Groundbreaking of Victoria Flats

It began Tuesday evening, November 22nd, in the City Council Chambers with Mayor Tom O’Connor, on the right, welcoming everyone and saying it has been a pleasure to work with the Beard Group, developers of Victoria Flats, an 81-unit luxury apartment building to be built across the street from City Hall. 

Approximately 25 to 30 people were in attendance, mainly city staff, city councilmembers, members of the Beard Group, contractors, Victoria business owners, and others.

Paul Gamst, left, and Bill Beard recognized by  Mayor O’Connor.

Left to right, on a rainy day, that’s Ben Beard, Bill Beard, Paul Gamst (all of The Beard Group), and Victoria City Councilmembers Jim Crowley, Mayor Tom O’Connor, Lani Basa, and Tom Vogt.

A retaining wall will be constructed into the hill on this east side of the project between the existing parking lot and the Cal Haasken’s Pointe Victoria apartments.

The Lakeside Building and the Victoria City Hall are across the street from the Victoria Flats project.  The project includes the construction of a 117,628 square foot apartment building comprised of five total floor, two of them to be built into the site for enclosed parking.

The Braunworth house, just south of the existing parking lot (and a bit visible on the right side of the photo below), will be demolished for the project.  Actually, the house was demolished by December 6th.

The backhoe was stationed for groundbreaking ceremonies on the city parking lot.  One of the many groupings of those posing at the groundbreaking ceremonies on Tuesday, November 22nd, included (l-r):  Sam Riesgraf (Synergy Construction), Ben Beard, Bill Beard, and Paul Gamst (The Beard Group), City Councilmember Jim Crowley, Mayor Tom O'Connor, Councilmember Lani Basa, Councilmember Tom Vogt, Community Development Director Ben Landhauser, Mike Kuehn and Kate Noonan (Synergy Construction), and City Manager Laurie Hokkanen.

City of Victoria people (l-r):  Tom Gray (Building Official), Andrew Heger (Fire Chief), Dan Krumwiede (Planning & Public Works Tech), Ann Mahnke (Public Works Director), Cara Geheren (City Engineer), Ben Landhauser (Community Development Director), Jim Crowley (City Councilmember), Tom O’Connor (Victoria Mayor), Lani Basa (City Councilmember), Tom Vogt (City Councilmember), Laurie Hokkanen (City Manager), Erin Smith (City Planner), Kelly Grinnell (City Finance Director).

Seems most everyone in the parking lot got into this picture.  I see Terry Hartman, Brandon Wallis, and Randy Miller among those already named.

As I’ve said, there were almost more groundbreaking groupings than shovels.

At the end of the day (actually, at the end of 2017), Victoria Flats could be ready for renting.