The potential future owner of what locals call “the Turner building” sees the recent fire that ravaged its interior as an unfortunate disruption, but the company is pressing on with plans to redevelop the site.
“I’m relieved that no one was hurt and grateful for the swift response from Victoria police and fire crews,” said Karl Robertson of Empresa Properties Ltd., the company under contract to purchase the building after rezoning.
Constructed in the 1940s near the Oak Bay border, the Victoria building once housed a coffee shop, convenience store, flower shop and apartments on the second level. The building at 2002 Richmond Rd. was shuttered in 2001 and has faced the wrecking ball since it suffered significant damage in 2013.
Fire crews spotted smoke wafting from the building on Jan. 15 around 4 a.m. while returning from a medical call. Firefighters entered the building but quickly retreated upon discovering significant structural damage from a previous fire, taking a defensive approach – cutting holes in the building’s exterior to access the fire.
The next morning, fire crews returned to 2002 Richmond Ave. to perform trench cuts on the roof and douse inaccessible spots. Fire officials determined the building’s structural integrity was compromised, posing a public risk.
As fire investigators continue to look into the cause, public works secured the area for safety, and Empresa continues to work with the city to move its project forward.
“The property’s condition poses significant challenges. It requires a scenario 10 demolition due to extensive contamination, rot and biohazards that have accumulated over decades of neglect. Addressing these issues will involve substantial remediation and removal costs,” Robertson told the Victoria News. “We are pushing to secure City of Victoria approvals by spring of this year, which will allow us to carefully remove the derelict structure and move forward with redevelopment.”
The company hopes the city will find a way to “expedite the process” for the project underway for more than 18 months.
The development proposal pitched in 2023 with updates in spring 2024, is for a six-storey building with a village node at the base and 55 purpose-built rental residential homes on the other five floors.
The project also proposes a partnership with the city, creating a community by closing the intersection of Richmond Road and Birch Street to create a public plaza.
“At this stage, I don’t anticipate that the recent events will alter our plans for the property. Our vision remains to transform the site into a vibrant community space, featuring a pedestrian-focused plaza with local retail shops at grade and residential rental homes above,” Robertson said. “Importantly, we intend to honour the social heritage of the space in its reincarnation.”
