Village aspect, sense of community an important part of the planning
The hope is that there’ll be a lot of street hockey and bicycles in the area.
“That’s exactly what we want to see happen,” Alexandra Serafini said. “Kids are going to go out with their chalk and play on the sidewalks and you can know your kids are out there and not worry about vehicle traffic.”
The project has a 93 per cent bike score, the city’s calculation of route safety for cyclists, along with bike racks and repair stations, Dostie said. There will be a Communauto station and plenty of parking and installations for electric vehicles.
“There’s already a big demand for that,” Serafini said, “and we are definitely a greenconscious project.”
The Village aspect figures heavily in the development and how spaces are conceived.
“We are developing it in a very rassembleur fashion” indoors and out, Tina Dostie said, which means bringing people together, in homes, in sections of neighbourhoods, and creating a close village atmosphere.
Tak’s name reflects the Nordic aspect evident in the project’s esthetics. In contrast to the red brick motif of the Angus district, all exterior architecture for Tak is white with wood accents, large private terraces and lots of greenery. And the development is located between two parks.
The Nordic design means “we’re not only looking at something that has to look good,” Dostie said, “but it has to be very functional and match with the profile of our clients’ lifestyles.”
Apartments feature Scandinavian-inspired finishes, soundproofing, large windows, air conditioning, central domestic hot-water heater, high ceilings, elevators, underground parking and individual airexchange systems.
Central to all of it, Serafini said, is the kitchen.
“We’re investing in good designer kitchens, installing large islands and high-end Miele appliances.”
All condos feature centrally located kitchens. “You can walk right in and see it,” she said, “and still get a nice view towards the windows around it with lots of light. It’s a sense of openness for even the smallest units.”
So whether cooking for large groups, sipping coffee while keeping an eye on the kids’ homework, or sitting down with a laptop for some leisure or work, the kitchen will constitute the efficient, comfortable and inviting nucleus of the home, she said.
A full-size functional kitchen will be created in a model condo on site by the end of June, and will host free workshops and cooking classes for kids and adults this summer.
Phase 1 is expected to be completed by spring 2020, aligned with new infrastructure and the extension of 2nd Avenue. Monthly condo fees are estimated at 32 cents per square foot and will cover landscaping and general maintenance of the buildings.