A commentary by the development manager at Aragon Properties.
Almost three years ago, Aragon Properties submitted a development application in Victoria to build a four-story residential building at the corner of Cook and Pendergast streets.
Our proposed building in the Cook Street Village was rejected recently by council in a 4-4 tie at a public hearing. The building, designed by local architect Cascadia Architecture, would have added 48 beautiful new family-size units comprised of 55 per cent two- and 25 per cent three-bedroom homes, and a new commercial space along Cook Street.
During the development of the proposal, we had extensive engagement with the community that resulted in an improved design concept and led to some great ideas.
For example, we commissioned First Nations artist Chris Paul to design artistic screens along the building façade, an artistic flare which adds character and uniqueness to the building. We also formed a partnership with the Cook Street Activity Centre to help expand their services to include a nurse practitioner program by providing a discounted sale price for a much-needed space in an adjacent building in which Aragon owns a unit.
In all, our proposal included community contributions worth nearly $450,000, including a donation to the affordable housing reserve fund.
In the end, none of this seemed to matter. There was a message from part of council that the fundamental basis of our project to provide market rate housing was flawed. That came as a surprise and disappointment to us.
Aragon has been in the development industry for 33 years and has a proven record in the Victoria region. We are in the final stages of Esqumalt Town Square, a joint venture with the Township of Esquimalt to transform their urban core by creating a new mixed-use space around the town hall.
ETS has a number of exciting components, including a large public plaza, a five-storey mass timber office building and two residential condo buildings, which are completed and selling. ETS also features a much-needed rental residential building, due to complete in June.
This collaboration with the Township of Esquimalt displays our care and attention when it comes to developing homes, job spaces and community amenities to everyone’s benefit — and we hope to bring this value to all our Vancouver Island projects.
Cook Street Village is a special community in Victoria, and we recognize the importance of working closely with residents and council to put together a project they feel enhances the neighbourhood.
As a baseline for what to build, we started by looking at the city’s current policies around development for this area, including the Official Community Plan, which closely outlines objectives for healthy, successful city growth. The OCP stipulates requirements such as density, height, sustainability, materials, uses and more. The city also has policies and bylaws to guide requirements over parking, building setbacks and affordable housing components.
With the OCP as our guide, we conducted six community meetings over eight months and continued to refine the design to respond to the feedback from the public and from the city. We eventually made our application in February 2018.
All cities need a balanced ecosystem of housing. That ecosystem has to include single-family houses, multi-family condo buildings, rental apartments and affordable or under-market housing. There must be something for everyone, at each stage of life. The city’s policies typically reflect an understanding that this is what is needed.
The homes we designed would be perfect for young families who want to avoid long commutes, and would also suit residents in Cook Street Village who are ready to sell their existing homes and downsize into a single-level apartment. The building would also feature many homes ideal for first-time buyers who are looking for a condo.
We don’t just pay lip service to building homes for families. I live with my family in a two-bedroom condo developed by Aragon, and I feel homes like mine are an important part of our housing ecosystem.
Our application arrived at the city nearly three years before going to a public hearing. During that time, the city updated its policy on affordable housing twice, specifically exempting projects that were already in process. In this past year, to try to move this project to public hearing, we offered voluntary contributions well in excess of what is required by city policy.
If we bring forward a proposal which meets or exceeds all aspects of the policies outlined by the city and has community support, but it is ultimately rejected, the basis for our industry’s business model fails.
At that point, the ability to build in Victoria stops becoming about policy and starts becoming about politics.
We hope that future builders find more success, and that the city finds a way to do their part to provide a balanced housing ecosystem.
Luke Ramsay is Development Manager at Aragon Properties
