A four-storey parkade is proposed for the City of Victoria – though it’s not for public use.
In a letter addressed to city council, architect Brain Kapuscinski of BJK Architecture Inc. says the property at 730-780 Summit Ave., that formerly housed the Royal Canadian Legion’s Brittania Branch No. 7 and a vacant parking lot, would be transformed into a car storage facility to be used by surrounding car dealerships.
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“The building is meant to provide a secure storage facility without giving an unwelcoming industrial building experience,” Kapuscinski said in his letter.
The proposed pre-cast concrete structure would take on an industrial look, with minimal interior requirements aside from a car elevator and required lighting and air intake. The building would have two entrances one on Nanaimo Street and one on Summit Avenue.
On the side of the west-facing wall, Kapuscinski suggests a two-dimensional art installation which would portray a car on concrete blocks.
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In these proposed plans there would be no public seating, parking or bicycle parking put forward. It would not be an accessible building becase of its private nature.
The letter does not write specifically to which dealerships would use the facility, but neighbouring businesses include Wheaton Chevorlet Buick Cadillac GMC Ltc., Audi Victoria, FIAT Victoria, Jim Pattison Toyota and Jim Pattison Lexus.
The application is in early stages and has yet to be presented at the committee of the whole for comment.
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