Designs for a 24-7 lifestyle
Condo in Yonge-Eglinton neighbourhood speaks to work-hard-play-harder ethos of young professionals
Home is still where the hearth is — but the hearth is now found in diverse locations outside the home in this age where work and lifestyle converge.
At 150 Redpath condos in Toronto, building designs and amenities cater to the 24-7 atmosphere in the Yonge St. and Eglinton Ave. area. The hearth is now, for instance, at the common-area fire pit and by the big screen in the lounge.
The neighbourhood was once known as Young and Eligible — a play on the street names and its reputation as a mecca for young singles. Named earlier this year as the second-busiest GTA intersection, with a combined vehicle-pedestrian traffic count of 128,564 over 24 hours, the area remains a magnet for young professionals.
This upmarket, younger demographic is not necessarily interested in schools, daycare and two-car parking. They’re eyeing the range of great restaurants, the shopping, the subway and LRT intersection at their doorstep. All components of a lifestyle that goes around the clock.
“We’re definitely attracting young buyers,” says Matt Young, 30, of Capital Developments. The company, with Freed Developments, is building 150 Redpath, a 38-storey highrise with 543 units including townhomes, condos, lofts and penthouses ranging from 376 square feet to 1,403 square feet and from $221,990 to more than $1 million.
Young and his colleague Alexis Albert, 28, of Freed Developments, are exactly the demographic the condominium is aimed at: “A lot of 27- to 35-year-olds, not quite ready to start a family, who don’t want kids running up and down the halls, but want a good neighbourhood built around their lifestyle,” he says.
It’s a unique demographic: work hard, play harder and rest up in luxury. As a result, the neighbourhood has that 24-7 buzz.
“There’s so much in the way of food around the area,” says Albert. “I think it’s the variety people love. Japanese, Mexi-
“We don’t just come home after work. We want those shared amenities and shared spaces.” ALEXIS ALBERT ON TARGET AGE RANGE
can, Italian, whatever you feel like. Sometimes, it’s a cheeseburger.” For us, by us: After studying and envisioning their buyers, Young, Albert and the team around the table discussing the project soon realized they were looking in the mirror.
“We’re all in that range,” she says. “We don’t live 9-to-5, we don’t just come home after work. We want those shared amenities and shared spaces. Time is precious so we want to carve out more living in the space we have.”
The condo units themselves become more like private spaces for sleeping, showering and downtime — but the shared spaces — the amenities — take on more prominence.
Buyers know what they want because they’ve already experienced it, says project designer Johnson Chou.
“They’ve travelled and they’ve seen great spaces in private lounges at airports, or hotels or their own workspaces,” he says. “Our role was to evoke those experiences in the spaces of the condo units and in the shared spaced and amenities.
“The design concept here is not about defining space but that the design should articulate the lifestyle,” Chou adds.
Articulation will also happen in other ways.
“In working with these buyers and potential buyers we’ve started to add services to complement the amenities,” Albert says.
“Things like a dog-walking service in the building . . . having a milkshake from the ground-floor 24hour restaurant delivered to your door.”
In that respect, 150 Redpath will be similar to a high-end hotel; not surprising given that developer Peter Freed’s offices are in the Thompson Hotel, the luxe boutique hostelry he developed in the West King West neighbourhood that is a go-to spot with its celebrity-attended rooftop pool and fine dining.
“We really got into a discussion around how we like to live, or would like to live,” said Albert. “It’s for us, by us, in respect to the demographic — we get it.
“It’s a lifestyle that puts your home at the centre of your social circle. But it’s not the space you live in as much as the shared spaced you have available in the amenities which are so impressive.”
That impression is set starting at the entrance’s two-storey lobby with waiting-area lounge and 24-7 concierge services. Then there’s the amenities spread over two floors: the golf simulator, fitness facilities; a spa with hot stone therapy room, steam room and tranquility lounge.
It’s those little details that set it apart among the young-professionals demographic of buyers.
The ’round-the-clock restaurant on the ground floor will cater to that crowd with fine ales, wines and upscale (but not too upscale) food. As well as takeout, it is planned to offer doorstop delivery for both those sweats-and-T-shirt nights in or for evenings spent entertaining at the Miami-inspired, 80-foot outdoor infinity pool. Food can also go to the games room so no big moment is missed during playoff action on the big-screen. Better yet, fire up the barbecues and take one of the private dining areas or gather the gang around the fire pit.
Call it showcase living. Or just call it the midtown lifestyle.