FRESH FEATURES
Condos ramp up appeal
If your last apartment had avocado appliances or a dial telephone hard-wired to the wall, we’ve got news for you: Apartments have changed — and for the better.
Today’s apartment-style condos are beautiful, spacious, well designed and self-contained. They’re thoughtfully planned with convenient amenities that modern buyers demand and expect.
So, let go of any old-fashioned notions you might have about apartments from the days of yore and discover what fresh new ideas builders are bringing to the apartment experience.
KITCHENS
The living space in new condos is open and inviting, so there’s no place for kitchens to hide. They’re bright and clean with the latest appliances. New project Irvine Urban condos by Irvine Developments in Inglewood is offering integrated appliances, while the Theodore by Graywood Developments in Kensington is putting gas ranges in their kitchens. Many builders make quartz countertops either standard or available. Other standard features can include under-cupboard lighting, pot lights or pendant lights over an island.
Today’s apartment-style condos are beautiful, spacious, well designed and self-contained. They’re thoughtfully planned with convenient amenities that modern buyers demand and expect.
Cindy Stephen
Cardel Lifestyles feels features like wall ovens are important to its buyers in Walden Place in the southeast and Shane Homes has ensured every unit has plenty of cupboards and loads of counter space in its Mark
101 development. In-suite laundry is another must-have and some buildings, like the Apollo by Cove Properties in Greenwich, have a dedicated room for laundry in each unit as opposed to offering a laundry closet.
HIGH CEILINGS
AND LOTS OF WINDOWS
Just as ceiling heights have been raised in newer single-family homes, so have they been elevated in a condo. And it’s a good thing, too, because nine-foot ceilings can make a smaller space feel much larger and more airy. Some are going even higher, like to 11, 14 and 16 feet in Irvine with full height windows in units on the sixth floor and higher. The August, by Avi Urban in University District, has 10-foot ceilings. Gateway by Truman Homes in West District has put floor-to-ceiling windows in many units, the type one might find in a high-end hotel.
SHEER SIZE
To be fair, there are those condo buyers who prefer a more compact living arrangement and micro-condos are very quick to sell because of that. But for those who want more elbow room, there are multiple developments in Calgary with units that are 1,000 square feet or larger with two or three bedrooms and two or 2.5 bathrooms. Capella by Brookfield Residential in University District has single-level estate homes that are as large as 1,700 square feet. Calligraphy and Reflections by Jayman Built in Westman Village have similar sized homes.
Same with Avli on Atlantic by Greenview Developments in Inglewood and Vivace at West 85th by Streetside Developments, just to name a few. One doesn’t need to go far to find a condo that offers similar square footage to the main floor of a typical Calgary bungalow.
SECURITY
Security in the inner-city is important, so many buildings such as the Royal by Bosa in the Beltline have a full-time concierge available to residents. Security is important in any multi-family building, even in the suburbs. Mark
101 by Shane Homes has high definition cameras on every floor and in the parkade and outside of the building. The way to access each floor from the stairwell is with a smartphone. A fob is required for elevator. Westman Village also has 24-hour staff and video surveillance for residents.
AMAZING AMENITIES
With amenities come condo fees, but not all condos are created equally. You can go top shelf at a place like Westman Village that has its own leisure centre with a pool, yoga studio, craft room, lounge and golf simulator plus the warmth and convenience of a secure underground tunnel system, heated parking and car wash bay. Or you can simply opt for rooftop patios like the ones at Brio Bridgeland by Fortress Residential Group or Park Point by Qualex-landmark on Central Memorial Park. Or you can settle for underground parking, which can include an electric car charger, which is offered at the Apollo.
There are 3D tours and videos of almost every one of these condo properties online or contact the builders for an appointment.