When Location Is Your Amenity

Beautiful, functional and eminently walkable, 200 Douglas offers parkside living at its finest.

Forget Fifth Avenue: Victoria’s got 200 Douglas on the Park. Brightening the neighbourhood with its classy West Coast contemporary exterior and cedar-trimmed landscaping, this six-storey collection of 38 exquisite suites is the most stunning condominium development lower Douglas Street has seen in years.

Facing Victoria’s renowned Beacon Hill Park and boasting views of the Juan de Fuca Strait from its uppermost floors, 200 Douglas is situated steps from Victoria’s most breathtaking natural amenities. A walk of just two blocks takes you to the Dallas Road waterfront, while all 200 acres of Beacon Hill Park, with its woodland trails, ponds and gardens, is exactly one crosswalk away. The heart of James Bay Village, with bookstores, groceries, pharmacy and coffee shops, is a ten-minute stroll to the west. And the funky boutiques and eateries of Cook Street Village are just a walk across the park. For those who don’t want to engage in the daily traffic battle, this new condo development offers easy walkability to downtown stores and offices. “I love this location,” says Ada, a 200 Douglas homeowner who preferred to be identified by her first name only. “I used to park across the street and walk to my office from here.” When the Homewood Constructors sign went up, Ada – who was already living in a Homewood-built townhouse across town – knew it was going to be a great building. “I felt good about the builder,” says Ada. “I liked the idea of a new building in this location. It’s close to Dallas, right across from the park, and it’s walking distance to work downtown.” Just a few years away from retirement from her job with the provincial government, Ada has shifted from a two-bedroom to a one-bedroom with a den. With the open-concept layout and underground .”

The building’s ideal location was a key consideration for retired construction veteran Pete Humphreys, who, with his wife Elaine, was one of the first purchasers. “My wife had been a real estate appraiser for 40 years, so she knows the value of a location,” says Humphreys. He and Elaine bought their home at 200 Douglas early enough to have it customized to their specific needs, which made right-sizing into a condo from their Oak Bay home even easier. “We had the mentality that everything will serve a dual purpose,” says Humphreys. “Our den became an extension of the kitchen, and we put hidden curtain tracks up so that our living room can change into a bedroom when we have people staying with us.” Their one-bedroom-plus-den suite is one of two homes, the other being in Mexico. The excellent location, efficient use of space and ease of locking-and-leaving made 200 Douglas a perfect fit for this newly retired pair.

For many, the quality of the build is just as important as the location. Each of 200 Douglas’s 38 suites is appointed with the finest quality finishings, including quartz countertops, engineered hardwood floors, and frameless clear-glass balcony railings for unobstructed views. Floor-to-ceiling windows and overheight 8’9” ceilings (10’ on the main floor and in penthouse suites) create a sense of space. Kitchens enjoy an island eating bar with under-mounted stainless sinks, as well as Electrolux and Jenn-Air fridges and ranges, and Fisher-Paykel dishwashing drawers that allow users to customize small or large loads. Unique dropped “cloud” ceilings in the kitchen create a cozy feeling while preserving the open design through the use of pot lighting instead of the typical over-island pendant lighting. Bathrooms feature deep soaker tubs, hand set-tiles in all showers and floors, and glass shower doors. Some also feature in-shower seating. Chill-averse homeowners will be especially pleased with the heated tile floors in every ensuite bathroom. Steel and concrete construction contributes to exceptional structural stability and affords sound resistance that goes well beyond code. And the strata fee is satisfyingly low, since all the space at 200 Douglas is devoted to the suites. There’s no pool to pay for, no games room or guest suite to shell out for, no costly concierge to support. “The location is the amenity,” says Homewood Constructors president and developer John Newton.

The finished building adds a measure of grace and sophistication to the area – and the community members who so challenged the development in its early stages have now entirely revised their opinions. Where Newton had wanted to build a taller development – which would have actually allowed for a smaller footprint and more green space – he found the pushback from the community to be unreasonable, despite the surrounding 13- and 10-storey buildings. Rather than fight the community’s inability to envision change as a positive thing, Newton decided to let change speak for itself. He went ahead and built six storeys under the current zoning, working within the guidelines of what the site allowed. In the end, even the most die-hard non-supporters ended up loving the building. “It has really improved the area,” says Newton. “I don’t think I’ve developed a building before where people have walked up to me when I’m simply standing outside and said, What a gorgeous building you’ve done,” he says, laughing. “Our purchasers absolutely love the building, and they love the suites.” Newton himself has a piece of the pie, having selected one of the penthouses at 200 Douglas for his very own. Learn more about 200 Douglas.