FINISHING TOUCHES
Epic at West completes the Executive Group’s three-building residential project at False Creek
Sustainably built, luxuriously appointed and locally owned — these are some of the key selling points of Epic at West, the final phase of a new condo development at Vancouver’s Olympic Village.
Epic at West is the last of three buildings by Executive Group Development called Residences at West. They will consist of a total of 486 residential units and occupy an entire city block on West 2nd Avenue between Manitoba and Columbia streets.
Its 120-unit, 16-storey tower is a Silver LEED-equivalent building that offers high standards of green technology. It will connected to the Neighbourhood Energy Utility (NEU) which uses a sewage heat-recovery system to supply some 70 per cent of the Olympic Village’s annual heating and hot water energy demand. In the process, it produces 50 per cent less in greenhouse gas emissions. Epic at West is also part of a community that the U.S. Green Building Council certified as the greenest, most energy efficient and sustainable neighbourhood on earth.
“We have sold out phases one and two and we’re very proud that the vast majority of buyers are local to Vancouver,” said Ann Lok, the project launch manager for Epic at West. “The wide range of plans on offer means that we’ll have lots of diversity among the people living there, as well. It’s going to be a great community of local people.”
The development has 43,000 square feet of restaurant and retail space occupying the entire ground floor. Options for eating out include the Flying Pig Restaurant, Wild Tale Seafood Restaurant and Bao Down Gastropub. And as part of the Olympic Village, there is no shortage of shops, restaurants and amenities nearby: London Drugs, Urban Fare, Craft Beer Market & Tap House, Creekside Community Centre and Coast Medical Clinic, to name a few.
Lok also pointed out that Olympic Village has a high proportion of young families. To cater to that demographic, Epic at West residents will have access to an $11-million daycare facility with 69 places that the developers donated to the city as part of the first phase of the project. Other amenities include an 8,500-square-foot rooftop patio, a clubhouse with a kitchen, a media and dining area, and a fully equipped fitness centre.
The development was designed by Walter Francl. The homes on offer range from junior one-bedroom apartments of 469 square feet to three-bedroom units of 1,971 square feet.
“Executive Group Development has a lot of experience in the hotel industry so they really understand what luxury is and what discerning customers are looking for,” Lok added. “They’ve also developed more than 3,000 homes. When you combine these two things, you get results that exceed buyers’ highest expectations.”
All homes will have flex spaces of approximately 40 square feet, floor-to-ceiling windows, stacking washer and dryers and controlled hot water baseboards throughout (which is where the NEU eco-friendly technology comes in).
Kitchens feature imported quartz countertops, soft-close drawer mechanisms, halogen under-cabinet lighting and in some suites, built-in wine cabinets. They come with Blomberg fridges, built-in Panasonic microwaves, chimney-style hood fans and energy-efficient Italian Fulgor Milano induction cooktops.
Bathrooms feature illuminated mirrors, Italian porcelain floor tiles and vanity feature walls, deep profile soaker tubs and matte tiles with shelving niches finished in quartz. There are also eco-friendly Kohler toilets, custom medicine cabinets (in select suites) and deep drawers for optimal reach and storage.
The building will have an encrypted security key FOB access system, restricted floor access via computerized elevators, TV-monitored entry systems and state-of-the-art fire protection with in-suite sprinklers and smoke detectors.
But perhaps what is more of a draw than all of this is the location. Olympic Village has its own Canada Line station, of course, and the seawall, Science World and a wide range of parks and public spaces are all within a short walking distance.
“We’re offering exceptional floor plans in this development,” Lok said. “A lot of thought went into making sure we meet the demands of buyers. On top of that, every convenience you can imagine is right on your doorstep. It’s a vibrant, friendly and diverse community to come home to and a point of departure to go anywhere in Vancouver that takes your fancy.”
Epic at West is due to be completed between July and October 2017, The sales centre is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day. Prices start from $349,900.