A CLASSICALLY MODERN LOOK DESIGNED TO LAST
Marble, light and some stunning views define SoHo Champagne, Mastercraft Starwood’s elegant 21-storey condo adjacent to Little Italy, where residents began taking up occupancy this past spring.
A soaring lobby and two model suites offer an enticing glimpse into what life would be like in the building designed by veteran Ottawa architect Rod Lahey and outfitted inside by in-demand Toronto designer Brian Gluckstein.
The tower is the first in the twobuilding SoHo Champagne project that launched back in 2011. Just 28 suites remain out of the 191 built in the first tower.
Gluckstein says he went with marble in the spacious lobby and in the suites’ bathrooms because its classic modern look is consistent with the style of the building — Lahey has opted for a sleek, contemporary look — and because it suggests luxury as well as being durable.
“You see marble in 30-, 40-, 50-year-old buildings in downtown Toronto, New York, Chicago, and it still looks great,” he says. “People see it as an investment by the developer in the building.”
SoHo Champagne boasts a concierge, a slew of amenities including a third-floor podium with lap pool, hot tub and kitchen, a VRTUCAR station, and access to housekeeping and other hotel-style services.
It’s also close to the O -Train Carling Station that will ultimately link to Ottawa’s LRT system.
Remaining suites range from 535 square feet with one bedroom starting at $298,900 to a 1,525-square-foot, two-bedroom unit from $982,900. Suites include Gluckstein-designed kitchens with quartz countertops, rain shower heads in the bathrooms, and floorto-ceiling, wall-to-wall windows. The remaining units come with a boatload of upgrades as standard features including hardwood flooring throughout and a compact washer and dryer.
“We’ve had a mix of buyers,” says sales representative Kati Dowhan. “The smaller units were mostly bought by single professionals and investors, and some of the larger ones by downsizers. We didn’t expect to have that many people downsizing.”
MODEL ONE
This 614-square-foot condo with one bedroom plus den has a spectacular buy-me-now view of Dow’s Lake and the Arboretum.
Like all the units, its kitchen features integrated European appliances and an island/eating bar with storage space. Cabinetry is sleek white uppers and grained brown lowers with stainless-steel hardware.
Furnishing in the adjacent living area is neutral greys and browns.
The model’s cosy den tucked off the entryway has room for a pullout couch or wall bed.
In the bedroom, frosted glass pocket doors provide privacy.
“A unit like this could be for young couples,” notes Dowhan.
MODEL TWO
With windows on two sides (you can catch a glimpse of the Gatineau Hills through the west-facing set), this model is 1,048 square feet with two bedrooms.
Dowhan points out that, like all units, it has nine-foot ceilings. That, combined with the glazing and furnishings such as a glass-topped coffee table and a set of clear nesting tables, creates a sense of spaciousness that’s particularly important to smaller-scale condo living.
In the kitchen, Gluckstein has gone with grey and granite tones for the cabinetry and a larger island/eating area.
Although buyers no longer have a choice of kitchen packages, he says the different colours were chosen to meet the varied design preferences of buyers: from greys for those who favour a contemporary look to more neutral colours with woods mixed in for lovers of a more traditional look.
“The project definitely has a youthful approach, but we’re seeing older purchasers from traditional homes that are looking for something brighter, a little more modern,” he says.
“That’s a big trend we’re seeing among our empty-nest buyers: they’re making a big change and they want to make a big change, so decor is part of that.”
The suite also has separate balconies off the main living area and the master bedroom. The master bedroom includes a four-piece ensuite and a small, adjacent space that could be used as a pocket office.
IN THE AREA
This part of Ottawa is rich in restaurants and bars thanks to the booming appeal of Little Italy. Everything from comedy to drama to musicals takes to the stage at the nearby Gladstone Theatre. The area also excels in walking and biking opportunities for those with a more active lifestyle and a love of the outdoors.