Telus announced last week the opening of a new Telus Living 195-home rental community in downtown Nanaimo, B.C. — part of the Vancouver-based telecom’s initiative to repurpose legacy telephone infrastructure into rental housing as it completes its network transition from copper to fibre technology.
Located at 235 Wallace St., the Nanaimo development joins another completed Telus Living building in Sechelt and one under construction in Vancouver-Point Grey.
“The Nanaimo development represents exactly what TELUS Living stands for by providing purpose-built rental housing tailored to the specific needs of the community it serves. We’ve designed 235 Wallace St with Nanaimo’s unique character in mind, offering a curated lifestyle that blends a climate-conscious, Zero Carbon Design approach with top-tier wellness and smart-tech amenities,” Manasweeta Bhatia, vice president of corporate real estate at Telus, said in a press release last Friday.
Powered by the Telus PureFibre network, the custom Telus Living App provides tenants with keyless entry, smart climate control, leak detection, parcel notifications, visitor management and amenity bookings, Telus said. The Nanaimo building sets a Vancouver Island benchmark aligned with Zero Carbon Design standards and Salmon-Safe development guidelines that actively protect local ecosystems, according to Telus.
Other features of the property include a rooftop deck with an outdoor kitchen, BBQs, a fitness centre, resident lounge, children’s outdoor play area, outdoor dog park and pet care station, secure underground parking, bike storage and maintenance facilities. Ranging from studios to three bedrooms, the rental units’ layouts include private balconies, individual air conditioning with energy recovery ventilators for optimal air quality, Samsung SmartThings appliances, and in-suite laundry.
“We shape every TELUS Living project by listening to the community, understanding its unique identity and design needs, and building accordingly,” Bhatia said. “Its central downtown location and proximity to both Vancouver Island University and Nanaimo Regional General Hospital also position it as an ideal home for students, educators, and healthcare workers seeking modern, connected living.”
The building is within walking distance of downtown Nanaimo’s vibrant cafes, eclectic Old City Quarter and the Harbourfront Walkway, Telus said, adding street-level retail and public art contributions also make up part of the rental property.
Photo of Telus Living Nanaimo, located at 235 Wallace St., via Telus
