Victoria – Douglas Street Redevelopment

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. With redevelopment of this site expected to begin in mid-2025, BC Housing is working to relocate residents of Capital City Center Hotel to other suitable housing in the community to prepare for the building’s eventual closure and demolition.

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 realize this goal, BC Housing has partnered with Chard Development Ltd. (doing business as 710 Caledonia Equity LP), a local developer with experience in redevelopment projects. Together, we applied to the City of Victoria to rezone the 1961 Douglas Street property. The rezoning was approved by the City in March 2024.

Once complete, the redevelopment project will provide approximately 597 new homes – a mix of market and below market rentals and for purchase condominiums -- as well as a childcare centre, retail spaces including a grocery store, a public plaza and an office tower.

The next steps of the project are:

1. BC Housing and Our Place Society to work together to relocate residents of Capital City Centre Hotel to other suitable housing in the community. Once the Capital City Center Hotel is empty, it would be demolished along with the other buildings on the Douglas St. lot, including the former White Spot).
2. Chard Development would begin construction of affordable housing, offices and a childcare centre on the land.

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.

Proposal details

1961 Douglas (current Capital City Center Hotel):

• Approx. 597 homes across three towers:
  • 133 below market units to be retained by BC Housing
  • 171 market rental units
• Retail space including a Grocery store
• Office space
• Dedicated childcare centre

Questions & Feedback:

Any question regarding the redevelopment can be sent to Heather Harley, Chard Development Ltd at hharley@charddevelopment.com

Our Place Society

Our Place Society has 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 is 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 began 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.

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.