The Evolution of Downtown Victoria

Recognizing the need to strike a balance between preserving the historic charm of the city core and allowing for progressive design, developers have spurred a metamorphosis of downtown Victoria. At the heart of the change are local firms, D’Ambrosio Architecture + Urbanism and Jawl Properties, both of which are constantly adapting to the ever-changing landscape of urban Victoria.

Two significant developments shaking up the trendy downtown Victorian scenery are being led by Jawl Properties – 1515 Douglas Street and Capital Park. Both projects are set to open up Victoria to even further growth.

Integral Group is providing mechanical engineering, LEED project management, and energy modeling services for both projects.

1515 Douglas St will feature an outdoor plaza and extra wide sidewalks, rejuvenating a once dreary neighborhood with sustainable green energy. The building will also integrate abundant daylighting, CO2 monitored demand-controlled ventilation, and 80%+ effective air-to-air heat recovery, to provide exceptional indoor air quality and occupant comfort. A rainwater harvesting system will use reclaimed water for all site irrigation, and will contribute towards an aggressive 45% reduction in potable water use for plumbing fixtures.

Capital Park aims to introduce tasteful living and business space around a community plaza, while complementing the natural sight lines and architecture of the surrounding heritage buildings. This redevelopment project will revitalize the “South Block” lot behind the provincial legislature buildings in the James Bay neighborhood of Victoria. The six-acre project site will include over 370,000 square feet of mid-rise government office, residential, and retail uses across 5 buildings built in 3 phases, with multiple targets for LEED Certification. Mechanical design features will include a high-efficiency air-source heat pump system, ventilation heat recovery, and rainwater harvesting. (Render from CEI Architecture)

Read the full story from the Globe and Mail here.