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HOMEFINDER: Pacific Landing strives to offer strong community feel

Numerous amenities planned for oceanfront condo project
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The Pacific Landing development in Colwood aims to include a number of amenities and community spaces for residents to spend time in with each other.

Downsizing to condo living can be a tough concept for baby boomers to wrap their heads around.

For many, the prospect of losing their garages and gardens can be downright frightening.

The developers of Pacific Landing in Colwood understand those concerns and that’s why they’ve tailored their three-phase project to meet the needs of boomers who wish to continue to pursue their hobbies as they head towards retirement.

“(People) want to have an active neighbourhood and community around them … We’re building that community here,” said Emily Royer, the project’s director of sales and marketing.

Royer’s father, Randy, has been the leader on many residential and resort developments during his career, including the expansive Grand Okanagan Resort in Kelowna. In fact, elements of Pacific Landing have been inspired by that resort, especially when it comes to its communal feel.

Growing up, Royer said, her father purposefully built smaller rooms for the kids in their childhood home, encouraging the children to spend time in the much larger living room.

This allowed her to build close relationships with her siblings, and it’s that sort of concept that the developers hope to foster at Pacific Landing.

While the two bed/two bathroom 1,040- to 1,060-square-foot condos are certainly not small, the layout of the project should encourage individuals to spend their time outside within the community.

A workshop, garden, yoga studio and kitchen are eventually planned for the ocean-view project, in addition to a restaurant, grocery store and cafe.

All of these amenities, along with the beautiful natural surroundings on the shoreline of Esquimalt Lagoon, promise to give residents a chance to continue to lead an active lifestyle while forming strong community bonds.

“The idea is that you go to these common spaces. You’ve got your place where you’re living, but you want to actually spend time in the common areas, and that’s what will help foster the community,” Royer said.

The iconic Pendray House, the former home of the Coast Collective Art Centre, which has moved to the Holiday Inn Express building on Wale Road, will be integrated into the development, but the timing of its inclusion is still to be determined, Royer said.

The upstairs will be turned into a common area to be available for use by residents for special events, while part of the downstairs will be converted into office spaces for condo owners’ use.

Some of the existing artist work spaces will be upgraded and used for resident artists on site, she added.

While the development is projected to attract those in the 45 to 55 age demographic, the developers have seen some interest from younger individuals who might look at Pacific Landing as an investment opportunity, as well as a home for themselves later in life.

The developers hosted an open house over the Thanksgiving weekend that was well-received with more than 70 people in attendance, more than the 40 or 50 they were hoping for.

Construction on the first phase, which will feature three residential buildings and 33 units, is scheduled for completion this spring and 80 per cent of the units have already been sold.

Construction on phase two is scheduled to begin early next year.

For more information on Pacific Landing, log on to pacificlanding.ca.

joel.tansey@goldstreamgazette.com

GREATER VICTORIA MARKET UPDATE » MONTH TO DATE OCT. 17/16 COURTESY VICTORIA REAL ESTATE BOARD

» 398/734 -- NET UNCONDITIONAL SALES / TOTAL, OCTOBER 2015

» 500/925 -- NEW LISTINGS / TOTAL, OCTOBER 2015

» 1,990/3,170 -- ACTIVE RESIDENTIAL LISTINGS / TOTAL, OCTOBER 2015