What if housing could also restore the street character of our favourite communities?
Victoria Street Mixed-Use
Complete
Nelson, British Columbia, Canada
2023
The new Victoria Street Mixed-Use building offers contemporary living in the heart of Nelson, a historic town. Extending from property line to property line to restore the original urban feel of Nelson, the L-shaped building with large iron balconies takes advantage of views of Kootenay Lake to the north and the mountains to the south. An exterior of warm stone and stucco cladding recalls Nelson’s heritage buildings, and the wooden storefront on the ground floor brings additional vibrancy (and another local business) to leafy Victoria Street.
Inside, the forty-six one-and two-bedroom units offer airy, bright spaces, the best of contemporary living. The interior design strategy was simple: provide the necessities (plenty of storage and a well-crafted kitchen) and keep the rest of the space open and flexible, allowing residents to make it their own. The lofty ceilings and large great room contribute to the airy feel, with full-height operable windows and expansive sliding doors to bring in the fresh mountain air.
Nelson is a historic community reliant on both natural resources and visitors there to enjoy its many outdoor recreation opportunities. Though the town has a traditional, dense core, over the years, like many rural Canadian communities, development has sprawled, becoming more car-dependent.
To support the city’s effort to expand the pedestrian-friendly, dense core, the design team proposed one of the first buildings in the region in years to extend the property line to property line. Taking up the entire street frontage promotes a more active street life on Victoria Street and avoids the remnant buffer created by narrow, dark setbacks between buildings.
The design also benefits the community in other ways. The project adds two live/work units on the ground floor. Although there is little precedent for these types in Nelson, the development team saw an opportunity to provide housing for individuals who demand work and living space but cannot easily afford both. There is also a rentable street-level amenity unit and extensive bicycle parking.
Plans
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L3
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JIM
James Huemoeller, Mitchell Grey, Christine Rohrbacher
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General Contractor
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Structural
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Mechanical
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Electrical
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Envelope
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Landscape Architect
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Geotechnical
Deverney Engineering Services Ltd.
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Specifications
SPECTECH Consulting Ltd
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Visualization
Related Workings
