NNN’s Last 10: Downtown Nanaimo’s transformation, and remaining sore spots

The province stepped in and purchased the property, with some funds from SFN in 2024, giving the Nation firm control over one of the city’s most high-profile properties and a gateway into Nanaimo’s downtown.

Also revamped is the former A&B Sound building, which also sat largely dormant for years before developers renovated the structure to create Soundworks.

Expected to fully open later this year, although some businesses began operating in the late spring, the market hall and boutique retail initiative is breathing new life into the aging property.

Across the street, little to no traction has been gained on what to do with Nanaimo’s ‘hole in the ground’.

The Jean Burns Building at 6 Commercial St. burned to the ground in March 2016, with what was torn down around a year and a half later.

The property has sat vacant ever since, with the City opting to purchase the strategically important property.

Multiple attempts have been made over the years, including a request for proposals in 2023 by the City of Nanaimo, which yielded little viable interest, and a renewed push earlier this year for a mix of rental housing and commercial spaces on the site, with upwards of six storeys envisioned.

To entice development, the City offered a 60-year lease at no cost for the winning bid, provided the project meets certain objectives around housing affordability and other factors.

There remains no firm, public direction for the property.

Other changes over the last decade have impacted how traffic moves through the downtown corridor.

The province and City partnered on a major renovation to Terminal Ave. between Esplanade and Commercial St. in 2023 and 2024, which saw a new road surface and work done on adjacent park spaces.

Included in the project was a renovation to the area around the Italian Fountain, which had been shut and fenced off for a number of years prior.

Immediately after, City crews turned their focus to the first phase of overhauling Commercial St., with work between Wharf and Chapel St. taking much longer than expected.

The new space comes with event infrastructure, including bollards for traffic control and lower curbs, used during the weekend summer night market.

Multiple delays occurred, pushing an initial nine-month construction window out to a year.

Old mine shafts spotted closer to the road surface than expected played a significant role in delays, slowing down the installation of underground utility lines.

Several challenges remain for Nanaimo’s downtown, highlighted by a higher percentage of crime and social disorder than other areas of the city.

RCMP calls for service are disproportionately to the downtown core, where around 19 per cent of all violent crime originated, as well as 44 per cent of weapons offences.

Ongoing social disorder is also causing headaches, with affordability issues and a toxic drug crisis pushing more people to the street, with a lack of housing and resources able to adequately handle the influx.

Newer changes, such as a doubling of space at the Salvation Army’s new Centre of Hope building, are expected to help, but not solve such issues.

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by NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

NNN’s Last 10: Downtown Nanaimo’s transformation, and remaining sore spots

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