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Victoria – Discovery & Douglas Street Redevelopment

A rendering of a modern eight-storey apartment building.

Capital City Center Hotel

The Capital City Center Hotel, 1961 Douglas Street provides vital temporary housing for those experiencing, or at risk of homelessness. Our Place Society has been operating the building since October 2020. Staff are on-site 24 hours a day to ensure residents can achieve and maintain housing stability and receive important supports such as:

  • life skills training
  • wellness checks
  • referrals to health services as well as skill development programs

All residents have signed a program agreement with Our Place Society.

Redevelopment

Although the Capital City Center Hotel has provided vital supports and temporary housing, we recognize the building was not built or designed for this purpose. It is BC Housing’s long-term goal to redevelop this site to create more housing and better supports for the people we serve.

To realise this goal, BC Housing have partnered with Chard Development Ltd., a local developer with experience in redevelopment projects and, through the ownership partnership 710 Caledonia Equity LP, the developer of the adjacent White Spot site. Together, we are applying to the City of Victoria to rezone the properties at 710 Caledonia Street and 1961 Douglas Street, as well as properties across the street at 722, 726 & 732 Discovery Street. Together, these two proposals will result in a diverse, multi-purpose development. The proposals currently include purpose built and designed supportive housing, market rental units, below-market rental units, office units, childcare, a public plaza, commercial retail, a grocery store and condominiums.

If successful, the proposal would happen in stages:

  1. We would construct 80-90 units of replacement purpose-built supportive housing on the empty parking lot across the street (722, 726 & 732 Discovery Street).
  2. Residents of the Capital City Center Hotel would have the opportunity to move to that replacement supportive housing.
  3. Once the Capital City Center Hotel is empty, we would demolish it and the other buildings on the Douglas St lot (including the old White Spot).
  4. Together, Chard and BC Housing would build affordable housing, offices, stores, a childcare centre and market housing on that land.


Satelite map image of the site which is in a dense urban area

The image shows the two sites. The Capital City Center Hotel sits in the top left corner of the bigger box. The smaller box is where the replacement supportive housing would go.

We believe this proposed redevelopment would revitalise the neighbourhood by creating a variety of housing types and a “15-minute neighbourhood”, where all residents live within a short walk of offices, childcare centre, and community-serving retail that includes a grocery store.

Proposal details

1961 Douglas & 710 Caledonia (current Capital City Center Hotel & site of former White Spot):

  • Approx. 451 new homes
    • 137 affordable rental
    • 169 market rental
    • 145 condominiums
  • Approx. 31,000 sf grocery store
  • Large public plaza
  • Dedicated childcare centre
  • Approx. 40,000 sf of office space
  • 3 buildings atop a shared podium:
    • 16 storeys below market rental
    • 21 storeys market rental
    • 21 storeys office & market condominiums

722, 726 & 732 Discovery Street

  • 80-90 self-contained studio units
  • 7- 8 storeys
  • Private outdoor amenity space
  • On-site supports, including: 24/7 staffing, meals, life skills training, connection to outside supports

Questions & Feedback:

Our Place Society

Our Place Society have been operating the Capital City Center Hotel since October 2020 and will continue to operate the replacement building providing much needed support service to residents.

Our Place Society has many years of experience working with vulnerable people in the Greater Victoria area. Since the 1960’s they have been working with people struggling with homelessness, mental health challenges, substance use issues, as well as the working poor and impoverished elderly people. Our Place Society are committed to building a pathway out of homelessness for many members of the Greater Victoria community. Their hard work provides a sense of hope and belonging to our neighbours in need.

Rezoning and Community Engagement

Community Land Use Committee (CALUC)

Community engagement begun in early 2022 and will follow the City of Victoria’s prescribed rezoning process.

As part of the City’s rezoning process, the Burnside Gorge Community Association hosted a public community land use committee (CALUC) meeting on February 7, 2022. Due to the ongoing COVID 19 pandemic, this meeting took place virtually.

Community Information Session

On March 31, 2022, BC Housing hosted an additional information session focused on the supportive housing element of this redevelopment proposal at 722, 726 & 732 Discovery Street. Due to COVID 19 policies, this meeting took place virtually.

Hosted by a neutral third-party facilitator, this session was an opportunity for neighbours to learn about the proposed supportive housing site, ask questions, and share feedback. This session took place virtually and was not recorded.

Your feedback and comments are important to us

We welcome questions and comments below in the Q&A tool or by email to communityrelations@bchousing.org.

Capital City Center Hotel

The Capital City Center Hotel, 1961 Douglas Street provides vital temporary housing for those experiencing, or at risk of homelessness. Our Place Society has been operating the building since October 2020. Staff are on-site 24 hours a day to ensure residents can achieve and maintain housing stability and receive important supports such as:

  • life skills training
  • wellness checks
  • referrals to health services as well as skill development programs

All residents have signed a program agreement with Our Place Society.

Redevelopment

Although the Capital City Center Hotel has provided vital supports and temporary housing, we recognize the building was not built or designed for this purpose. It is BC Housing’s long-term goal to redevelop this site to create more housing and better supports for the people we serve.

To realise this goal, BC Housing have partnered with Chard Development Ltd., a local developer with experience in redevelopment projects and, through the ownership partnership 710 Caledonia Equity LP, the developer of the adjacent White Spot site. Together, we are applying to the City of Victoria to rezone the properties at 710 Caledonia Street and 1961 Douglas Street, as well as properties across the street at 722, 726 & 732 Discovery Street. Together, these two proposals will result in a diverse, multi-purpose development. The proposals currently include purpose built and designed supportive housing, market rental units, below-market rental units, office units, childcare, a public plaza, commercial retail, a grocery store and condominiums.

If successful, the proposal would happen in stages:

  1. We would construct 80-90 units of replacement purpose-built supportive housing on the empty parking lot across the street (722, 726 & 732 Discovery Street).
  2. Residents of the Capital City Center Hotel would have the opportunity to move to that replacement supportive housing.
  3. Once the Capital City Center Hotel is empty, we would demolish it and the other buildings on the Douglas St lot (including the old White Spot).
  4. Together, Chard and BC Housing would build affordable housing, offices, stores, a childcare centre and market housing on that land.


Satelite map image of the site which is in a dense urban area

The image shows the two sites. The Capital City Center Hotel sits in the top left corner of the bigger box. The smaller box is where the replacement supportive housing would go.

We believe this proposed redevelopment would revitalise the neighbourhood by creating a variety of housing types and a “15-minute neighbourhood”, where all residents live within a short walk of offices, childcare centre, and community-serving retail that includes a grocery store.

Proposal details

1961 Douglas & 710 Caledonia (current Capital City Center Hotel & site of former White Spot):

  • Approx. 451 new homes
    • 137 affordable rental
    • 169 market rental
    • 145 condominiums
  • Approx. 31,000 sf grocery store
  • Large public plaza
  • Dedicated childcare centre
  • Approx. 40,000 sf of office space
  • 3 buildings atop a shared podium:
    • 16 storeys below market rental
    • 21 storeys market rental
    • 21 storeys office & market condominiums

722, 726 & 732 Discovery Street

  • 80-90 self-contained studio units
  • 7- 8 storeys
  • Private outdoor amenity space
  • On-site supports, including: 24/7 staffing, meals, life skills training, connection to outside supports

Questions & Feedback:

Our Place Society

Our Place Society have been operating the Capital City Center Hotel since October 2020 and will continue to operate the replacement building providing much needed support service to residents.

Our Place Society has many years of experience working with vulnerable people in the Greater Victoria area. Since the 1960’s they have been working with people struggling with homelessness, mental health challenges, substance use issues, as well as the working poor and impoverished elderly people. Our Place Society are committed to building a pathway out of homelessness for many members of the Greater Victoria community. Their hard work provides a sense of hope and belonging to our neighbours in need.

Rezoning and Community Engagement

Community Land Use Committee (CALUC)

Community engagement begun in early 2022 and will follow the City of Victoria’s prescribed rezoning process.

As part of the City’s rezoning process, the Burnside Gorge Community Association hosted a public community land use committee (CALUC) meeting on February 7, 2022. Due to the ongoing COVID 19 pandemic, this meeting took place virtually.

Community Information Session

On March 31, 2022, BC Housing hosted an additional information session focused on the supportive housing element of this redevelopment proposal at 722, 726 & 732 Discovery Street. Due to COVID 19 policies, this meeting took place virtually.

Hosted by a neutral third-party facilitator, this session was an opportunity for neighbours to learn about the proposed supportive housing site, ask questions, and share feedback. This session took place virtually and was not recorded.

Your feedback and comments are important to us

We welcome questions and comments below in the Q&A tool or by email to communityrelations@bchousing.org.

Questions or comments? Please add below.

Guidelines for constructive and respectful dialogue

  • Please ensure your question is clear, concise, relevant to the project, and respectful.
  • Review our moderation policy. Questions that do not abide by the moderation policy or guidelines for respectful dialogue may not be answered.
  • We expect everyone will refrain from using language or acting in a way that is discriminating, threatening, abusive, racist or otherwise disrespectful. Discrimination or abusive language of any kind will not be tolerated.
  • Your question will appear once our team has answered it. If your question has already been answered, we may respond privately.
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  • Your proposal includes the removal of 3 significant, historic, mature, protected Garry oaks, which are on the perimeter of the properties on Discovery Street. Victoria's Urban Forest Master Plan and its Tree Bylaw have as major goals the retention and enhancement of large trees in areas of the City which are currently underserved by tree canopy. Discovery Street and, indeed, the whole of downtown is certainly one of those areas. Retaining trees in this area is of utmost importance, especially for social justice reasons. People who are striving to heal from addictions and homelessness, etc. are in particular need of healthy, natural environments. The removal of those huge beautiful restorative trees should be unconscionable. It would in no way add to the "revitalization of the neighbourhood." In fact, it would utterly destroy the beauty that has survived there for over a century. Those trees have withstood masses of concrete and traffic for so long - but whether they can withstand the short-sightedness of BC Housing is another matter. I urge you to respect the mandate of City council and redesign your proposal to include and value the heritage Garry oaks that are so vital to Victoria and its residents.

    Janet asked about 2 years ago

    Thank you for your comment, Janet. We appreciate you taking the time to write to us. 

    The assessment of trees is always a part of the development process. BC Housing tries to preserve as many trees as possible based on the assessment results. We will forward your feedback to our development team for their consideration.

  • Absolutely support BC Housing, Chard and Our Place in this transformative housing initiative to replace Capital City Center housing with a 15 minute neighbourhood while maintaining supportive housing across the street.

    Cairine MacDonald asked almost 3 years ago

    Hi Cairine,

    Thank you for your support. We highly appreciate it. Please stay in touch.

  • Who is going to clean up the glass pipes, needles, garbage, and food waste.

    Chad asked over 3 years ago

    Both staff and residents will be committed to keeping the property maintained with a daily clean-up, just as any other resident in the neighborhood would keep their own property clean and tidy. 

    In addition, the site will have a Clean Team who will do sweeps in the neighbourhood for any litter. If needles or garbage are discovered near the property at any time, people are able to call the non-profit housing operator (Our Place Society) designated phone number for clean-up services.

Page last updated: 15 Jul 2024, 12:44 PM