Denciti Development Corp. is readying for residents this fall at its new purpose-built rental community in Esquimalt, B.C.

The 135-unit rental building Anchor is geared toward the needs of healthcare, defence and skilled trades workers in the Greater Victoria area.

The building, at 829 Old Esquimalt Rd., is conveniently located near CFB Esquimalt, Seaspan Victoria Shipyards and Victoria General Hospital, as well as downtown Victoria and Victoria Harbour.

Anchor offers a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom homes. The building includes secure underground resident parking, electric vehicle charging stations, bicycle storage, a bike repair and cleaning station, a social lounge with office pods, outdoor terraces with lounge seating and BBQ areas, a furnished guest suite and a pet spa.

There are also two ground-floor live-work units that will provide space for small businesses or professional services.

Anchor offers a balanced mix of units

Denciti purchased the site for Anchor in September 2021 and rezoning was completed in late 2023, with construction starting in August 2024.

David Fawley, Denciti co-founder and principal, told RENX the company commissioned market studies to determine the best unit mix for the property. "These market findings helped us identify our target renter demographic and guided us toward a balanced unit mix," he said. 

With the population in the area projected to grow 18.8 per cent over the next 20 years, the need for quality workforce housing is growing in the Greater Victoria Area.

"While growth has moderated in recent years, long-term projections continue to point to increasing demand for housing, infrastructure and services," Denciti said in a press release on the project.

"Workforce housing is a big challenge facing Greater Victoria," Fawley added. "Employers can't attract or retain the people they need if those workers can't find a place to live.

"Increasing the supply of purpose-built rental housing is one of the ways we can help support a healthy, growing regional economy.”

Esquimalt's vision also aligned with Denciti's. The town's Official Community Plan identifies the need to expand housing choice to support a range of households as critical to its long-term future.

"This is a connected, walkable community that is thoughtfully growing and evolving," Fawley said. "Esquimalt’s clear vision for housing and community planning created the opportunity to deliver more housing choice in a location where people want to build their lives.”

Construction to start on projects in Kelowna and Squamish

With residents expected to move into Anchor starting in September, Denciti has plans to start construction on a two-building PBR project in Kelowna this fall and a 153-unit project in Squamish.

Bernard Apartments in Kelowna will offer 361 units in two six-storey buildings at 1491 D’Anjou St. and 1488 Richmond St. The units will be a mix of enhanced studios, one-, two- and three-bedroom homes.

Amenities at Bernard include a social room, co-working space, gym, outside deck, programmable social room, rooftop terrace and dog wash.

Designed by Integra Architecture, the development offers an expansive rooftop deck, fitness centre, social lounge, co-working space and furnished lobbies with secure parcel delivery rooms, bicycle lockers and a bike wash and repair station. A new transit shelter is located in a central plaza between the two buildings.

In Squamish at 1415 Aspen Rd., Denciti is developing a six-storey building which will feature 153 apartments and 10 live-work units as well as a 4,000-sq.-ft. commercial space ear-marked for a daycare. Indoor amenities include a gym, social lounge and co-working space.

Founded in 2018, Vancouver-based Denciti is a real estate development company creating urban industrial, commercial and residential development.