Jump to content

      



























BUILT
Washington
Use: townhome
Address: 3080 Washington Avenue
Municipality: Victoria
Region: Urban core
Sales status: now selling
Washington is a collection of traditionally-inspired 2, 3 & 4-bedroom townhomes in historic Burnside Gorge... (view full profile)
Learn more about Washington on Citified.ca      Official website: https://formwell.ca/washington/?utm_source=citified&utm_medium=listing&utm_campaign=spring
Photo

[Burnside-Gorge] Washington | Townhomes


  • Please log in to reply
54 replies to this topic

#1 Citified.ca

Citified.ca
  • Administrator
  • 2,284 posts
  • LocationVictoria, BC

Posted 07 October 2021 - 02:30 PM

Citified profile: https://victoria.cit...ons/washington/

Project website

 

Local-builder-Formwell-Homes-unveils-first-townhouse-project-as-demand-for-missing-middle-homes-soars-in-Victoria.jpg

 

washington-2.jpg

 

Local builder Formwell Homes unveils first townhouse project as demand for ‘missing middle’ homes soars in Victoria

https://victoria.cit...rs-in-victoria/

 

Local homebuilder Formwell Homes has unveiled its first residential project as demand for ‘missing middle’ housing reaches an all-time high in Victoria.

 
Formwell co-founders Sam Ganong and Kyle Ryan – no strangers to the Capital’s real-estate development industry with a combined 30-years during which they helped deliver more than 800-units of single- and multi-family housing – have joined efforts on a traditionally-inspired townhome development in Victoria’s Burnside Gorge community near the Selkirk Waterfront and Galloping Goose Regional Trail.
 
Known as Washington, Formwell’s introductory offering (at 3080 Washington Avenue) will deliver 34 two, three and four-bedroom townhouses to the up-and-coming neighbourhood. 
 
Ganong and Ryan started Formwell with a goal to improve the multi-family living experience through a commitment to practical human-centric design philosophies, while closely taking into account their own personal experiences raising families. Both having worked extensively in residential new home development and construction, the co-founders realized a collective regard for the townhome archetype.
 
“Living in a townhome with a growing family really shaped my passion for improving livability within townhome residences,” said father of two young children, Sam Ganong. “Recognizing the opportunity this housing form provides for families, with the single-family home increasingly becoming out of reach for many, now felt like the right time to pursue the creation of more family-friendly, functional homes across the city.” [More]

  • Nparker likes this
Know it all.
Citified.ca is Victoria's most comprehensive research resource for new-build homes and commercial spaces.

#2 DavidSchell

DavidSchell
  • Member
  • 684 posts

Posted 07 October 2021 - 03:46 PM

So much demand for this type of housing, this really needs to be a priority for all municipalities.

 

Get people out of their 2 bedroom condos and into something where they can raise a family with a bit of yard. 

 

The slingshot affect of people moving from a 2 bedroom condos to a townhouse allowing 1 bedroom condo owners to move up and freeing up 1 bedroom condos for people buying their first home is where you get the most bang for your buck in trying to provide housing.  



#3 Mike K.

Mike K.
  • Administrator
  • 82,943 posts

Posted 07 October 2021 - 05:30 PM

There’s something very nostalgic about the design here.

Know it all.
Citified.ca is Victoria's most comprehensive research resource for new-build homes and commercial spaces.


#4 rambaldi

rambaldi
  • Member
  • 182 posts

Posted 07 October 2021 - 06:28 PM

Are they fee-simple?



#5 LJ

LJ
  • Member
  • 12,685 posts

Posted 07 October 2021 - 07:12 PM

There is a similar development to this on Tillicum between Gorge Rd. and Craigflower, it seemed to sell out fast.

 

Very desirable type of housing for young families.


Life's a journey......so roll down the window and enjoy the breeze.

#6 Mike K.

Mike K.
  • Administrator
  • 82,943 posts

Posted 07 October 2021 - 08:24 PM

Are they fee-simple?


I don’t think so. The strata situation is definitely not to everyone’s liking, but if run well they can be quite good.
  • Matt R. likes this

Know it all.
Citified.ca is Victoria's most comprehensive research resource for new-build homes and commercial spaces.


#7 fitzsystar

fitzsystar
  • Member
  • 8 posts

Posted 08 October 2021 - 09:44 PM

I was wondering when this development would get its own thread! I live just down the street from it (in an older townhouse development), and the council meeting where it was approved was a lovely counter-narrative to NIMBY opposition. Multiple neighbours - including those directly in front and beside - this development spoke out in favour of it! Burnside Gorge (and specifically Washington Ave) has some issues with a higher ratio of supportive and transitional housing. Increasing the proportion of market-rate, family-oriented housing is one way to offset it. 
 
Right now, there are THREE developments all in-progress where a single family home was taken down and 4+ homes are going up in its place.
  • One development has 4 homes (almost complete, backing onto our beautiful new park and the goose).
  • Another development has 8 homes (I"m not sure where this one is in terms of approvals. See here: https://pub-victoria...ocumentId=62377
  • Finally, 3 lots were amalgamated to create this lovely towhhouse development of 32 homes. 
I can't wait for all of them to be finished, and see how much more vibrant our street will become!
  • Mike K. likes this

#8 sebberry

sebberry

    Resident Housekeeper

  • Moderator
  • 21,502 posts
  • LocationVictoria

Posted 09 October 2021 - 04:31 PM

I was wondering when this development would get its own thread! I live just down the street from it (in an older townhouse development), and the council meeting where it was approved was a lovely counter-narrative to NIMBY opposition. Multiple neighbours - including those directly in front and beside - this development spoke out in favour of it! Burnside Gorge (and specifically Washington Ave) has some issues with a higher ratio of supportive and transitional housing. Increasing the proportion of market-rate, family-oriented housing is one way to offset it. 

 

Right now, there are THREE developments all in-progress where a single family home was taken down and 4+ homes are going up in its place.

  • One development has 4 homes (almost complete, backing onto our beautiful new park and the goose).
  • Another development has 8 homes (I"m not sure where this one is in terms of approvals. See here: https://pub-victoria...umentId=62377) 
  • Finally, 3 lots were amalgamated to create this lovely towhhouse development of 32 homes. 

I can't wait for all of them to be finished, and see how much more vibrant our street will become! 

 

 

Welcome to the forum!


Victoria current weather by neighbourhood: Victoria school-based weather station network

Victoria webcams: Big Wave Dave Webcams

 


#9 Mike K.

Mike K.
  • Administrator
  • 82,943 posts

Posted 09 October 2021 - 09:10 PM

The project is also helping fund the Doric Greenway connector, which will create and pedestrian and bicycle path down to the ravine. That’ll be quite neat.

Know it all.
Citified.ca is Victoria's most comprehensive research resource for new-build homes and commercial spaces.


#10 Citified.ca

Citified.ca
  • Administrator
  • 2,284 posts
  • LocationVictoria, BC

Posted 08 December 2021 - 10:36 AM

This project is now 40% sold-out, as demand far outstripped the initial release of Washington's 34 townhomes with additional units added to the launch. The second phase of sales is planned for early 2022.

 

Developer-Formwell-breaks-ground-on-'Washington'-townhomes-following-sellout-of-first-release.jpg

Formwell Homes co-founder Sam Ganong (left) stands next to City of Victoria councillor and Acting Mayor Marianne Alto at the groundbreaking event for Washington, a 34 residence townhome project now underway at 3080 Washington Avenue in Victoria's Burnside-Gorge neighbourhood. At right is Formwell co-founder Kyle Ryan, with future Washington homeowners Anthony Fotino and partner Lian Kubisz at his side.

 

Developer Formwell breaks ground on 'Washington' townhomes following sellout of first release

 

More details are available on Formwell's website.


Know it all.
Citified.ca is Victoria's most comprehensive research resource for new-build homes and commercial spaces.

#11 Nparker

Nparker
  • Member
  • 40,221 posts

Posted 08 December 2021 - 10:39 AM

washington-2.jpg

 

https://victoria.cit...-first-release/



#12 AllseeingEye

AllseeingEye

    AllSeeingEye

  • Member
  • 6,510 posts

Posted 08 December 2021 - 12:08 PM

Nice. Lots of positive developments happening in Gorge-Harriett-Tillicum right now. That area is really starting to transition in a very good way.


  • Nparker likes this

#13 Mike K.

Mike K.
  • Administrator
  • 82,943 posts

Posted 08 December 2021 - 05:04 PM

It’s the sort of place where your money is going to go far, and your equity has lots of room to grow.

Today’s smart money is buying in B-G, for sure. And Washington Avenue is a hidden gem, you really need to walk that street to see how neat it is.
  • Matt R. likes this

Know it all.
Citified.ca is Victoria's most comprehensive research resource for new-build homes and commercial spaces.


#14 AllseeingEye

AllseeingEye

    AllSeeingEye

  • Member
  • 6,510 posts

Posted 08 December 2021 - 07:02 PM

It’s the sort of place where your money is going to go far, and your equity has lots of room to grow.

Today’s smart money is buying in B-G, for sure. And Washington Avenue is a hidden gem, you really need to walk that street to see how neat it is.

 

Before settling on a large condo in the Cook St Village area in 2007 I came "this" close to buying a spacious three level, 3 bdrm, 2.5 bathroom townhouse on Washington - price back then was a staggering $374k, lol....


  • Nparker likes this

#15 Mike K.

Mike K.
  • Administrator
  • 82,943 posts

Posted 08 December 2021 - 07:05 PM

Yup. Now it’s $1.2, and when this project completes, $1.4.

Know it all.
Citified.ca is Victoria's most comprehensive research resource for new-build homes and commercial spaces.


#16 AllseeingEye

AllseeingEye

    AllSeeingEye

  • Member
  • 6,510 posts

Posted 08 December 2021 - 07:46 PM

Crazy - I do feel for those not yet in the market and do wonder how the heck they'll ever gain a foothold. Its all most people can do to scrape together a down payment these days.

 

The area is solidly middle class - and improving - but its not exactly Royal Oak or Gordon Head or View Royal never mind Beach Drive, Broadmead, Bear Mtn or Ardmore; how young folks and new graduates ever get in without winning a lottery is a head scratcher. The days when my parents bought a 4 bedroom split level SFH in the UVic/Mt Tolmie neighborhood for $27,500 are ancient history, consigned to the history books. 



#17 Casual Kev

Casual Kev
  • Member
  • 794 posts

Posted 08 December 2021 - 07:58 PM

Crazy - I do feel for those not yet in the market and do wonder how the heck they'll ever gain a foothold. Its all most people can do to scrape together a down payment these days.

 

The area is solidly middle class - and improving - but its not exactly Royal Oak or Gordon Head or View Royal never mind Beach Drive, Broadmead, Bear Mtn or Ardmore; how young folks and new graduates ever get in without winning a lottery is a head scratcher. The days when my parents bought a 4 bedroom split level SFH in the UVic/Mt Tolmie neighborhood for $27,500 are ancient history, consigned to the history books. 

 

There used to be less people and a lot less money going around in the past. Unfortunately urban planning and housing supply are still very much determined the same way as it was when Chretien was PM, despite the radically different economic and demographic realities of today.


  • AllseeingEye likes this

#18 Redd42

Redd42
  • Member
  • 1,502 posts

Posted 08 December 2021 - 08:08 PM

Washington Ave? How many hotels near there have been used to house the unhoused? Lots of social/subsidized housing in that area. Not an area I would buy a family home.

 

I also almost bought on Washington Ave, a condo almost on the water front. But decided it was too small. Now it would be the neighbourhood that would discourage me. Washington close to Burnside, ok. Washington close to Gorge, not ok.



#19 Mike K.

Mike K.
  • Administrator
  • 82,943 posts

Posted 08 December 2021 - 08:09 PM

Crazy - I do feel for those not yet in the market and do wonder how the heck they'll ever gain a foothold. Its all most people can do to scrape together a down payment these days.

The area is solidly middle class - and improving - but its not exactly Royal Oak or Gordon Head or View Royal never mind Beach Drive, Broadmead, Bear Mtn or Ardmore; how young folks and new graduates ever get in without winning a lottery is a head scratcher. The days when my parents bought a 4 bedroom split level SFH in the UVic/Mt Tolmie neighborhood for $27,500 are ancient history, consigned to the history books.

Every day young people are buying homes in this city. But they have to start with condos, build equity, and move up. Lots of them don’t want to do that, they want the Oak Bay bungalow and a BMW straight out of university.

Back when your mom and dad bought their rancher that area was the literal sticks, next to cow fields, in a small city on an island the rest of Canada barely knew existed. Times were different, and most people would have thought Victorians were nuts living in such a small backwards place when the big money was in Edmonton and Winnipeg and Toronto. So there was opportunity lost back then, living in cheap little Victoria.

I’d prefer it if our society spent less time feeling sorry for people wanting Step G, from Step A, and instead communicated the realities of homeownership and how to get there (key point: complaining on Twitter doesn’t make an iota of difference). We like to think of Victoria in 1960 as the same desirable place it is today, except (whoa!!) housing was so cheeeeeeap, man! But Victoria then wasn’t what it is today, it was not as desirable and it had little employment. People cut their teeth elsewhere then retired to slow, quiet little Victoria where a pain in the butt ferry had to move you to the mainland if you wanted to get some business done.
  • LJ and A Girl is No one like this

Know it all.
Citified.ca is Victoria's most comprehensive research resource for new-build homes and commercial spaces.


#20 AllseeingEye

AllseeingEye

    AllSeeingEye

  • Member
  • 6,510 posts

Posted 08 December 2021 - 08:42 PM

Every day young people are buying homes in this city. But they have to start with condos, build equity, and move up. Lots of them don’t want to do that, they want the Oak Bay bungalow and a BMW straight out of university.

Back when your mom and dad bought their rancher that area was the literal sticks, next to cow fields, in a small city on an island the rest of Canada barely knew existed. Times were different, and most people would have thought Victorians were nuts living in such a small backwards place when the big money was in Edmonton and Winnipeg and Toronto. So there was opportunity lost back then, living in cheap little Victoria.

I’d prefer it if our society spent less time feeling sorry for people wanting Step G, from Step A, and instead communicated the realities of homeownership and how to get there (key point: complaining on Twitter doesn’t make an iota of difference). We like to think of Victoria in 1960 as the same desirable place it is today, except (whoa!!) housing was so cheeeeeeap, man! But Victoria then wasn’t what it is today, it was not as desirable and it had little employment. People cut their teeth elsewhere then retired to slow, quiet little Victoria where a pain in the butt ferry had to move you to the mainland if you wanted to get some business done.

 

Not quite it was nowhere near the sticks - I don't know where you think that house is but I can assure you there have never been cow fields anywhere near it, and the density and even the look and feel of the neighborhood today is exactly what it was when they bought it, which was certainly not 1960. Nor was it a rancher - nothing has changed on any of the roads in that Gordon Head/Cedar Hill X Rd neighborhood other than more commercial way down at the bottom of the hill at Shelbourne and Cedar Hill X Rd.

 

I think you have your coordinates mixed up Mike. What, do you think they've sold off parcels of Mt Tolmie park and densified it? :)



You're not quite at the end of this discussion topic!

Use the page links at the lower-left to go to the next page to read additional posts.
 



0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users