A Master-Planned Mixed-Use Community
Johnson|Cook|Yates is a master-planned community that will be developed on the 1.77 acre property bordered by Johnson, Cook and Yates Streets in downtown Victoria’s Harris Green neighbourhood. The four-phase development is designed to transition the property away from its historical auto service and parking lot uses to host some of the city’s most important priorities including affordable rental housing and a new post-seismic Fire Hall No.1 for the City of Victoria. Both will be built in Phase One of the development in a modern 12-storey mixed-use building at 1025 Johnson Street.
The remaining three phases of Johnson|Cook|Yates will be 14, 15 and 17 storey buildings that will incorporate public spaces, a diverse mix of commercial, retail and restaurants as well as a wide-variety of housing from studios to three-bedroom homes, townhomes and live/work spaces.
To create a vibrant community hub and a welcoming gateway to the Harris Green neighbourhood, the best of city design principles, existing zoning, Victoria’s Official Community Plan and the Downtown Core Area Plan have all been carefully considered.
Community Benefits
Johnson|Cook|Yates is a unique development, structured to deliver the most significant community amenities in the first phase of the development.
Housing
The Harris Green neighbourhood has been identified as a key area for accommodating increased housing options for the growing needs of the City of Victoria. At full buildout, Johnson|Cook|Yates will add more than 500 new homes to the neighbourhood. These homes will include a mix of market housing including studios, one-bedroom, two-bedroom, three-bedroom, townhouses and live/work homes serving a diverse population of seniors, young adults, individuals and families.
Approximately 25% of all housing at Johnson|Cook|Yates will be affordable rental homes, delivered in Phase One.
In Phase One, 130 homes will be affordable rentals for individuals and families with very low to moderate incomes, consistent with BC Housing’s Community Housing Fund. Dalmatian Developments has made these homes available for sale at a below-market price to Pacifica Housing, who will own and operate this affordable rental building in perpetuity.
Rental homes in Phase One will be available to individuals and families at the following income levels:
- 20% affordable for very low income households ($15,000-$26,400)
- 50% affordable for low to moderate income households ($26,400-$75,500)
- 30% affordable for moderate income households ($42,500-$107,00)
* Income levels listed are for 2019
Public Safety
A new state-of-the-art public safety facility will be constructed in Phase One of Johnson|Cook|Yates in a mixed-use building located at 1025 Johnson Street. The building will house Fire Hall No. 1, BC Ambulance and Victoria’s Emergency Operations Centre. This post-seismic facility will be sold to the City of Victoria at a fixed-price, which includes 100% design specification at the outset of the project, a turn-key facility with all finishings, a refundable deposit and final payment upon project completion and occupancy.
Public Spaces
Johnson|Cook|Yates will be an inclusive commercial and community hub with dedicated public spaces secured by statutory rights of way. These includes oversized street-level property setbacks that will create welcoming entrances and people-oriented spaces as well as a 2,700 square-foot public plaza located on south-facing Yates Street. A community design charrette will be held to seek input and feedback on landscaping and design elements of the Public Plaza.
What’s Happening?
Johnson|Cook|Yates received rezoning approval and Phase One development permit approval on October 24, 2019. Construction of Phase One began at 1025 Johnson Street in January 2020.