It’s the end of an era as the former bingo hall on Esquimalt Road makes way for a housing complex.
The defunct bingo hall located at 820 Esquimalt Road has been home to Soupa Café since last November.
Now, the Soupa Café owners have sold their business and the old bingo hall which they leased and converted into a restaurant and commissary kitchen is being torn down to make way for a 135-unit development.
The project would also occupy two smaller residential lots, 833 and 837 Old Esquimalt Road, located behind where the bingo hall currently stands.
All units in Esquimalt Terrace will be available as rental units.
The new building will be called Esquimalt Terrace. Its development company, Denciti Development Corp., is looking to build a four to six-storey apartment building with one, two and three bedroom unit options that are meant to house those in the workforce.
The proposed building would also offer amenities like secure bike and vehicle parking, parcel delivery security and shared spaces including a social room and outdoor spaces.
Denciti Development Corp is also currently developing a 278-rental unit building called the Spencer Block at 610 Herald Street.
In the future, they have their eyes set on developing the northwest corner of Craigflower Road and Tillicum Road where Salty’s Fish and Chips, St. Vincent de Paul and Bib ‘N Tucker Quilting are situated.
The aim is to have Esquimalt Terrace completed sometime in the year 2025; however, the land in which the project will occupy has yet to be rezoned by city council.
A public hearing about the project will be held at Esquimalt Town Hall on Monday, July 17th at 7 p.m.
