GATEWAY GETAWAY
‘I’ll have a lovely, gorgeous place to come home to,’ says veteran of many, many moves
It would seem that moving house is one of Gloria Jones’ passions in life. Perhaps not the packing and heavy lifting part, but the fresh perspective and anticipation that goes with it.
“I’m continually looking online to figure out what happens next,” says Jones, an estate and tax planner in Calgary who has purchased a new condo in Gateway, by Truman Homes.
“This will be my 21st move as an adult,” she says.
The shift from her 4,000-squarefoot, single-family home in Currie to one-level living in an eight-storey building in West District is also a lifestyle change, says Jones, as she considers retirement in the next five to seven years.
“I ski, golf, hike — I work 80 hours a week. I haven’t lived in a high-rise since university, but a condo will be more conducive to my lifestyle and I’ll have a lovely, gorgeous place to come home to,” she says.
As an estate and tax planner, Jones is heeding the advice she gives to her clients and is happily passing on several possessions.
Her antiques will go to her son and her granddaughter and some modern pieces will go to her daughter who lives nearby.
One of her strategies when planning “what’s next” has always been to buy early to ensure involvement in the design and construction process.
When she purchased her two-bedroom unit on the fifth floor at Gateway, she had her pick of floor plans.
“There are only four units like mine and they’re not penthouses. It’s usually only the top floors that are unique and different. I have a balcony at the front and back and windows on one side, so I have three uninhibited sides.”
Her unit is the 3E floor plan with 1,669 square feet including the two outdoor spaces. It has two bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms and a den, which Jones will use as an office. The master has a huge walk-in closet and the ensuite has double sinks.
She upgraded by adding a steam shower and rearranged the laundry area to allow for hanging storage. Jones purchased an extra parking spot and additional storage for the convenience and for potential resale value. She anticipates possession in early 2020.
“I’ve never had Truman as a builder before, but a couple of my clients have. Gateway is a very unique building and there are so many floor plans. I think they have quite a good vision of the future — it’s well done”
Gateway is the first of several multi-family projects slated for West District and is comprised of one-, two- and three-bedroom units. That includes two-level sky towns and brownstones at ground level. The podium level will have retail and restaurants with underground public and resident parking.
Earlier this summer, five show suites opened in the Discovery Centre at Gateway, which has resulted in increased activity says Oliver Trutina, Truman vice-president.
“The mountain views at Gateway are absolutely stunning and of course, units with views are going quickly.”
There’s only one 3E floor plan left he notes, priced at $664,720 plus GST. However, there are seven other plans in Gateway with a familiar footprint and exposure.
“With 36 plans in total we do have quite the variety, but many are extremely unique with only a handful or less in each building.
“We offer larger units, like three-bedroom, 2.5 bathroom or two-bedroom plus den with 2.5 bathrooms because the average
Calgary home has the same facility. We want to create the same value seen within a home but on one floor, catering to the ‘right-sizers’ needs,” he explains.
Construction in West District is on schedule, says Trutina, including the extension of Broadcast Avenue, the district’s major thoroughfare, to 77th Street S.W.