The Building

This is a unique, mixed use landmark building in the future Royal Oak Major Centre District. This will be an elegant looking building that is 18 stories tall, providing many public amenities. The design is inspired by the scale, textures, and tones of both the natural setting and the era of the heritage building,

Currently the building is planned to have 101 total units, with 29 designated as affordable housing, 42 as market rental housing, and 30 as condominiums. Of the affordable units, 17 are to be one-bedrooms, 6 will be two-bedrooms, and 6 will be three-bedrooms, with two fully accessible units.

The rental floors will be 28 one-bedroom and 14 two-bedroom units. The top seven floors will be sold as condominiums, and include 16 one-bedroom, 12 two-bedroom, and 2 three-bedrooms units.

The lower levels will have approximately 422 m2 of commercial floor space consisting of one CRU in the new building and 151 m2 in a restored heritage building on the site.

Construction Information

The original heritage building will be salvaged and stored off-site, to enable the construction of the four-storey underground parking structure. Once the parkade is in place, the heritage structure will be reinstated on the northern corner of the site, re-establishing its historic relationship to West Saanich Road.

Special paving around the heritage building will be decorative, using local stone and reflect a high level of craft. The back patio will include a pergola integrated into a stone wall, mimicking the sloped foundation of the building. The upper part of the pergola will pull material and form from the new additions to the building, thus creating a blend of old and new.

Preserving the site’s natural features is of the highest importance, and the design will revolve around the existing natural beauty and views. Elements of the building are pulled forward into the landscape to create intimate outdoor spaces, with a gradual transition from the structure to the garden.

History

Saanich was established in 1906, during which Council meetings were held in different locations until Royal Oak was selected in 1911 as the location for the new municipal hall, and it is here Council meetings were held until 1965.

The original building, which has undergone significant changes over the years, has always served the community. Key elements that contribute to the heritage character of the Old Municipal Hall include its form, scale, and massing, symmetrical and formal front facade, a prominent bellcast hipped roof with wide eaves, an open entrance porch with large square shingled pillars, and the use of indigenous materials such as a fieldstone foundation and cedar shingle cladding.

According to a report from the Provincial Archaeological Branch, no evidence of archeologically significant sites has been found on or around the property.

Find out more about the details of this project from our Frequently Asked Questions