11-14-2013, 05:45 PM
There are two new condo projects in the works for Gibsons - no joke. Both listed their “as-yet-to-be-constructed” units just over a week ago on MLS. Soames Place - which I profiled yesterday in a rather lengthy, sit down with your coffee kinda post - got off the mark first; however, Blue Heron Village was only a couple of days behind. As the banner image above mentions this is phase 2 for BHV and will offer 5 commercial spaces on the ground level with 2 condos and 4 live/work units over levels 2 and 3.
BHV is located at 1001 Gibsons Way which is the major commercial/industrial route through upper Gibsons. It is also Hwy 101 by another name. BHV’s Phase 1 was completed in 2011 and successfully filled its 5 commercial units in short order with the Bank of Montreal anchoring the complex. The image on the left below is the view of BHV as you head east towards lower Gibsons, the two images in the next row are the rear of the complex taken from Mahan Rd with the image on the right showing where Phase 2 will be located. The red “X” on the Google map shows the BHV location in relation to the rest of the town and as the dotted line indicates it is just within Gibsons’ municipal boundary.
I like Phase 2’s quirky design - it’s definitely interesting and the blueprints show how the living units are accessed via the outside on level 2. Because only five of the units are two-storeyed, there is large common deck area on level 3.
Here is how the company behind the project, Gibsons-based Longman Developments, describes the concept behind Phase 2:
Quote:Blue Heron Village Phase II offers six live/work units with dual purpose space. Multiple uses include residential use only… commercial use only or mixed use (commercial/residential). Prospective Buyers will have the opportunity to consider completion options to help visualize possible uses.
All units are accessible from street level, enabling both residents and guests to come and go with ease. These Condominium Hybrid Units will allow professionals, entrepreneurs, artists and others to own a space that’s well suited to serve both home and work needs as well as reducing the cost of transportation and parking.
I have put together an image collage that shows the overall site plan of the BHV complex as well as the Phase 2 commercial level and six unit floorplans above it. Units 202 to 205 are the live/work units. As you will notice in the floorplans, the office/work areas of each unit can be accessed through a separate outside door or from within the unit and the unit likewise has its own entrance. The office/work space also has its own half bathroom. In principal, I like the concept; however, I have questions about its “execution” based on what the developer has written on the website (Note: highlighting and underlining are my own)…
Quote:A growing trend and with more and more people working at home at least part of the week, these modern, at home work spaces create and invite flexibility and versatility. Consider your unit for an office or a store or just as extra space you can use or rent out for income.
I am thinking you could end up with some very “questionable” enterprises in this building unless the town has established some guidelines as to exactly what occupations are acceptable in the office/work spaces. As well, if the units are snapped up by investors, would they handle the living area and work areas as two separate entities to do with as they please. I would do a great deal of research before I purchased one of these units. Perhaps the listing agency, Sutton Group-Westcoast Realty, could answer any questions; if not, I would be heading to Gibsons’ Municipal Office.
Here is the BHV spreadsheet with the current listing information:
I added the image below to the end my Soames Place post and because it is applicable to BHV I will include it here, too. These are all the condos and townhomes currently on the market in the neighbourhood. This is an awful lot of competition chasing very few buyers.
Except for Soames Place which is another condo/commercial complex, all the other listings shown are townhomes such as those at Island Vista at 665 Crucil Rd that are 1500-2198sf and never been lived in. There are the two new 1000sf duplexes on Gerussi Lane. Also, we could include the seven new 2 & 3 bedroom, 1,088 to 1360sf detached homes reduced to $309,000 - $339,000 at the Mews off Gerussi Lane (not indicated on map above because they are homes). The townhomes at 735 Park Rd are only 8 - 14 years old and range in size from 1265-1634sf.
In addition, Gibsons town council has given the green light for another 28-unit townhouse complex on Park Road. The details can be found in this June 8, 2013 Coast Reporter article. Yep, that’s definitely what the area needs - another townhouse complex.