FOR SALE: 3700 Island Hwy North, Nanaimo

A rare opportunity to acquire a high-visibility specialty retail property on Nanaimo's premier commercial corridor. Offered at $2,100,000 CAD — listed by NAI Commercial (Victoria) Inc.

Nanaimo, BCCommercial Land & Building
Contact Listing Agents

Listing at a Glance

$2.1M

Asking Price

CAD — Exclusive listing

12,702

Land Area (sq. ft.)

0.29 Acres / 1,178 m²

3,206

Building Size (sq. ft.)

Main floor + mezzanine

80%

Surplus Land

Significant expansion potential

Property Location

3700 Island Highway North, Nanaimo, BC, V9T 1W2

Get Directions

3700 Island Highway North, Nanaimo, BC, V9T 1W2

  • 136 ft. of highway frontage on Hwy 19A
  • 1 block west of Country Club Shopping Centre
  • Adjacent to major auto dealership
  • High daily traffic arterial road

Building Features

Main Floor Showroom

~2,328 sq. ft. (216.27 m²) with 14-foot ceiling height — formerly an auto centre. Entry via front/rear doors and 2 overhead roll-up service doors.

Mezzanine Level

~361 sq. ft. (33.54 m²) with vinyl tile flooring and electric baseboard heating — ideal for offices or storage.

Construction

Concrete block exterior walls, poured concrete slab ground floor, and torch-on roof. 200 Amp electrical service; natural gas ceiling-mounted heater.

Extensively Renovated in 2011

The property underwent a comprehensive renovation to suit high-volume, upscale outdoor and adventure retail, including seismic upgrades and full exterior and interior visual upgrades — making it move-in ready for a wide range of specialty retail operators.

Seismic Upgrades

Structural improvements completed to modern standards during the 2011 renovation.

Full Interior & Exterior Refresh

Visual upgrades throughout, purpose-built for upscale retail presentation.

Service Door Access

Two overhead roll-up service doors support operational flexibility for retail or service businesses.

Site Features & Excess Land Opportunity

19% Site Coverage

Current building footprint leaves approximately 80% of the lot undeveloped — a significant asset.

Paved Parking

Onsite paved parking with a dedicated outdoor storage area behind the building.

Expansion Ready

Room to expand the existing structure or add complementary commercial operations on the same lot.

Prime Location on Island Highway

This property sits on Island Highway (Highway 19A) — the main commercial artery linking Downtown Nanaimo to North and Central retail hubs. With 136 ft. of highway frontage, visibility is exceptional.

Located in the Diver Lake commercial area, just 1 block west of Country Club Shopping Centre, adjacent to an expanded auto dealership and surrounded by high-volume retail, auto dealers, and regional services.

Why This Location Stands Out

  • Direct highway frontage — rarely available in Mid-Island market
  • High daily traffic count on a major arterial road
  • Established retail and auto dealer neighbourhood
  • Strong owner-occupier or re-tenanting potential
AERIAL VIEW — HIGHWAY 19A FRONTAGE

3700 Island Highway North — showing direct highway frontage and adjacent auto dealership to the west

Take a Tour on YouTube

Investment Value & Lease Context

Area retail lease rates near $30.00/sq. ft./annum support a compelling pro-forma for both owner-operators and investors. The combination of market lease potential and significant excess land value makes this an exceptional acquisition opportunity.

Owner-Operator Opportunity

Occupy the existing retail space while holding valuable excess land for future development or income generation.

Re-Tenanting Potential

Lease to a specialty or service retailer at prevailing market rates of ~$30/sq. ft./annum.

Rare Market Availability

Specialty retail properties with direct highway frontage are rarely available for purchase in the Mid-Island market.

Zoning & Development Capacity

Corridor 2 (COR 2) Zoning

Permits mixed-use, street-oriented retail and service development along urban arterials. Maximum site coverage of 60% and Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 1.25 — well above the current 19% coverage, signalling substantial development headroom.

Legal Description: PID 025-533-151 | Lot A, Section 3, Wellington District, Plan VIP74538

Official Community Plan

Designated Residential Corridor under Reimagine Nanaimo, supporting small-scale commercial, street-level retail, or future low-rise medium-density residential redevelopment above ground-floor retail.

Development Pathway

The COR 2 zoning and Residential Corridor OCP designation create a clear, flexible path from immediate retail use to long-term mixed-use redevelopment — making this property a compelling hold-and-build investment.

Contact the Listing Agents

This is an exclusive listing by NAI Commercial (Victoria) Inc. For showings, information packages, or offers, contact the designated agents directly.

Randall Taylor, PREC

📞 (250) 714-4248

rtaylor@naicommercial.ca

Jed Grieve

📞 (250) 812-4151

jgrieve@naicommercial.ca

NAI Commercial (Victoria) Inc. | Suite 120 – 4243 Glanford Avenue, Victoria, BC V8Z 4B9 | 📞 (250) 381-2265