Gerry Thomasen's Blog - Upcoming Developments

New Plan for 77 Chapel site

The City of Nanaimo has approved a development for 77 Chapel St, the site currently occupied by a parking garage behind the Nanaimo courthouse. There will be 3 buildings; one will be an apartment building that is rented out, and there will be two separate condo/townhome buildings connected by a breezeway, echoing somewhat the atrium style of the 91 Chapel building built next door a couple years ago.

• Underground parking
• 154 units total
• 6 storeys each, plus parking levels

A few years ago, there was a development called "Marcielo" that was approved for this location; the developer even had their building permits from the City. I'm not sure what happened to that project.

I'll be watching for updates about this development, especially for…

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Sandstone - A Master Plan in South Nanaimo

It was announced in 2009, and it seemed far-fetched to me at the time. But now that a new push has been announced (on the City's "What's Building" resource), this master development feels like it could happen anytime.

The Sandstone lands will span from the Nanaimo River Estuary to Cinnabar Valley, with the RDN landfill roughly in the center. (The landfill is expected to be converted to parkland some day, according to the currently published development application materials. I confess I am curious about how the smell of the landfill will be mitigated for residents nearest to the landfill, but I'm confident that there is premium long-term potential here.)

The "Cedar Rd North" precinct will be close to the estuary and I would expect it to be the…

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Mid-Town Gateway Project - Bowen & Northfield

You may have noticed the old Northfield Mines site being re-developed in recent years - especially the mountains they've moved behind the Christ Community Church (see below). Well, there is an effort underway to develop a mixed-use complex in the location shown below. 

The complex is planned to include a grocery store in the center, with retail buildings along the perimeter. and with residential units perched above the retail builds. 

I'm sure there are still many hurdles for this development to overcome, not least the purchase of the private properties along Northfield where there are already some homes established. But I wanted to show this plan, as something of interest to people who live and work in the area!

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Telus Living - New Market Rentals in Downtown Nanaimo

Here's an exciting development - the old convent site downtown, behind New York Style Pizza - an application has been submitted to the City for building a big rental complex there.

They have some good ideas for this one. There's an enclosed dog park and a kids' playground (with views) out back, plus a common area that includes an outdoor work bar above the street, a social lounge and outdoor dining space. There's even going to be a space for some community gardening. There are two buildings, one 6 storeys high and one 7 storeys. The taller building will have a common area on the rooftop, perfect for watching the fireworks I'm sure.

This development is planned to include 197 residential units, a commercial retail unit and and a shared underground…

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New Development for 930 Terminal Avenue

Recognize this vacant lot? It's on that nutty stretch of highway between Townsite and Terminal Park.

I've been wondering what would be done with it, because it's fronted by a narrow four-lane highway and it has a creek in the back - so what is its highest and best use? A commercial building with live/work spaces?

Turns out there is going to be a condo building with 29 one/two bedroom units, plus 3 live/work townhomes and a cafe on the ground floor. This makes sense because they can tuck their parking underneath/behind, and there will be ocean views from some of the units, and great mountain/city views from others.

The application was submitted in early 2019 and has now been approved by city council (DP001133). According to an article in…

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DLX on Third | Nanaimo Student Condos

UPDATE: This project was canceled in 2020 and the City has entered into an understanding (or so I was told) with BC Housing to construct something else, here.

Expected to be finished in 2020 or early 2021, this development will include seven buildings (181 suites) constructed in a close cluster along Third St, up on the hill between Howard Ave and Lambert Ave.

This location will be perfect for VIU students as it's just a 10 minute walk to the classroom, or about 12 minutes to Nanaimo's downtown.

There will be a gym for residents, as well as a public restaurant with a study area and evening entertainment space.

The current plan is for the strata bylaws to allow unit owners to rent their properties to tenants. Pets are also planned to be…

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Diver Lake Townhomes - Emerald Woods Place

As you drive on the Nanaimo Parkway from the Northfield exit toward Mostar Rd, there's a property on your right, 300m before Mostar Road. This was cleared in the spring of 2017 to make way for a new townhome development. The first handful of homes are expected to be built and ready for possession in spring of 2018.

There are 35 duplex buildings on the plan, meaning that 70 homes will be available. There are 1- and 2-storey units planned, and it appears that all of them will include an attached garage as well as some driveway. See below for one of the sketches of a 2-storey townhome in this development.

The plan includes the following features:

• A public trailway will connect Old Slope Place with Verte Place along the north side of the…

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New Townhouses - 253 Victoria Rd

Update: This building is now being built (August 2018) and the units are for sale. See here: The Seven, Nanaimo

Recognize the vacant lot pictured in these Google Streetview photos? It's where Farquhar intersects with Victoria Rd, near Dairy Queen in the South End.

That lot's been vacant for as long as I can remember (anyone?). But the City has approved an application for building a 3-storey development with commercial spaces on the ground floor and two floors of residential townhomes above.

It looks like the WORKspaces downstairs will be connected/available to the LIVEspaces above, and that each unit will total around 1550 sq ft, including its commercial space. However, I'm not certain of my interpretation of the report.

Here's an image…

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440 Selby St - Hotel/Restaurant Planned

There are so many opportunities for commercial real estate investment in downtown Nanaimo, with tons of lots sitting empty, waiting for someone with a plan. It's great to see that someone is investing in the area around Albert St.

An application has been submitted to the City (update: it is approved) for building a 45-room hotel with meeting rooms and a 36-seat restaurant at the 440 Selby St. This site is adjacent to the Service BC access centre, the government building on your right as you approach the midway-point of Albert St. You may remember that there was a brightly-painted "sausage house" here a few years ago.

Here's one of the renderings submitted to the City:

This photo may help you to realize which lot is in question:

If you…

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The Foothills (Lantzville) - Touring Begins

If you live in the mid-Island and haven't heard of The Lantzville Foothills, it means three things:

1. You haven't been hiking enough
2. You're not following local politics
3. You're not planning your dream home overlooking a phenomenal view

The hiker should know this place as a beautiful system of arbutus groves and mossy lookouts.

If you followed local matters, you'd know that this development (which started and failed under different ownership during the Great Recession) has been a hot-button topic for Lantzville residents and local politics.

And anyone with the capital to build a luxurious home - with the desire to spend a little more on the SITE in order to secure a priceless view - would certainly have heard about The Lantzville…

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