Image Credit: Sydney Chisholm / CFJC Today

By Dylana Kneeshaw

HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IN KAMLOOPS

Two Columbia precinct buildings slated for demolition; city-owned North Shore property chosen for BC Builds

May 1, 2024 | 5:30 PM

KAMLOOPS — A collection of aging government buildings in downtown Kamloops has been earmarked for redevelopment. Plans are in motion to demolish at least two of the provincially-owned buildings near the corner of Sixth Avenue and Columbia Street.

In a statement to CFJC, BC Housing says it “recognizes there is a significant need in Kamloops for a variety of affordable housing options.”

The emailed statement goes on to explain that the existing buildings at 515 and 527 Columbia Street are vacant and BC Housing has issued an Invitation to Tender to demolish them to make way for future development. However, BC Housing states there are no plans to demolish the building at 561 Columbia Street at this time.

Additionally, BC Housing says it expects to be able to share more information about the buildings in the coming weeks.

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While the City of Kamloops can’t speak to plans for the provincially-owned property, the city’s real estate manager, Dave Freeman, says the city-owned site at 377 Tranquille Road was recently chosen for the BC Builds program.

“It’s a program that eyes land available for development and partners them up with developers and BC Housing, through the BC Builds program, provides the financing to get the project built. We’re one of the two sites in the Interior of B.C., us and Kelowna, that were selected to participate, so we’re quite excited.”

Demolition of the former Northbridge, or Village, Hotel and Duchess Nightclub began several weeks ago. The city says the redevelopment of that site is part of a larger plan to increase the supply of market and non-market rental housing in Kamloops.

“[BC Builds] is assisting with financing at below-market financing and providing substantial capital grants to bring down the cost of construction,” said Freeman. “In Kamloops, we’re going to be looking at, with this program, the full spectrum of one-, two- and three-bedroom units.”

The city and BC Builds will be hosting a developer information session on May 6. The Northbridge site is open for proposals until the end of June and from there, Freeman says the contract will be awarded to a developer, with new construction aiming for the spring of 2025.