HAPPY AT HOME
What it's like to live in Edmonton's `best apartment building'
They already knew it.
It was no surprise to Nancy and Michael Reynolds that West Block — their new home — has been named Edmonton's best apartment building for two years straight.
“We thought it was (Edmonton's best apartment building) when we bought there,” said Nancy, and that was in 2017, some two years before the luxury condominium project on the edge of downtown was ready to welcome its first residents. “It's nice it's been recognized.”
That recognition came from the Canadian Home Builders Association-edmonton Region, via its Awards of Excellence in 2020 and 2021 with 100 West Block taking the honours each time in the Best Apartment Building category.
Currently, six units remain with the starting price at $523,950.
West Block is just one part of the overall West Block Glenora, a 3.5-acre phased project that has been designed as a community within a community. The mixeduse development includes this first award-winning 60-unit condo building as well as retail and commercial space. Developer Cantiro is looking at plans to add townhomes, seniors' residential as well as more condos or perhaps apartments, all developed around the future LRT station that will be coming to Glenora.
The Reynolds, who lived nearby before they bought, wanted to stay within the general vicinity. They liked being close to downtown but not being downtown. They were one of the first buyers and, in turn, one of the first to move in.
Their two-bedroom, 1,300square-foot, eighth-storey condo has soaring views of the city — almost a 180-degree view of the northeast and southern parts of Edmonton with floor-to-ceiling windows — is done in a contemporary style, has a reasonably large kitchen and plenty of storage.
“I was concerned about the size of the kitchen going in because we entertain a lot,” said Nancy. “I cook a lot and I thought this is going to be very small. Well, it's not been an issue and part of it is because it's been so well planned.”
That, she said, includes pull out drawers for the lowers, which means easy access to everything, while the uppers are the full depth of the countertop giving the couple more bang for their storage needs.
Michael, meanwhile, has his own favourites and those lean toward the building amenities: the concierge service, the parkade's onsite car wash, storage rooms with locked spaces that are a massive upgrade on the old-style caged wire mesh units found in some garages, and the gym.
“There's no way you could replicate the gym in your home and yet it's not massive,” said Michael. “They chose the equipment very well, there's everything anybody would want.”
Both are enthralled with a host of other benefits the building offers including a bookable guest suite, a social space, and indoor and outdoor lounges.
They feel the retail and service spaces — shops, personal services and dining — help to connect West Block to the rest of Glenora and neighbouring Grovenor so that it has become part of the neighbourhood.
And as far as leaving their old home behind, Nancy had this to say: “We have really enjoyed the move. I tell people all the time I actually haven't missed the house, which is shocking, because we really loved our house and had done a great deal of work and renovation to it to make it just like we wanted it.”
WINNING CHOICES
While Cantiro was also named Builder of the Year-multi Family at the Chba-edmonton Region awards last month, Edmontonians looking for award-winning multi-family options have a number of choices available.
For those looking at apartment style options, Carrington Communities swept that category — Apartment Style $225,000 to $325,000 and Apartment Style Over $325,000 — for the Mullholland and Charm models, respectively.
The Mullholland at its Elan development in Allard is a 1,173-square-foot, two-bedroom unit designed to feel more bungalow-like. This winning suite has two tone cabinets — dark blue on the island and white on the walls — a full-height kitchen backsplash and hardwood flooring in a Chevron pattern. The Mullholland starts at $269,900.
The Charm, at the Allure in Mactaggart, at 1,650 sq. ft., is a one-of-a-kind condo. The luxury two-bedroom unit, with 10-foot ceilings, and built-in bar, comes with muted green cabinetry and is skewed slightly masculine with its sophisticated look and grey and gold accents. It's for sale for $961,280. For those on a lower budget, Carrington's nearby Edge condo development offers a similar interior package — The Vermouth — where one-bedroom units start at $199,900 and two bedrooms at $335,900. Edge is in its framing and roofing stage, and won for Best Sales and Information Centre.
TOWNHOMES, DUPLEXES
Other multi-family winners from the 2021 awards included City Homes Master Builder for its Bristol townhomes in The Collections at Creekwood, Parkwood Master Builder for The Clove Unit 1 in Cloverdale, Alair Homes for its Tribeca 7 Executive Row House in Queen Mary Park, and Brookfield Residential for its Vista Pointe development — Best Townhouse/ Duplex Project — in Chappelle Gardens; its Michelangelo and Finlay models, part of Vista Pointe, were also winners.