City and fire officials got their first look Tuesday at the foundation of what will be one of the region’s best-built structures.

Construction crews have completed concrete pours on the foundation and core level that will house fire trucks and ambulance units and support an emergency operations centre and eight storeys of affordable rental units anchored by the new Fire Hall No. 1 on Johnson Street.

It’s an important milestone for what would be a significant building for Victoria during a major natural disaster, such as an earthquake.

“The size of the rebar and the amount of concrete is incredible,” Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps said Tuesday after a tour of the site. “This is preparing for the future. This building will stand for hundreds of years.”

The fire hall and emergency centre are designed to withstand a massive quake and will meet new B.C. Building Code standards for buildings designed to remain operable following a disaster, giving it a seismic design load that is significantly higher than typical commercial buildings. After an earthquake, the building — equipped with high-capacity backup generators — will be able to deliver emergency services.

There will be fire and ambulance bays at street level, emergency operations centre and fire department headquarters on the second floor, office space on the third and 130 units of affordable rental housing on the remaining floors. Pacifica Housing will own and operate the top eight storeys.

“There is a lot of reinforced concrete in the the pillars and cross members all exceeding building codes,” said Victoria Fire Chief Paul Bruce. “It’s built to withstand a very significant seismic event.

Keep reading in the Times Colonist