Demolition crews taking apart the former Community Services Building at 285 Prideaux St. on Wednesday, June 8 (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

new beginnings

Downtown Nanaimo building bulldozed to make way for supportive housing

Jun 9, 2022 | 5:29 AM

NANAIMO — Crews have knocked down the former Community Services Building on Prideaux St. in advance of a future supportive housing complex.

Contractors substantially tore down the aging facility 285 Prideaux St. on Tuesday, June 7, leaving a significant pile of rubble to be cleared.

“Demolition work is expected to continue until the end of June. Every effort will be made to minimize the impact on neighbours,” noted a bulletin from BC Housing.

Crews had been on site since early April conducting manual demolition work from inside the building, according BC Housing.

Numerous tenants were forced out of the facility last summer in preparation of demolition, including the popular 7-10 Club Society which has been unsuccessful in finding a permanent location since.

high density

Five-storey apartment complex approved along Nanaimo's Dufferin Cres.

4h ago

data deep dive

'Zoning could be the answer:' Parksville eyes ways to meet housing needs

18h ago

violent offenders

'They are violent:' Nanaimo RCMP hunt for accused jewelry store robbers

18h ago

The property located beside the new #1 firehall under construction will be home to 51 permanent supportive housing units to be operated by the Nanaimo Region John Howard Society.

A planned 51 unit modular supportive housing complex will replace the Community Services Building in the Old City Quarter. (S2 Architecture)

NanaimoNewsNOW reached out to BC Housing for further details about the pending new modular housing complex, including a potential opening date.

City Council issued a development permit for the project last July.

In September, the lease for the Community Services Building was transferred from the City of Nanaimo to BC Housing.

285 Prideaux St. represents one of four purpose-built supportive housing projects of 190 units to be built in Nanaimo following a memorandum of understanding reached in 2020 between BC Housing and the City.

Earlier this year the first supportive housing project at 702 Nicol St. opened.

The local supportive housing projects are designed for people currently living in Nanaimo requiring supports to attain a more stable life.

Tenants pay rent and sign a program agreement, which BC Housing stated functions like a tenancy agreement.

Three affordable rental buildings in Nanaimo with 125 homes for families and singles were included in the MOU.

BC Housing currently has a lease in place until the end of 2023 for a temporary housing complex to remain in place at 2020 Labieux Rd. until the various housing projects are completed.

The province owns 250 Terminal Ave., which BC Housing long stated will see the temporary housing on that site closed when new permanent housing is built.

Local news. Delivered. Free. Subscribe to our daily news wrap and get our top local stories delivered to your email inbox every evening.

info@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @NanaimoNewsNOW