NOW_Suitelife_2014-03-27 by NOW Magazine

03/2014 the NOW guide to condo living

THIS ISSUE

10 MIRACULOUS SPACE SAVERS • THE NEW DRIVE TOWARD COMMUNITY-BUILDING DECENT GYMS – FINALLY • WHAT YOUR MONEY BUYS UPTOWN VS DOWNTOWN & MORE NOW SUITE LIFE//CONDO LIVING March 201

HOT

reviews

SuiteLife

DOCS film feST

OKay, maybe nOt liKe elvis presley, frOm the burger and the King (left). but nOrth america's premier dOcumentary fest Offers sOmething tO satisfy every craving, and plenty Of fOOd fOr thOught.

guide

what I bought Whitney Pizale

hat to do when you decide to move in with your boyfriend and have a condo wish list the length of your arm? If you’re Whitney Pizale, owner of W Events, and fiancé Ryan Dzierniejko, you scoop up a space in Imperial Lofts at Adelaide and Sherbourne and start from scratch. Pizale and Dzierniejko gutted the entire unit except for the kitchen and built their dream home. They put in new hardwood floors, added reclaimed brick to enhance the “loft” feel, turned the storage room into a powder room with a hidden closet for laundry and expanded the master bedroom to double its size so they could fit in a bathtub and glass rain shower. “We were able to design the layout exactly how we wanted it,” says Pizale. “Kids weren’t on the horizon for us, so we scrapped the second bedroom in favour of a custom-designed 200-square-foot walk-in closet.” What they ended up with is a chic modern space with great art pieces the two have collected over the years.

Original condo budget $500,000-$800,000 Unit price $460,000 in 2009, plus $65,000 for renovations Wish list To be within walking distance of the financial district (where Dzierniejko works), an open-concept unit with a great entertaining space, exposed brick and two washrooms. “Our space only had one washroom and no exposed brick when we bought it, but we wrote a condition into the purchase agreement stating that we’d accontinued on page 4 œ

By norMan WiLner, SuSan g. CoLe, gLenn SuMi, John SeMLeY, radheYan SiMonPiLLai, andreW ParKer and JuLia LeConTe

A creative approach to condo shopping and d esign Thursday, april 25 ¿The Manor

(Shawney Cohen, Canada). 78 minutes. Rating: nnnn Apr 25, 9:30 pm, The Bloor Hot Docs Cinema; Apr 12 pm,by TIFF Bell Lightbox By Sabrina Maddeaux29,Photos David Hawe 1. See cover story and review, page 10.

Friday, april 26

▲

The

get ready to chow down!

¿The Burger and The King

(James Marsh, UK). 56 minutes. Rating: nnnn How could one of the world’s brightest stars die fat and miserable? This film answers that question. From interviews with cooks and friends, we learn that poverty determined Elvis Presley’s eating preferences – fried squirrel, collard greens, chipped beef – and he never grew out of them or out of eating with his hands. He hated restaurants, a fact that reinforced his shut-in status, and used his personal power to make sure he chowed down on whatever he wanted. The doc is more explicit than necessary about the gross food that killed Elvis – how to make chipped beef, for example, or how to skin a squirrel. Call it extreme violent food porn. And the tongue-in-cheek recipes for his faves don’t suit the content. This is one of the saddest movies ever. SGC Apr 26, 11 am, Isabel Bader Theatre. continued on page 4

➼

Bookmark nowtoronto.com/hotdocs for easily accessible show times, new reviews, features and venue information. Full functionality from your desktop, smartphone and tablet. Cover photo by MiChael Watier

Michael hollett EDITOR/PUBLISHER alice Klein EDITOR/CEO paM stephen gEnERaL managER PUBLISHED EvERy THURSDay By now coMMunications inc 189 ChurCh Street, toronto, on., M5B 1Y7 telephone 416-364-1300 e-Mail advertising@nowtoronto.com online nowtoronto.com

2 NOW Life//Condo hot docsSuite festival guide 2013living NOW march 2014

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NOW Suite Life//Condo living march 2014

SuiteLife

what I bought œcontinued from page 2

cept the deal subject to the condo board’s appro val of our renovations.” Number of properties seen Fewer than 10. “We had a great real estate agent (Scott Shallow of Brad Lamb Realty) who was intimately familiar with the downtown condo/loft market. We told him our wish list, and he gave us a list of buildings that fit our criteria.” What they got A 1,425-square-foot, twobedroom loft (although the second bedroom is now a closet). What they say about the neighbourhood “We love our neighbourhood! When we first bought, the area was pretty quiet. It’s really changing with all the new condos going up. I also love being able to walk to the St. Lawrence Market.”

NOW Suite Life//Condo living march 2014

! Y DA O RT

TE S I G

Exclusive Broker Baker Real Estate Inc. Brokers Protected. All prices, sizes and specifications are subject to change without notice. Rendering is for mood and impression only. E. & O. E.

NOW Suite Life//Condo living march 2014

SuiteLife

The new face of condo gyms Fitness facilities are the hottest amenities in town, but not all are cut from the same cloth. We look at what “state of the art” really means, and some new developments making the most of the fitness craze

Renderings of 1 Yorkville’s health and wellness amenities

By SABRINA MADDEAUX Walk into a condo gym in the downtown core and you’re lucky to find an empty treadmill. Or even enough personal space to stretch. Packed gyms and lines for cardio equipment are now the norm as Millennials trade in their big-box gym memberships for convenient fitness amenities just a few floors down. But it wasn’t always this way. “Gyms used to be an afterthought for condos, leftover spaces in basements where they’d throw in an elliptical and a multi-gym. Now it’s the most-used amenity in any condo,” says Mark Stables, founder and CEO of Movement Haus, a consult service for condo gyms. “Today’s demographic, 20- and 30-somethings, they’re demanding the best. They’re well-educated and more design-savvy when it comes to fitness.” But not all gyms are created equal. It’s

NOW Suite Life//Condo living march 2014

often “buyer beware” in a marketplace where developers advertise state-of-the-art facilities on paper only to build gyms that more resemble broom closets than functional fitness centres. “A lot of developers aren’t able to define what state-of-the-art means. It’s one of those terms that’s been thrown around for years now. What does state-of-the-art look like? What does it include? They can’t answer,” says Stables. “Typically in condos, you need to dedicate a certain amount of public space to amenities. A gym is usually part of that, but it’s sort of forgotten, so you have big buildings with hundreds of units and small gyms with three treadmills,” says Ben Rogowski of local developer Canderel Residential. I learned this the hard way. The building continued on page 8 œ

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5:07 PM7 NOW Suite Life//Condo living 14-03-17 march 2014

SuiteLife

Hard Candy Fitness at Aura at College Park.

œcontinued from page 6

was still under construction last year when I moved into the King West Condominiums in Liberty Village, and I was naive enough to take the promise of luxury amenities at face value. Not only was the number of exercise machines in relation to the massive building laughable, but it turned out the gym wasn’t properly soundproofed. The complaints from neighbouring units started in September, the gym’s hours were reduced in October and then further reduced in November to the point of rendering it practically useless. Five months later, the developer still hasn’t sorted out the situation, and residents are stuck paying relatively high rents or, in the case of owners, condo fees for amenities we mostly can’t use. “Noise is one of the chief complaints condo corporations bring to me when they want to redesign an existing fitness facility. It’s important to work with an acoustic engineer and bring good experience to the table,” says Stables. Situations like this underline the importance of digging beneath developers’ “state of the art” and “luxury” come-ons. Look closely at building plans, ask the right questions and research the teams behind the design. Do these things and you might find condos that build great gyms. 1 Yorkville is a 50-storey, 622-unit condo whose developers invested in two floors of extravagant health and wellness amenities. The fourth floor is a 14,000-square-foot spa area complete with a steam room, juice bar and open-air cold plunge pool and hot tub – the only such unisex water circuit in the city. One floor up is a 5,000-squarefoot fitness area complete with fully equipped gym, yoga/dance studio and cross-fit studio. “People are a little tired of just walking on a treadmill or sitting on a bike. We want to give them options,” says Allen Chan, the

interior designer for 1 Yorkville. “The developers wanted to create something that isn’t offered anywhere else. They were willing to dedicate this huge space to it, which is something you don’t see every day,” Other builders, realizing residents’ gym expectations are surpassing the developers’ level of expertise, choose to bring in outside help. Minto 30 Roe, a new building near Yonge and Eglinton, brought in Movement Haus, which handles the entire process from initial design consultation to operation of the fitness space. The Movement Haus team know exactly how many machines gyms need to serve residents and are well versed in the latest workout trends, so their gyms are on the cutting edge of function and design. “I look at the demographic, the size of the building and where it’s located, then tell the developer what they need,” says Stables. “A condo gym in Yorkville with an older demographic needs to be equipped much differently than one like Minto 30 Roe, where the residents will be in their 20s and 30s.” Minto 30 Roe has a 6,000-squarefoot Movement Haus, which includes a one-of-a-kind “kinesis wall,” a spinning studio, “gravity reformer” machines for Pilates devotees and a WiFi-enabled cool-off room. “The space is huge, considering the number of units in the building. Most developers would’ve allotted maybe 1,500 square feet for a condo this size,” says Stables. Canderel, the developers of mega-condo Aura at College Park, take another approach. They wanted to bring in a brand-name gym to fill the massive 42,000-square foot space they’d allocated for fitness. “We have 1,000 units in this building, so we thought we had a real opportunity to do something special and not just build the regular run-ofthe-mill facility,” says Rogowski The gym owner/operator came in, got a vastly reduced rent and in re-

NOW Suite Life//Condo living march 2014

PEOPLE ARE A LITTLE TIRED OF JUST WALKING ON A TREADMILL OR SITTING ON A BIKE. WE WANT TO GIVE THEM OPTIONS.

turn agreed to provide free access to Aura’s residents. “It’s a win-win situation for everyone, and the residents get an amenity that’s head-and-shoulders above what they’d get elsewhere,” says Rogowski. Canderel was thrilled to hook Madonna’s Hard Candy Fitness, which made a serious investment in the space, decking it out with up-to-the-minute designer equipment, a unique functional training area, a high-tech spin studio that’s the largest in town, a group fitness studio, saunas, steam rooms, an outdoor terrace and more. Floor-to-ceiling windows surround the entire club. When it came to the design, it was important to Hard Candy to create a community feel. “It’s a social atmosphere as well as a place to work out,” says operations manager Justin Elie. In addition to communal spaces like the group workout studios and juice bar, Hard Candy’s speaker system and music selection are top of the line. “It’s about that party vibe and the power of music. Because we do such a great job with it, a lot of clients take out their earphones and socialize with other members.” But Aura residents needn’t worry about all that loud music. “The whole club is acoustically sound. We did a ton of research and planning, enlisting sound experts to figure out how we can play music with a lot of bass without bothering the neighbours,” says Elie. With potential buyers and residents wising up to developers’ track records and doing more research, elite fitness centres like those at 1 Yorkville, Minto Roe 30 and Aura surely won’t be alone for long. When it comes to condo gyms, the Millennial stereotype is, for once, on the nose: we do want it all. 3

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Prices, sizes and specifications are subject to change without notice. Exclusive listing, Baker Real Estate, Brokerage. Brokers protected. Illustration is artist’s impression. E. & O.E.

NOW Suite Life//Condo living march 2014

SuiteLife

BALCONY

BEDROOM 9’0” x 11’7”

200,000s

1 BEDROOM

SUITE AREA: 479 SQ.FT. OUTDOOR AREA: 86 SQ.FT. TOTAL AREA: 565 SQ.FT.

LIVING / DINING ROOM 9’0” x 9’7” PRIVACY SCREEN

PRIVACY SCREEN

SHOP BY PRICE

Think everything’s more expensive in the case, as we found out when we did some

THE GREENWICH 1B

BALCONY

300,000s

W/D LIN

KITCHEN

BEDROOM 9’0” x 11’7”

LIVING / DINING ROOM 9’0” x 9’7”

W/D LIN

KITCHEN

BATH ENTRY

FLOORS 2 - 6 2E

22 1H

21 1J

01 1k

1+A

04 05 1+A

1+B

08 1G

09 1A

1+D

1+C

1+D

10 2F

Rean2Drive FLOORS -6 06

23 2E

22 1H

UPTOWNn

Sheppard Avenue

UPTOWNn

24 25

20 19

Sheppard Avenue

NY2 (Daniels) Location Bayview and Sheppard What you get The Greenwich, a 479-square-foot one bedroom with one bathroom from $259,800. Condo features Single room units without parking spaces offer a free one-year metro pass. The building is steps away from transit, shopping and dining and offers an outdoor terrace for entertaining, a party room and the NY2 Café. Sales centre 27 Rean, unit 10, 416-221-3939, ny2condos.com (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday noon to 6 pm, Wednesday noon to 8 pm, Saturday and Sunday noon to 5 pm). 24 25

1+D

1+C

1+D

02approximate. 03 04 05 Floor 08 21 1J 1k are 1B All areas and stated room dimensions area measured in accordance with Tarion Warranty Corporation bulletin #22. 1+A 1+B 1+A 2B 1J 1G Actual usable floor space may vary from the stated floor areas. 09 The purchaser acknowledges that the actual unit purchased may be a 20 reverse layout to the 1F plan shown. Illustration is artist concept. E.1A& O.E. 19 2A

10 2F

The Brownstones at Weston (Lindvest Properties) Location Weston and Sheppard What you get The Astoria, a 942-square-foot twobedroom townhouse with a patio from $329,900. Condo features Every unit includes an underground parking spot, and the community is conveniently close to the 400 and 401 highways. Sales centre 2277 Sheppard West, 416-740-1175, lindvest.com (Monday to Thursday 1 to 8 pm, Saturday and Sunday 11 am to 6 pm).

Rean Drive

DOWNTOWN!

The Harlowe (Brad Lamb) Location Queen and Bathurst What you get The Mulberry, a 492-square-foot artist loft from $259,900. Condo features A fitness room, a party room with sleek design and the building is steps away from popular retailers and restaurants. Sales centre Register at harlowecondos.com or call 416-588-5100.

One Park Place (Daniels) Location On Sumach south of Dundas What you get The Cosmos, a 582-square-foot one-bedroom suite with a 49-square-foot patio from $300,000. Condo features In the heart of the award-winning Regent Park revitalization, the building is steps away from the new Aquatic Centre, a six-acre park, athletic grounds, a grocery store and transit. Sales centre Register online at danielsoneparkplace.com or call 416-955-0559.

Mulberry suite BEDROOM

ARTIST LOFT

EAST VIEW

OnE bEdrOOm

TERRACE

BEDROOM 10’7” x 10’8”

LIVING / DINING ROOM 12’5” x 10’6”

BATH D/W

FLOORS 3-10 16

ISLAND

W D

ENTRY

FLOOR 2

BATHURST ST.

492 SQ. FT.

SUITE AREA: 582 Sq. fT. OUTdOOR AREA: 49 Sq. fT. TOTAl AREA: 631 Sq. fT.

10'7" x 20'5"

BATHURST ST.

Window(s), balcony and balcony door may shift in size and/or location. Actual floor area may differ from stated floor area. All prices, sizes and specifications are subject to change without notice. E. &O.E.

NOW SUITE LIFE//CONDO LIVING March 2014

1B - W

Living/dining

RICHMOND ST. W.

ThE cOSmOS

207-208, 210-214 307-308, 310-314 407-408, 410-414 507-508, 510-514 607-608, 610-614 707-708, 710-714 807-808, 810-814 907-908, 910-914 1007-1008, 1010-1014

8'4" x 11'5"

KITCHEN

Suite available on floor 3 RICHMOND ST. W.

All areas and stated room dimensions are approximate. Floor area measured in accordance with Tarion Warranty Corporation bulletin #22. Actual living area will vary from the stated floor area. The purchaser acknowledges that the actual unit purchased may be a reverse layout to the plan shown. Illustration is artist concept. E. & O.E.

downtown core? It’s not always the comparison shopping By SABRINA MADDEAUX

1,000,000+

STUnn nG JUST 1 MORE REaSOn TO lOvE MinTO30ROE aT YOnGE & EGlinTOn

Uptownn

Domus (Diamante Developments) Location Yonge and St. Clair What you get A 2,275-square-foot two bedroom, three-bath two-storey penthouse with a large terrace from $1,899,000. Condo features Not far from the glitz and glamour of Yorkville, the condo comes with two parking spaces, a built-in Miele espresso machine, a large wine fridge and more fancy appliances. The building also has an exercise room, guest suites, a party room and allows barbecues. Sales centre Sotheby’s International Realty, 1867 Yonge, 416-960-9995, sothebysrealty.ca.

downtown!

The Phoebe on Queen (Diamante Developments) Location Queen and Beverley space with two bedrooms, den, office and What you get A 3,326-square-foot custom-designed four bathrooms from $2,395,000. Condo features An eat-in chef’s kitchen complete with top-of-the-line appliances and a dining room with seating for 12. The suite also includes a custom walk-in closet and a master retreat with a floorto-ceiling quilted headboard. The Phoebe has a courtyard garden that’s one of the largest private green enclosures downtown and also offers a party room and guest suites. Sales centre Sotheby’s International Realty, 1867 Yonge, 416-960-9995, s othebysrealty.ca

• 1 incredible array of premium features & finishes

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BuY nOw fOR

• 1 outstanding list of amenities: Movement Haus gym, Courtyard and BBQ Terrace, Party Lounge & more

416-915-3812

juST 5%

DOWN

Yonge & RoeHAMPTon

fROm ThE mID $300s

Sales Centre 2345 Yonge St.

NOW UNDER CONSTRUCTION!

Next to Shoppers Drug Mart

minto30Roe.com

Mon-Thurs 12-7pm Sat-Sun 12-5pm

* Based on Deposit Bond and deferred deposits upon occupancy. Limited time offer. Conditions apply. Please see a Sales Representative for details. Prices and specifications subject to change without notice. Illustrations are artist’s impression. E. & O.E.

NOW Suite Life//Condo living march 2014

SuiteLife Clear glass cabinet

This cabinet has no hidden drawers and it isn’t expandable. Its power as a space saver lies in what I call the shame effect. It’s encased in clear glass, so you and your guests can see everything in there. While you might be tempted to shove a mountain of crap into a regular cabinet, this one will make you think twice. You might even throw some stuff out rather than hoard it until the end of time! ($195, Cornerstone Furniture, cornerstonefurniture.ca)

Parallel wall-mounted magazine rack

Navi bed

Do you know how overpriced bed frames are these days? If you bother buying one at all, make sure it doubles as a storage solution. The Navi bed has a roomy storage unit under a hydraulic-powered lid that helps you lift even the heaviest mattress. Bonus: the storage unit is compartmentalized to help you stay organized. ($699, Modern Sensibility)

This parallel wall-mounted magazine rack is the grown-up version of cutting up your favourite mags and using them to make a collage on your closet door. Show off your favourite glossies on these handcrafted iron bars with a black powdercoat finish. If you long ago abandoned the printed word (shame!), use them to hang your towels. ($79.99, CB2)

SPACE SAVERS Flying Vee shelves

If you’re not making use of your condo walls, you’re wasting valuable space. Store books, trinkets and more on these quirky Flying Vee shelves. They’re made in Canada and can double as modern art. Arrange them any way you like to fit your personal space. ($29, Made Design, 867 Dundas West, 416- 607- 6384, madedesign.ca)

Make the most of ever-shrinking with these clever furniture finds TPS aqua filing cabinet

Not your mother’s filing cabinet, this TPS aqua unit is a contemporary version of the original organization system. Two drawers top a letter/legal file which, if you use it right, makes tax season a hell of a lot less painful. ($179, CB2, 651 Queen West, 416-366-2828, cb2.com)

Miller coffee table

Let’s be honest: you eat most of your meals while watching Netflix on your couch. Neither your lap nor cushions are cutting it as makeshift tables, so you need something a little sturdier. Check out this desk/TV tray coffee table. The extendable table is perfect for dining and can double as a workstation. There’s also ample storage space in and around the table, whose blocky modern design almost makes up for the indignity of embracing the couch potato lifestyle. ($499, Modern Sensibility, 380 Alliance, 416-760-7632, modernsensibility.com)

Campaign writing desk

So you like to do some work from home, but not so much that you’re willing to invest in a proper den with a full-size desk and all that jazz. Enter the Campaign writing desk, a uniquely compact surface perfect for small spaces. Its sleek design won’t distract from other design elements, and its curved shape will fit perfectly into almost any nook or cranny. ($499, Modern Sense Furniture)

NOW SUITE LIFE//CONDO LIVING March 2014

Cornerstone Ad - NOW - March 27th Suite Life Glossy_Layout 1 14-03-19 10:46 AM Page 1

Rollout pantry

One of the drawbacks of living in a condo is the lack of kitchen space. Rather than throwing up your hands and resorting to Chinese takeout for the rest of your downtown days, try installing a rolling shelf. This baby, with commercial- grade steel extension rails, holds 45 kilos while letting you see the stuff at the very back of your cupboard. No more buying a third jar of peanut butter because you couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t find the first two, or using your countertop as de facto storage space. (From $135 per shelf, Gliding Shelf Solutions Inc, glidingshelf.ca)

condo spaces

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By SABRINA MADDEAUX

Church stool

Counter-height stools are essential to any condo with a kitchen island, but they can sometimes get in the way. Or your cat can take advantage and use them as a stepping stones to a counter full of goodies. The Church Stool solves both problems by being stackable. Available in two finishes, it was inspired by chairs used in gathering rooms in churches and schools. ($265, Style Garage, 938 Queen West, 416-534-4343, stylegarage. com)

Gramercy TV stand

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t you hate when you move condos and none of your furniture fits? Luckily, you can avoid that headache altogether with the Gramercy TV stand. Its three parts can be rearranged to fit any-size wall, compressing or expanding from 240 to 375 centimetres. The effect is very art deco, and the design features three generous drawers for extra storage. ($2,149, Modern Sense Furniture, modernsensefurniture.com)

Livable Luxury, Thoughtfully Priced. TORONTO

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2886 Dundas St. W. T 416.767.8170

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NOW SUITE LIFE//CONDO LIVING March 2014

SuiteLife

beyond four walls

Condo developers are starting to build more than just sky- high towers; they’re building communities. By SABRINA MADDEAUX

NOW Suite Life//Condo living march 2014

eople are living closer together than ever but seem farther apart. In developers’ rush to capitalize on the condo boom, aided in part by the city’s lack of urban planning oversight, the idea of community has been put on the back burner. The result is scores of would-be neighbourhoods with no sense of camaraderie, where everyone rushes in and out of their little spaces as quickly as possible, eyes glued to the ground. Condo culture is here to stay, but there’s a sense that something is missing: the magic of getting to know your neighbours, the feeling of being truly at home in your home. These days, condo residents are looking for more than just four fancy walls and a roof over their heads. In response, a new crop of developers is determined to build Toronto’s neighbourhoods of tomorrow. Where marketing materials used to trumpet luxury amenities and prime real estate, they now increasingly use phrases like “urban village” and “community.” One such example is the Canary Park Condominiums’ Canary District in the east end. Located at Front and Cherry, Canary envisions

the development as an actual community. Opening in 2015, the first phase consists of four buildings all designed by different architects but physically connected. Krystal Koo, Canary’s vivacious marketing director, bubbles with excitement about the project. You get the feeling she truly believes in what she’s promoting. “We made them work together by designing paths within the buildings so that you can cut through them and interact,” says Koo. “You can start at the park, Corktown Commons, and walk all the way through the buildings to the Distillery. “ Walkability is key to Canary’s outdoor spaces. The buildings sit back from the street to create a promenade the width of Spadina. There are just two lanes of auto traffic – the rest is pedestrian space. “We wanted to have a walkable neighbourhood rather than just rows of monstrous towers,” says Koo. “You’re going to want to come outside here.” Canary’s approach to street-level retail is also unique. Rather than simply throwing in the typical everyday necessities like nail salons and dry cleaners, the developers approached Live Learn Work Play, a company dedicated to mixed-use neighbourhoods.

We wanted to have a walkable neighbourhood rather than just rows of monstrous towers,

“We’re planning a large health and wellness scene, from food shops to bike shops,” Koo explains. The neighbourhood is also home to a new YMCA, which will develop its programming based on residents’ feedback. “It will be the heart of the Canary District,” says Koo. “Rather than having amenities tucked away in buildings, we wanted to create space where people can gather.” Another huge incentive for residents to leave their condos? The entire neighbourhood will have free wireless internet. Perhaps most importantly, Canary District doesn’t aim to be an island unto itself. Residents from surrounding areas are encouraged to drop in and take advantage of the community centre, parks, paths and local shops. “It’s not like Liberty Village, where there’s not a lot mandated in terms of what can be built,” says Koo. “Here, everything’s mandated. You can’t go over a certain number of stories. There will always be open space.” Elsewhere, developers and condo boards are turning to technology to better connect their residents. Over 250 Toronto buildings are using Bazinga!, web-based software that gives condo residents access to vital building information and

the ability to easily book amenities, meet up for socials or even borrow a cup of sugar. “Bazinga! was designed to help enrich the way people live,” says Bazinga! director of marketing Larissa Dundon. “We found that people living in a community are often like- minded and have shared interests. We’ve seen residents go on group outings, look out for one another and even set up tutoring lessons.” Other condos are increasing the number of common-area spaces so that residents can get to know one another and host friends. “Units are getting smaller and smaller, and we’ve probably hit that point where they can’t get any smaller,” says Ben Rogowski of Canderel Residential, developers of Aura at College Park, Yacht Club Toronto and the DNA condos. “The condo lifestyle is moving toward a more European feel where people are spending more time outside their apartments,” he says. Canderel tries to dedicate more space than other developers to community spaces like dining rooms and terraces. It all makes you feel that Toronto can grow into a world-class city that understands the importance of community. After all, a city is only as strong as its neighbourhoods.

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NOW Suite Life//Condo living march 2014

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2014-03-20 4:30 PM