It was an exciting day in downtown Prince George as the ground was officially broken on the new student housing project.
The housing will be located 1404 Patricia Blvd., next to the Prince George Public Library and constructed by Faction Projects Inc., a Kelowna based company.
They also work with Veda Living works to deliver student housing projects.
The development will also include on-site parking and landscaping.
The building will be six stories; it'll have wood and architectural features to add visual effects.
It's also the first project in northern B.C. for the company.
"We're really excited and confident with this team that this one [Prince George project] will be another big success," said Tim McLennon Director of Design and Operations, Faction Projects Inc.
Director of Development and Construction, Michael Hoffman, added that numerous contractors for the building are local, which helps the local economy and provides numerous employment opportunities.
"We'd also like to thank the local business community, in particular, the construction industry. It's been easy to reach out," he said. "There's a lot of local trades, which are very important to this project. We just finished tendering and in the coming weeks, we'll be announcing who those trades are. It will be a very local sub-trade base and employment base. We appreciate them embracing this project and providing their sharp pencils for us so we can make this project a success."
Some local contractors specifically will include All North Engineering (civil and structural engineer) GeoNorth (geotechnical engineer) and NRS Engineering (electrical engineering).
McLennon also had high praise for the city, saying without their support and commitment, the project would never have been able to go ahead.
"The city has been really great to deal with. Everybody says that at these groundbreaking events but it's actually true," he added. "I can honestly say the City of Prince George gave just enough of a push to make this project feasible. Without it, it wouldn't have gone ahead."
City of Prince George Mayor Lyn Hall also expressed his excitement about the project and what it will bring to the city not only presently, but also down the road in the future.
"This is a big, big day for us," he said. "It's an opportunity in my opinion for them [UNBC and CNC] to market their schools with a little different approach. It's an opportunity for them to say 'look, we provide top grade student housing in our city. It's in an ideal location' so I'm excited."
- with files from Hanna Petersen, Prince George Matters
