A little bit of Italy
Nuovo condo draws on its neighbourhood roots,
How about a jar of olives with your new condo? Domicile Developments’ latest condo project, the 18-storey Nuovo tower slated for Rochester Street just north of Carling Avenue in Little Italy, has a sales centre. Nothing unusual about that. But while the centre includes a trendily furnished model living room, samples of interior finishes and the usual floor plans and renderings mounted on walls, it also has, in the back, something different: a store. Well, a mock-up of part of a store including a soaring wall unit stocked with dried herbs, tins of Roma tomatoes and more. There’s also a gleaming espresso bar. An appropriate touch of Italy, in other words.
The sales centre “store” — dubbed Mercato for marketing purposes — is there because Domicile is planning a neighbourhood-style grocery/ deli on the ground floor of Nuovo along with another commercial space, possibly a coffee shop, and an outdoor patio.
“Having a food store and deli with fresh products will be good for our residents — they can grab something for dinner on their way into their condo,” says Domicile cofounder and president John Doran. “With government buildings across the road, they’ll use it, too.”
It’s all part of Domicile’s effort to ground the Barry J. Hobin-designed building, which will be next door to Hobin’s architectural office, in its community. “The neighbourhood had a huge impact on us when we planned this,” says Doran.
That effort to integrate includes Gathered, a 34-page Domicile booklet that’s part of the sales package and touts the history, restaurants and other attractions of Little Italy.
It’s also a smart way to distinguish Nuovo in an area of the city that’s experiencing a flurry of condo projects, from other Domicile buildings such as hõm and Mastercraft Starwood’s SoHo Champagne just west of Preston Street, to Claridge’s 45-storey Icon at the corner of Preston and Carling.
Hobin’s design should help Nuovo stand out. A prominent podium with brightly coloured panels anchors the building to the street. The tower, stepped well back, comprises dark and light brick, metal panelling and extensive glazing. The windows vary in design and size, reflecting — so to speak — the architectural diversity that stamps Little Italy.
There’s also an interior rooftop lounge connected to an outdoor terrace with a relaxation pool, a fitness and yoga centre and a couple of hotel-style guest suites.
Many of those design features leap into view on the sales centre’s touchscreen monitor, which depicts a vibrant rendering of the building complete with moving cars on the streets below and leafy views of the city beyond. Touch the screen, and you circle the building for other views, soar overhead to look down on the rooftop amenities and shift to nighttime with car headlights streaming by.
Very cool and appropriate for “a pretty techie town,” says Doran.
Inside, units range from one-bedroom suites starting at 609 square feet and $261,400 to two-bedroomplus-den suites at 1,151 sq. ft., from $471,000. There are also terrace suites from $429,100, penthouses from $676,900 and pied-à-terre units starting at 334 sq. ft. (prices not yet announced).
The units feature contemporary flat-panel wood and laminate cabinetry as well as stainless-steel appliances in the kitchens, floating cabinets in the bathrooms and European-style brushed hardwood flooring. The pied-à-terre units have Murphy beds with integrated cabinetry.
The project also boasts green features such as locally sourced building materials. Underground parking is pre-wired to enable the integration of charging stations for electric vehicles if the condominium corporation so chooses. And Domicile plans to divert over 75 per cent of construction waste, although it’s not seeking LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) status, in part because of the administrative burden associated with certification.
In keeping with other Domicile projects, smoking is forbidden anywhere on the property.
Nuovo also provides a four-year warranty on all items covered by the standard Tarion one- and two-year warranties.
Doran sees Nuovo as a key constituent in the surging development of Little Italy and environs.
“In 15 or 20 years, we’ll see even more residential use here and retail will get stronger. For condos, it’s not going to happen all at once. You can’t just say, ‘Build it, and they will come.’ It’s a very discerning market these days. Here, we’re selling a style, a feel.”
Online: Check out some of the Nuovo floor plans at ottawacitizen.
com/homes