The Harris Green Village development has broken ground on the project that seeks to bring over 1,500 rental units onto the market in downtown Victoria.
With this project officially underway, this means that over the next several years, Yates Street will be transformed into a much more vibrant and densely populated community.
Starlight Investments is the developer behind this massive undertaking, and will ultimately be responsible for building the largest multi-family housing project in the city’s history.
The initial phase will bring 526 new rental suites to downtown Victoria, of which 80 will be dedicated as affordable housing.
The first phase is slated to be completed by 2028.
Additionally, once the entire project is completed, the new Harris Green Village will not only offer rental housing, but will also bring businesses into the area, with 100,000 square feet of modern commercial and retail space.
Starlight says that future residents will be able to choose from a mix of suite options, including apartments with one to three bedrooms, studio suites and townhomes.
Furthermore, they plan to include a street-facing plaza, as well as a quiet residential green space to offer an area for pets, community gatherings and accessible play spaces.
“We are thrilled to begin construction on this transformational mixed-use community that is set to become a lively focal point in the city,” said Howard Paskowitz, Vice President, Development and Public Affairs, Starlight Investments.
“Harris Green Village showcases Starlight’s commitment to increasing the availability of much-needed rental housing while keeping the unique needs and characteristics of each community at the forefront of design.”
The future Harris Green Village will be close to transit, a short walk from Victoria’s downtown core and nearby an abundance of shops, restaurants, trails and the waterfront.
According to Victoria Mayor Marianne Alto, this development is a big win for renters, and for bringing down the high costs of rent.
“The Harris Green Village development is a demonstration of Victoria’s forward-thinking approach to driving purpose-built rental housing,” said Alto.
“This is exactly the kind of vibrant, community-driven growth we can expect as the City continues to create more opportunities for housing and community spaces in the downtown core.”
The Harris Green Village project has been in the works since at least 2019, when Starlight began acquiring properties for the development, and launched community consultations in June of that same year.
