Wisteria Row Townhomes in Gonzales, Victoria

The Wisteria Row Site and Its Approval

Aryze first brought the project forward in 2019, and council approved the rezoning in September 2022. At the time, the mayor said approval delays had cost the project its eligibility for a provincial affordable home ownership program. Coverage of the approval described two three-storey buildings and a tree plan that removed 28 trees, 17 of them protected under the city's tree bylaw, while keeping 14 and planting 33 new ones.

The original approval included an agreement with the Capital Regional District to secure four of the 18 homes at below-market prices. In September 2023 Aryze asked the city to release that covenant so every home could be sold at market rate, pointing to higher interest rates and construction costs, and in late 2023 council voted to support the discharge in exchange for a donation to the city's housing reserve fund. Some listing sites still describe below-market units, but those descriptions predate the change. A buyer's lawyer should still check title for any covenants or agreements that remain.

Wisteria Row Layouts: How the Stacked Homes Work

Although every home is marketed and listed as a townhome, Wisteria Row is a stacked design. The developer's floor plans show three-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bathroom homes that each take up two levels, with one home on levels 1 and 2 and another above it on levels 3 and 4. Upper homes have a neighbour below and lower homes have one above, so ask which levels a home occupies, how much of its lowest level sits below grade, and where its entry and outdoor space are.

Sample three-bedroom plans on the developer's site range from about 1,284 to 1,478 sq ft in total, and at least one of those totals includes about 97 sq ft of outdoor space, so compare them with the MLS figure: the current three-bedroom listing measures 1,198 sq ft. The one-bedroom homes are much smaller, and the current listing is 517 sq ft. Inside, Aryze points to oversized windows and custom-designed kitchen cabinetry.

Car Share, Bikes and Outdoor Space

Plans reported at the 2022 approval gave residents car-share memberships with usage credits and called for at least 30 long-term bike parking spaces, half with e-bike charging, plus a bike repair stand and wash area. Confirm what was delivered, how the car-share membership carries over on resale, and whether a home includes a parking stall.

The design relies on ground-level porches and inset balconies for private outdoor space, so check what a particular home has and how it faces the street or the shared landscaping.

Living in Gonzales, on the Oak Bay Border

Gonzales is a City of Victoria neighbourhood that Aryze places on the border with Oak Bay. Tourism Victoria lists Gonzales Beach off Crescent Road near the end of Foul Bay Road; dogs may run off leash there from September 1 to May 31 and are not allowed from June 1 to August 31. For shopping, Oak Bay Tourism points to the boutiques and galleries of Oak Bay Avenue village and lists Foul Bay Road among Oak Bay's retail areas.

The address is in Greater Victoria School District 61, and the district's School Locator gives the elementary, middle and secondary catchment schools for any address. MLS groups this part of Gonzales with Fairfield, so for more on the wider area read our Fairfield neighbourhood guide.

Buying at Wisteria Row

Because Aryze is still selling, a listing may be a never-occupied home from the developer or a resale. GST may apply to a home bought new from the developer, and first-time buyers should check current federal and BC rebates with an advisor. A 2025 project is at the start of BC's 2-5-10 home warranty, which covers materials and labour for shorter periods, the building envelope for five years and structure for ten, and stays with the home if it is sold.

A small strata shares costs among few owners, so a roof, envelope or landscaping repair can weigh more on each home than in a large building. Read the bylaws and rules, the Form B information certificate, minutes, the budget, the contingency reserve fund and any depreciation report. Since November 24, 2022, BC stratas cannot restrict long-term rentals, though they can still limit rentals of 30 days or less, and pet rules vary, so check them in the bylaws.

Comparing Wisteria Row with Other Townhomes

Wisteria Row suits buyers who want a newer townhome-style home in an established neighbourhood near the water and are comfortable with a stacked layout. Compare it with other Fairfield townhomes for sale, browse new townhomes for sale across Greater Victoria, or see all Fairfield real estate.