building plans

concept

Following the 2007 fire that damaged the E&N Station, the Island Corridor Foundation engaged Robert Lemon, a respected heritage architect out of Vancouver, to determine how much of the original building fabric had survived. Lemon's assessed that, despite the obvious fire damage, substantial fabric remained that warranted rehabilitation of this National registered Heritage Building..

Over its life, the E&N Station has been a hub of activity and has played a key role in both Nanaimo's and Vancouver Island’s economy. The planned rehabilitation of the station strives to rejuvenate both of these roles and also to ensure the E&N Station’s continued involvement in Nanaimo and Vancouver Island’s future.

A team of local consultants is currently detailing the complete rehabilitation of the station. Their careful design works to achieve two important goals:

1. Restore the station’s exterior, including its roof, envelope, windows and doors, to preserve the look and feel of the original station.
2. Rehabilitate the station’s interior spaces to a modern standard to bring life and energy back to this important site. These new commercial spaces will have all modern amenities with a décor and materiality that ties them back to the station’s original era.

The rehabilitated Nanaimo Train Station will be well poised to reclaim its role as a transportation hub and economic driver for both Nanaimo and Vancouver Island

building phases

We have identified a two stage development process that will allow the Train Station to be protected and restored as quickly as possible. At the same time it provides
an opportunity for discussions related to long term commercial tenancies to mature and creates a tangible building for potential tenants to walk through.

>Phase 1: Nanaimo Station Exterior Restoration:

This phase includes most of the building soft costs, municipal permits, all structural upgrades, major building services and the full restoration of the building exterior.

>Phase 2: Nanaimo Station Interiors:

This phase includes all interior finishing, interior servicing (Electrical, mechanical & fire suppression) and landscaping. The primary source of funding for this work would be through a commercial mortgage. This work could commence once lease commitments are in place sufficient to support this commercial borrowing.

This phasing proposal has been designed to encourage the quickest possible restoration work with the intent of halting further degradation of this heritage asset. At the same
time the financial risk to the Island Corridor Foundation is minimized by proceeding in phases only after secure funding has been confirmed.