JMatt88
Active Member
Interesting, don't know how I would feel living on the first floor unless there was a high fencing barrier, nor are the views on the 1st floor units appealing.
|
|
|
- Thread starter Avenuer
- Start date
thommyjo
Senior Member
Ground floors have tradeoffs. But are a huge win to the feel of the street if we can get more of them. Townhome podiums in Whikwentowin add a lot of texture and in Vancouver they’re stunning. We need more in our DT, but also need them to be safe of course.
Often in Vancouver they have a metal gate that’s locked with beautiful hedges and greenery to fill in a patio that makes them feel less accessible from the sidewalk and more private/safe.
mcr
Active Member
No update other than to say when I was driving down Jasper today, looking up 108th this is definitely impactful for a smaller building. Mix in with Lilac, and hopefully Parks Pt 2 & connector, gonna be a night & day difference for the feeling of that street. Good to see
David A
Senior Member
Yes, two old single floor commercial industrial buildings and a parking lot being replaced replaced by two multi floor residential buildings. It will be good for this area to have more residents.
It will also feel much nicer with these new buildings, as well as the much larger new tower on the other side of the street.
ChazYEG
Senior Member
Edmcowboy11
Senior Member
And also just imagine if NorQuest gets going on their next project, that would also significantly change the look and feel of that entire Street. I really think that this little section of the downtown core is developing really nicely and is a massive step forward in making this area a desirable community to live and work in.
Edmcowboy11
Senior Member
Taken January 2, 2026
MattPT
Active Member
I know this has already been mentioned over the years, but do balconies add substantial cost to overall construction costs? How come we don’t see more buildings like Mayfair south in downtown. Seems like without balconies you could focus on nicer finishing? But no balconies probably not enough savings where concrete construction becomes possible. Is it just because they’re too much of a perceived benefit to a potential renter to leave out?
IanO
Superstar
Not a substantial material cost overall for wood buildings (concrete is another discussion), more time and logistics to tie them in than anything, but the VAST majority of multi-family dwellers consider a balcony or 'outdoor space' as a top priority, even though usage rates clearly indicate otherwise. I suggest that it is mind over matter, given that folks perceive the need, but in reality rooftop social spaces with lounges, Bbqs, kitchens etc. are much better options and/or simply heading down for a walk to the park or patio.
ADob
Active Member
We definitely use our balconies (we have two) less than we thought we would, but I do grow tomatoes and greens on one, and have been making a concerted effort to sit and read there in the summer. I might not use it much, but I would definitely not have bought our place if it didn't have at least one balcony. Patios and rooftops are nice to have (and we have a great patio in our revamped party space) but there's just something great about grabbing a morning cup of coffee and heading "outside" in one's bathrobe.
SarcasticMarmot
Active Member
They are the condo/apartment equivalent of single family home 2 car garages. It's a place to store our crap that we never use for its intended purpose but we feel we desperately need.
Markyeg
Active Member
Obviously YMMV but some condo boards won’t even allow people to store crap on their balconies that aren’t “patio furniture” so 99% just sit empty. In my previous condo it was one of their bylaws.
ADob
Active Member
It definitely is in ours. You can obviously have patio furniture, BBQs, planters, but no storage, no off-season tires, no garbage bags. I suppose if you had a nice trunk or tiny shed it would be ok, but our board really doesn't want our place to look unkempt.
David A
Senior Member
A friend of mine likes to bbq regularly, so it having a balcony was important. However, it helps to get the size right. Often the biggest ones are empty or under used, you don't really need a huge space but they can be nice to have.
mcr
Active Member
Hope we see the brickwork & cladding go up soon, eager to see how it translates to real life from the renders. The quality of the finish materials will make a big difference on this one