[Royal Oak - Saanich] Tri-Eagle Plaza | 4300 W. Saanich Road | Raven Building completed in 2009, Thunderbird Building proposed

[FunkyMunky]

I sat in this evening on the public hearing for the Tri-Eagle Plaza development proposal in Royal Oak. This is a multi building programme on former BC Hydro property south of the Royal Oak Plaza and north of Ferrie Road although the only part being discussed tonight was a 4-storey 56 unit condo building. (Public Hearing announcement [url=http://www.saanich.ca/municipal/clerks/ccw/packages/jan22b2-5.pdf:71069]here[/url:71069].)

A few points made by someone from the community association (I couldn't catch her name as she was a bit of a mumbler).

• - The developer originally offered 4, 6 and 8 storey building options for the condos but the neighbours only approved a four storey building. They were concerned about being overlooked although it was pointed out during the presentation that the building stood 150 feet from the adjacent townhouses and would be masked by the mature trees that would remain on the property.
  
  - There are still a couple of other buildings proposed for the site (but not part of this rezoning request) and one is currently pencilled in at eight stories. The community association went on record denouncing the height claiming "the building would overwhelm Royal Oak village that they've been working so hard to create".

What's up with people claiming private strip malls are equal to public town centres? This the problem with Mill Bay and to a large degree, Cordova Bay.

Doesn't it make sense to have people living close to your 'village'? I don't get the community association's desire to keep the height at four stories and therefore endorse sprawl and vehicular traffic to the 'village'. How would an eight storey building ruin the ambiance of sitting in Tim's Horton's overlooking the parking lot?

[VicHockeyFan]

You know people.

I've been a salesman for many, many years. I learned early on that the best thing you can do is know your product, and then show your prospective client that you really do know what you are talking about, even if the customer doesn't quite know what you are telling them. I also learned early on not to blame a customer for ignoring everything else on a quote or estimate and going right to the price. You can't blame them for concentrating on the price - that is something they can relate to. They can't relate to the viscosity of the oil you are selling, or the different type of parts in the garden sprkinkler you are selling.

So people can't be blamed for reacting to the only thing they know is different, or perhaps bad - height. It takes a lot of effort and confidence-building to get them over what is a very measurable for them, and to consider the benefits of height and/or density. I wish more developers would show examples of other projects like theirs that work (be they in town here or wherever), rather than trying to just say its not viable economically (neighbours don't care) at 4 stories or that it really isn't that high compared to so and so.

[Holden West]

^Well said.

Tri-Eagle is the development company doing the downtown Gateway Green office tower.

[renthefinn]

I'm not sure but the Tri-Eagle development site for the first residential building was only evaluated, from a soils standpoint, for a four storey building, I should know, haha. I'm pretty sure they planned it at 4-storeys the whole time.

[G-Man]

Are they tearing down the BC Hydro building? What will happen to the giant revolving generator?

[Vic Vega]

The residents also strongly opposed a plan of almost zero density when Transit wanted to put their yard there instead of having to go out to Langford.

[G-Man]

Why don't they just come out and say build more sprawl!

Thanks for the tidbit Vic Vega. Welcome to the forum!

[aastra]

What's up with people claiming private strip malls are equal to public town centres? This the problem with Mill Bay and to a large degree, Cordova Bay.

I'll go you one better. The folks living around University Heights (!) made the same claim when Home Depot wanted to go in there. Comparisons between University Heights and Cook Street's village were flying.

The proposal is expected to draw plenty of critics. Council has a letter...signed by 13 neighbours, that questions the store's seven-day operation and parking and traffic congestion.

"We consider the University Heights mall our little village much like the Cook Street and Fairfield village malls. Home Depot does not belong in a neighbourhood village," Cox wrote.

Home Depot does not belong in a neighbourhood village. Indeed.

But then neither does K-Mart, extensive surface parking, a multi-screen cinema, a shopping mall with an underground parkade, Canadian Tire, Boston Pizza, drive-thru Tim Hortons, gas stations...

University Heights is many things, but a neighbourhood village ain't one of them.

People just can't help but defend the familiar against the unfamiliar.

[renthefinn]

Well the original office building will probably remain, but I've never heard about a revolving generator on that site!, maybe it's in the Hydro yard west of the site?

[G-Man]

No the generator used to be in the lobby of the building. I used to go there to pay billd when you used to be able to do those things at a counter and they had this massive generator turning. It was a piece of art but perhaps one of th ecoolest there ever was.

[Mike K.]

This project is dubbed "Raven Building" and has already topped out.

[Mike K.]

This one is close to completion, no?

[Nparker]

Originally Posted by Mike K.

This one is close to completion, no?

There is still a lot of interior work to be done. Metal studs are still visible. I would say at 3 months until occupancy can take place.

[concorde]

Tri Eagle's portion is pretty much done, but there are still some TI's to be completed, but I also don't think the building is fully leased.

In my opinion its completed

[Nparker]

Originally Posted by concorde

In my opinion it's completed

Remind me to never visit your house concorde. If completed means bare studs on the inside walls, I am pretty sure I wouldn't want to use your washroom.

[concorde]

Originally Posted by Nparker

Remind me to never visit your house concorde. If completed means bare studs on the inside walls, I am pretty sure I wouldn't want to use your washroom.

then by your definition, the Bay Centre has never been completed is still under construction 19 years later. Many parts of the 4th floor have never been occupied and never finished.

Cadillac Fairview should get an award for the longest running construction project in Victoria.

[gumgum]

I second it. It's completed.

[Nparker]

I don't understand you people. Yes the outside structure is more or less finished, but since the interior is in no way ready for ANY tenants (unlike the Bay Centre when it opened) it is NOT COMPLETE!

[Dylan Leblanc]

Sometimes buildings are left unfinished inside until a tenent decides to make improvments. The building's developer may have completed all work but if no tenent is available the interior is left unfinished.

[Mike K.]

Following in the footsteps of Tri-Eagle's Raven Building will be Thunderbird, a five-storey office and commercial project at Tri-Eagle Plaza. Thunderbird will be the final building on the property.

Developer plans two office projects in Saanich; 15-storey downtown tower in waiting
By Mike Kozakowski, VibrantVictoria.ca
http://vibrantvictoria.ca/local-news...er-in-waiting/

Victoria-based Tri-Eagle Development has had its hands full in recent years with the construction of 947 Fort Street, a six-storey office, commercial and residential project in downtown Victoria; the Raven Building, an award-winning 3-storey office project in the 4300-block of West Saanich Road; and a successful rezoning for a 15-storey downtown office tower.

Now the outfit is crafting plans for 65,000 square feet of new office space between two projects in Saanich.

“There is growing demand for modern suburban office buildings in Saanich,” said Tri-Eagle’s Travis Lee. “The Raven Building was well received and interest is already high in our upcoming project at 1590 Cedar Hill X Road in Shelbourne Village Square.” [...]

Read more.

[Mike K.]

Thunderbird, a five-storey office building pictured in the post above, is now in the leasing stage. A sign has gone up on the property along West Saanich Road.

[Dylan Leblanc]

Location of the new building - http://binged.it/NpdKfP