23.09.21 HERO.png23.09.21 HERO.png loading placeholder

1702 Quadra

A mixed-use infill development that works to balance contemporary design with historical context—thoughtfully positioned in a neighbourhood with room to grow.

Located at the corner of Quadra and Fisgard, our proposed development looks to provide secure, purpose-built rental stock and commercial offerings in North Park while supporting a car-lite, community-driven lifestyle. A diverse unit mix and investment in cycling infrastructure are tailored to increase livability and support long-term tenancies for future residents through form and function.

Project Team

Aryze5468796 architectureDYS ArchitectureBiophilia Design Collective


Site Context

North Park is a vibrant and diverse community home to approximately 3,400 people, numerous small businesses and restaurants, as well as recreational facilities including Royal Athletic Park and the Crystal Pool Centre.

Occupying one square kilometre, North Park is one of Victoria’s oldest and smallest residential neighbourhoods and is well recognized for its collection of historic religious landmarks. The Abbey Apartments is one of the many multi-family buildings that make up the area's diverse housing stock and is a representation of the social and economic transition of the area prior to World War I.

AreaContext-Website.pngAreaContext-Website.png loading placeholder

Legend

  1. Crystal Pool & Fitness Centre
  2. Habit Coffee
  3. Parsonage Cafe
  4. Royal Athletic Park
  5. Save-On-Foods
  6. Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre
  7. Sherwood
  8. Tacofino
  9. Victoria Public Market at the Hudson
  10. 10. Wildfire Bakery
  11. 11. Zambri's

In terms of context, the site is surrounded by heritage structures and existing residential towers, ranging from 7–16 storeys in height. It shares sidewalk frontage along Quadra Street with the modernist First Baptist Church, and is directly across the street from the First Metropolitan United Church.

The current structure on site is a 2 storey residential building and is home to 16 individuals and families. As it stands, the site is heavily under-utilized for a lot in the urban core of our city.

site-02-02.pngsite-02-02.png loading placeholder

What We Heard

Throughout our engagement process, we have received valuable feedback from engaged community members, Heritage Design Panel, City Staff and the Advisory Design Panel.

    Legend
  • Previous Design
  • Current Design

As a result we’ve gone back to the drawing board to address livability, building mass, setbacks and exterior facade design. Having worked hard to find a solution for each concern we are confident the new design both meets and exceeds expectations from the site and neighbourhood.

Projet Pillars

The proposed development at 1702 Quadra has been designed with the consideration of three key project pillars. These core project elements have evolved in response to community feedback and collaboration to ensure the proposal contributes to numerous benefits for the residents and community at large.

Commercial Vibrancy

The commercial space and three live-work residences located on the ground floor have been designed in response to the corner site orientation, activating the public realm and creating opportunities for community connection on both streetscapes. The North Park Neighbourhood Association’s Community Values Survey highlights the community’s desire for local, diverse businesses that contribute to the vibrancy of the neighbourhood and we hope to honour that as we continue to explore suitable commercial tenants for the space.

Celebrating History

While the exterior has shifted in form throughout design iterations, the rich history of the subject site is still important to celebrate and we continue to look for ways to honour the building’s history and neighbourhood context through design, research and collaboration.

Currently, this looks like exploring potential creative measures which create a material memory of the existing building while adding dimension to the ground floor and exterior. One example of this is the proposed use of salvaged brick from the demolition of the existing building to demarcate its location through a series of short walls and planters along Fisgard Street—bringing historical awareness and textural references to the original building to the pedestrian scale.

We are also interested in continued collaboration with local makers and creatives to explore design opportunities that weave the old with the new while remaining receptive to feedback from community members.

23.09.21 0649 QUADRA ELEV copy 2.jpg23.09.21 0649 QUADRA ELEV copy 2.jpg loading placeholder

Why Rental?

With homeownership increasingly out of step with local incomes, Purpose Built Rental housing represents a possible—and sometimes beneficial—alternative to homeownership.

Common Benefits to Rental Housing

WebsiteIconsALL-21.svg

Maintenance

Lack of maintenance or repair costs
WebsiteIconsALL-36.svg

No Taxes

No property taxes
WebsiteIconsALL-08.svg

Accessible

Increased access to amenities
WebsiteIconsALL-24.svg

Flexible

More flexibility where you live
WebsiteIconsALL-10.svg

Predictable

Predictable monthly payments
WebsiteIconsALL-31.svg

Affordable

No downpayment required

What's more, all rental units at 1702 Quadra have been designed to increase livability through both form and function, ultimately supporting long-term tenancies.

Community Benefits

Project at a Glance

WebsiteIconsALL-05.svg
Height

13 Storeys

Site Area

10,202 sqft

Floor Area

56,124 sqft

Commercial Space

930 sqft

FSR

5.50 FSR

Site Coverage

76.5%

WebsiteIconsALL-02.svg
North Setback

4.85m

East Setback

2.0-4.0m

South Setback

0.85-2.85m

West Setback

3.8-6.5m

WebsiteIconsALL-03.svg
Number of Homes

91 Homes

Studio

43 Homes

One Bedroom

24 Homes

Two Bedroom

21 Homes

Work/Live

3 Homes

Residential Tenure

Rental in Perpetuity

WebsiteIconsALL-07.svg
Short-Term Bike Stalls

21 Stalls

Long-Term Bike Stalls

182 Stalls

Parking Stalls

4 Stalls

EV Ready

Car Share

1 Modo Car + Memberships

BC Transit EcoPasses

Provided to 10% of Homes

What's Next?

Stay Informed

Fill in the form to receive future project updates for our proposed development at 1702 Quadra Street.

This includes invitations to future Community Information Sessions and notifications on key milestones throughout the process. We’re available to discuss development details with you through a variety of channels, with the goal of building trust and establishing a shared vision for the project.

Select...