Grand opening ceremony held for new 135-unit rental building in Esquimalt

On Thursday, September 10th, a grand opening ceremony was held for the new 135-unit, purpose-built rental development in Esquimalt dubbed ‘Anchor.’

Anchor is located at 829 Old Esquimalt Road, and its grand opening was marked with a nautical-inspired christening due to its proximity to the naval base. 

Along with being close to CFB Esquimalt, Anchor’s developers, Denciti Development Corp.says the new location is also near to numerous employers across healthcare and skilled trades. The company hopes this influx in the area’s housing helps regional employers to attract and retain workers. 

The development includes two ground-floor live-work units that provide space for small businesses or professional services, along with four storeys of rentable units. 

The unit makeup includes a mix of one-, two- and three bedroom suites. 

“Today marks an exciting milestone for Denciti in Esquimalt,” said Volodya Gusak, Co-Founder and CEO of Denciti Development Corp. 

“Anchor was designed to meet a real need providing quality rental homes where people want to live and near major employers in the region and we are grateful to the Township of Esquimalt for its vision and partnership in bringing this community to life.”

The developers project the region to grow by 18.8 per cent, with an expected population of 551,000 by 2046, making new purpose-built rentals a necessity.

Esquimalt Mayor Barb Desjardins was among those  in attendance for the building’s grand opening.

“It was a pleasure to help christen Anchor today and welcome this new building to Esquimalt,” said Mayor Barbara Desjardins, Township of Esquimalt.  

“These rental homes mean more people can put down roots here and experience everything our community has to offer and that’s something worth celebrating.”

In addition to the 135 homes and commercial spaces, the building also features 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.