit, we have to get drawings together, submit for a building permit, that’ll take some time to be approved. We’re hoping to be able to break ground within the next year, but that’s TBD depending on just working through the different processes with the municipality.”
The proposed project calls for a six-storey building, with the ground floor being commercial space, and the upper five floors being residential.
Current plans call for 99 housing units, with a mix of studio, one-bedroom, junior two-bedroom, two-bedroom, and three-bedroom units.
The studio condos would start between 350-400 square feet, up to around 964 square feet for the three-bedroom units.
Esquimalt Mayor Barb Desjardins says the project will address a need for housing that the region is facing, but that some councillors and residents raised concerns about the proposal.
“It didn’t come without some concerns,” Desjardins said. “Council had a large number of residents come and speak to us last night which was always wonderful to get public input, but at the end, it was determined that this was a project that would add value and add much-needed housing to Esquimalt.”
In its application, Abstract has indicated the plan for the ground floor retail is to have a cafe, which Desjardins says will be a good addition.
“It is replacing some of the commercial space that has been lost by the loss of the pub, and although our community really mourns losses of pubs this will provide a commercial space that is currently slated to be something whether it’s a cafe or a place where people can gather,” Desjardins said. “So that’ll be wonderful. And of course, the idea that it’s right across from our Gorge Park and Gorge Pavilion, I think it’s just an opportune place for people to be able to live.”
During the public hearing, many residents raised concerns about the impact building would have on traffic, which Desjardins says council has been trying to address for years.
“That road is a very busy road and it is one that has been on our radar for a number of years, in terms of how do we make this road safe for cyclists for pedestrians, but also we have to recognize that that is a route for many of the industrial area trucks that have to get out of Esquimalt,” Desjardins said. “So we have developed an active transportation plan, and that road and corridor is front and center for funding that we approved last night in our budget to move forward.”
Rai also noted the company hired a third-party traffic management consultant to identify traffic risks the project would bring and the consultant did not identify any traffic management processes required.
Desjardins also noted that Abstract Developments plans to improve sidewalks in the area, as well as a commitment to provide funding to the municipality for the active transportation plan.
Laura Brougham
