The Rockland

The Rockland — 1033 Belmont Avenue, Victoria

The Rockland is a 40-unit, seven-storey steel-and-concrete condominium completed in 1987, sitting on one of the highest elevations in the city of Victoria at the corner of Belmont Avenue and Maud Place. The location — straddling the boundary between the historic Rockland neighbourhood and the Fairfield-Gonzales corridor — gives the building genuinely uncommon sight lines: south to the Salish Sea and Olympic Mountains, southeast across Gonzales Bay to Mount Baker, west to the city skyline and Inner Harbour, and east toward the Victoria Golf Club. Many homes capture two or three of these vistas from a single suite.

Strata plan VIS1578 governs the complex. With only 40 units across seven floors — typically five or six suites per floor — The Rockland is among the lowest-density large condo buildings in central Victoria, a structural feature that has helped it retain its position as one of the city's most coveted addresses through nearly four decades of market cycles.

The building

The Rockland is steel-and-concrete construction with stone, stucco, and brick accents — uncommon for a 1987 build in Victoria, and a meaningful resale advantage over the wood-frame stock that surrounds it. Sound transmission between units is minimal, the structure is fundamentally low-maintenance, and the elevated site means the building catches both morning and evening sun as well as cross-breezes from the Strait. Suites are oriented to maximize the view radius rather than maximize unit count.

Most homes are two-bedroom-plus-den layouts ranging from 1,700 to 2,100 sq ft, with a small number of 1-bedroom suites (including a former caretaker's unit on the ground floor) and a single top-floor penthouse exceeding 1,770 sq ft. Wrap-around balconies — many of them enclosed as glassed-in sunrooms — are a defining feature, allowing year-round outdoor enjoyment regardless of weather.

Interiors and renovations

Original units came with full-size dining rooms, in-suite laundry rooms, large primary suites with four-piece ensuites, and either electric or wood-burning fireplaces. Many suites have since been taken down to the studs and reimagined to a high standard — recent renovations have delivered open-concept layouts, custom millwork, integrated appliance packages, quartz or stone countertops, wide-plank hardwood, and heat pumps for cooling. The building's concrete construction supports significant interior reconfiguration, and several recent listings reference fully permitted, designer-led rebuilds.

The strata permits hard-surface flooring in select units and historically restricted it in others, so buyers should verify what is allowed in any particular suite before planning a renovation.

Amenities

The Rockland's amenity package reflects its residential, low-density character rather than a hotel-style approach:

• Full-time on-site caretaker — increasingly rare in Victoria condos
• Guest suite for visiting friends and family
• Workshop area for hobbyists and tradespeople
• Indoor car wash bay
• Secure underground parking with EV chargers, plus generous visitor parking (a notable advantage in Rockland, where street parking is constrained)
• Bike storage and individual storage lockers
• Elevator access, secured entry, and landscaped grounds

Strata fees include caretaker, garbage, insurance, water, grounds maintenance, and property management. Pet rules are typical for the building's tier — generally one or two cats, or one dog under approximately 33 lbs, though specifics have been amended over time. Rentals are presently permitted with restrictions following the provincial repeal of strata rental bans (Bill 44, 2022); buyers planning to rent should review the current bylaws and any tenant-specific restrictions in place.

Location and neighbourhood

The Rockland neighbourhood was developed beginning in the 1880s as Victoria's premier residential enclave, defined by stone-walled estates and Arts and Crafts-era homes designed by Samuel Maclure and his contemporaries. Government House (the official residence of the Lieutenant Governor of BC), Craigdarroch Castle, and the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria all sit within a short walk, and the area retains its character as one of the city's most established residential districts.

From 1033 Belmont, residents are roughly:

• 10 minutes' walk to Cook Street Village (cafés, restaurants, grocery, Beacon Hill Park)
• 15 minutes' walk to downtown Victoria and the Inner Harbour
• 15 minutes' walk to Oak Bay Village (boutiques, dining, the Penny Farthing pub, Oak Bay Marina)
• 5 minutes' drive to Dallas Road and the waterfront walkway — a continuous oceanfront path running from Ogden Point to Ross Bay
• 5 minutes' drive to the Victoria Golf Club at Gonzales Point — one of the oldest courses in Canada, and visible from many Rockland suites

The neighbourhood is light on commercial amenities by design, but the proximity to Cook Street Village, Oak Bay Avenue, and downtown gives residents access to three distinct retail districts within easy walking or driving distance.

Who it suits

The Rockland appeals to a specific buyer: established professionals, retired executives, and downsizers from larger Victoria-area homes who want size, view, and quality without moving into either a high-rise or a single-family property. Recent sale prices have ranged from roughly $1.05 million for an original-condition two-bedroom to $1.78 million for a renovated penthouse, with a top-floor 02-line corner with wraparound deck achieving $1.5 million in 2025. The combination of elevation, square footage, low density, and walkable neighbourhood character is genuinely difficult to replicate elsewhere in Victoria's condo market.

Quick facts:

• Built: 1987
• Units: 40
• Storeys: 7
• Buildings: 1
• Strata Plan: VIS1578
• Construction: Steel and concrete with stone, stucco, and brick
• Architectural style: Contemporary
• Unit sizes: ~870 – 2,100+ sq ft (most 1,700–1,800 sq ft)
• Strata includes: Caretaker, garbage, insurance, water, grounds, management
• Parking: Underground (1 stall standard, 2 in select suites), visitor parking, EV charging
• Pets: 2 cats, or 1 medium sized dog up to 15kg or 33 lbs - tenants not allowed pets
• Rentals: Permitted with restrictions — confirm current bylaws
• Notable amenities: Full-time caretaker, guest suite, workshop, car wash bay
• Recent sale range: $1.05M – $1.78M (2024–2026)