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Hudson Walk Two taking shape downtown

Development adds 106 units to rental inventory
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An artist’s rendering of the Hudson Walk Two, Townline’s third rental development in the Hudson District. Contributed illustration

Tim Collins

VICTORIA NEWS

This week, the Hudson District added a third urban rental building, Hudson Walk Two, into a Victoria rental housing market plagued by unprecedented low vacancy rates.

“These homes offer the ultimate in convenient downtown living and the uptake on them has been the fastest we’ve seen on this project,” said Rick Ilich, president of Townline, the company behind the Hudson District development. “This community continues to come alive and that is very rewarding to see.”

Hudson Walk Two is a 16-storey concrete purpose-built rental forming part of the Hudson District. It’s the third urban residence in Townline’s plans, preceded by Hudson Mews (120 units) and Hudson Walk One (178 units). The newest project will add 106 units to the city’s rental inventory, an addition lauded by David Hutniak, CEO of LandlordBC.

“We definitely need these purpose-built rental-housing units in Victoria to allow the city to grow and meet the needs of the community,” said Hutniak.

“Victoria is changing and while the mayor has done a great job in streamlining the development process and changes in bylaws to allow for secondary housing (garden and basement suites) are great, we really need developments like this if we’re going to seriously address the rental housing shortage.”

He said the community has to recognize that (residential) density isn’t a dirty word but rather a reflection of what the city has to do to grow and prosper.

“The message, I think, has been heard at a political level, but it’s the whole community that has to look at the situation and appreciate that we need more housing,” he said.

Hudson Walk Two is exactly what the city needs said Chris Colbeck, vice president of marketing for Townline. He described the wide variety of pet-friendly apartments, featuring 15 one- and-two-bedroom floor plans in condo-style homes as well as walk-up town-homes. The units range in size from 474 to 1,302 square feet.

“The units will allow for a broad range of people to live and work right in the city. It’s a strategy designed to add to the vibrancy of the city,” said Colbeck, adding the development brings diversity and energy to the downtown core, noting the units are being occupied by a full range of tenants, including students, young professionals, seniors and down-sizers opting for a simpler life downtown.

The next phase of the Hudson development is now in the planning stages and is planned as a high-rise condo building.

More information can be found at hudsondistrict.ca.

editor@vicnews.com