'Co-living' suites part of new rental building approved in Victoria
The City of Victoria has approved a 16-storey purpose-built rental building that will include first-of-a-kind co-living suites.
Vancouver-based developer, Townline, received unanimous approval for the unique housing model after a City of Victoria public hearing last week.
The project will be constructed at the corner of Pandora Avenue and Vancouver Street and will include 54 fully furnished three, four and five bedroom co-living "pods."
"The demographic will be people new to the City of Victoria that are going there for work and may want a shorter opportunity for rentals," said Townline senior vice president Chris Colbeck.
"It may appeal to people craving social interaction and that are suffering from an 'urban-loneliness' that we’ve seen during the pandemic," he said.
Colbeck says each of the co-living rental units will be interspersed with other suites of the building on the site of the former Victoria Seventh Day Adventist Church.
He says, including the co-living "pods," the project will add 121 purpose-built rental units to Victoria’s tight rental market.
"We recognize the extremely low rental vacancy rates," said Colbeck. "We’re excited about bringing a diversified product opportunity to Victoria."
CO-LIVING AMENITIES
Townline says the design of the co-living suites will include an ensuite bathroom for most bedrooms and a shared, fully equipped kitchen with a large island.
Each bedroom will provide tenants the flexibility of a Murphy-bed that, when folded up, offers ample space for activities or socializing, according to Townline.
"It's about socialization and socialization opportunities and that really is the main driver for us, to create a social environment," said Colbeck.
"What makes co-living unique is all utilities will be included in (the tenant's) monthly rent."
Victoria’s Mayor says the co-living model not only provides a more affordable housing alternative, but also offers people a feeling of community.
"The pandemic has changed the way we live," said Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps.
"People are feeling lonely and they’re feeling isolated," she said. "I think this new housing form is going to be very well received by a range of people."
Helps says any project that adds density to the city’s downtown core is a good thing. She says with the project’s proximity to public transit, bike lane infrastructure, and shopping, people who live in the building won’t need cars.
"It's an ideal location and it will make great homes for people in the coming years," said Helps.
"I think it is a really innovative (housing) model and to see this type of architecture, I think it is the way of the future, especially with the limited land footprint in Victoria. So hopefully this is the first of many," she said.
Colbeck says in addition to a more socialized style of living, the co-living rental units are also an affordable alternative to more traditional housing options.
He says when completed, the co-living units will have a monthly housing cost of approximately 30 percent less than the market rent of a studio suite.
"Co-living is a choice and we will have a lifestyle curator who will program social events in and outside the building," said Colbeck.
"The big thing is the lifestyle choice, people who are looking for that social interaction, and we’re providing a vertical community and we’re going to curate it for our tenants."
Townline says construction on the 16-storey building will begin in June of 2022. It expects tenants to start moving in by mid-summer 2024.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trudeau acknowledges charges in Nijjar killing, calls for commitment to democracy
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has acknowledged the charges laid Friday in relation to the murder of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Bodies recovered in Mexico likely 2 Australians, 1 American who went missing: officials
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
Princess Anne lays wreath at B.C. veteran's cemetery; receives 21-gun salute
Princess Anne paid tribute to veterans buried at a cemetery in British Columbia today, laying a wreath to honour the more than 2,500 military personnel and family members buried there.
Mystik Dan wins the 150th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in a three-horse photo finish
Mystik Dan won the 150th Kentucky Derby in a photo finish, edging out Forever Young and Sierra Leone for the upset victory.
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Work stoppage possible as WestJet issues lockout notice to maintenance engineers' union
A lockout notice issued by WestJet to a union representing aircraft maintenance engineers could result in a work stoppage next week.
London Drugs begins 'gradual reopening' on 7th day after cyberattack
Almost a week after all London Drugs stores across Western Canada abruptly closed amid a cyberattack, they began a "gradual reopening" on Saturday.