A vacant store in the heart of Ladner Village will get a new look.
Council this week gave the go-ahead for an application for a major renovation to the commercial building at 4821 Delta St, formerly the longtime home of Ladner Village Hardware.
Not on Delta’s Heritage Register, the one-storey building constructed around 1950 is to be renovated to create three separate commercial units which could accommodate retail, restaurant, personal services or office uses. A number of later additions at the rear will removed and replaced with a new building addition which would provide washrooms, an electrical room, storage and separate exits for each of the units. The existing triangular false front above the first storey is reported to be in poor condition and no longer safe, so it will be removed.
The renovation would not only update the building but also enhance the streetscape, according to a staff report.
The renovation, which will try to capture the heritage feel of the area, does not require a rezoning or change of land use, while no additional parking is required.
It does not bode well for tourism or vibrancy to have a vacant store in the middle of an historic area, said Coun. Heather King.
She added it is unfortunate a redevelopment isn’t going to take place that would see residential units added above, something the city is hoping will occur in that Ladner business district.
The site was originally occupied by a house once owned by the Lanning family.
