Old City Nanaimo Real Estate

This location, currently occupied by a little-used parking garage, was slated to be developed as the "Marcielo" project in the early 2020s, but that plan fell apart. This new plan involves three 6-storey buildings: One will be rental apartments and the other two will be stratified and the units available for purchase.

The two strata buildings will be named Benson View (the one on the west side above Skinner St) and Harbour View (above Chapel St).

I'll be curious to see how this will work, with two of the buildings being owned by stratas and the third building being purpose-built rentals. Will the strata buildings be entirely separate, with no costs shared with the rental building's owner?

It appears there will be a plaza, or multiple plazas, and that there are efforts to integrate this development into the living spaces of our downtown. It will certainly mean a far greater number of people living, walking and shopping in that area.

The development permit (DP001256) was issued in May of 2023.

There is currently a parking lot at this site, 337 Robson St, behind St. Andrew's United Church in the Old City Quarter.

The plan, approved as development permit DP1289, is for a five-storey apartment building with 30 "micro-units". There will be a rooftop terrace and a parkade.

I suspect this will be a rental building and not offered for sale, because they are micro-units and there will only be 11 parking spaces in the parkade.

When Chinatown burned to the ground in September 1960, the "Chinese Freemasons building" at 880 Hecate St was one of only a few buildings left standing. Built in 1955, it has finally outlived its usefulness and will be replaced with a 3-4 storey building with 8 townhome units, some with rooftop decks. It seems there will be numerous outdoor parking spaces with electrical outlets for small cars.

The permit is number DP001299, authorized in early 2024.

This block of Prideaux is between Albert St and Hecate St. The development permit (DP001301) is for a 3-storey fourplex of rowhomes. Parking will be in open spaces on the common lot.

This will be an L-shaped low-rise building of four-storeys on top of underground parking, with 55 units. The location is currently a gravel parking lot near the old Keg building and Delicado's, at the corner of Franklyn St and Robson (near City Hall).

The development permit (DP001340) was issued in August 2024. At this time it's not clear whether the units will be kept as rentals by the developer (Camargue Properties) or whether they'll be stratified and sold as condos.

Address: 345 Prideaux Street & 390 Milton Street
This location is between Prideaux and Milton Streets, near Franklyn St. It was a cool rooming house built in 1910 but it has seen better days, so I'm not surprised the newest owner is planning to re-develop. The City has just approved the development permit (DP001316) for a 3-storey building with 14 dwelling units and a small restaurant space, as well as an elevator.

I'm guessing the units will be small, because there is not much parking. It also isn't clear yet whether this will be a strata, or kept as rental units.

A development application was approved in August 2024 for a 3-storey rowhouse (townhome) building with 24 units.

The location is the corner of Albert and Prideaux Streets (Old City), where there has been a vacant lot for as long as I can remember, with various U-Haul trailers among other stored equipment.

I'm optimistic about seeing more density in that area, and more shoppers for the "Superette" bodega across the tracks!

Four townhomes (two of them detached) with live/work spaces are planned for 540 Kennedy St - there is a 1910-built home there currently. The location is between Albert and Hecate Streets (see location map below).

At the front of the complex there will be two detached townhomes, side by side, with a pedestrian lane between them. At the back will be a pair of townhomes attached like a duplex, with 10 parking spaces underneath. These two units may have ocean views, depending on whatever construction eventually happens on the vacant lot to the north.

The development permit application was approved in February 2023, which means it expires in Feb 2025 if construction hasn't started by then.

Sunporch Homes is a prolific local builder who's been re-developing individual lots around South Nanaimo for several years, with a good track record.

Their plan for this lot at 223 Victoria Rd is a fourplex that has one live/work space and three residential units. Although there are four units, the builder got permission from the City to include only 3 parking spaces onsite, since the lot is so small. There is not a great street parking situation there, so I am hopeful they'll find residents who don't have cars!

They made this development permit application at the end of 2021 and the permit granted by the City will expire in January 2025 if construction hasn't started.