No longer a SoHo. Good. Would have cheapen the brand.
Getting tired of hearing myself, but at least it's different?
Getting tired of hearing myself, but at least it's different?
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- Thread starter rocketphish
- Start date
Are there more CharcWhite Towers in Ottawa than there are Shawarma restaurants yet?
SweazyCavalry
New Member
We should rename the "CharWhite" to the "Ottawa special"
casscadia
New Member
Those windows remind me of lines of text in a very poorly formatted word document... They should either be aligned or more displaced so it makes a proper zig-zag pattern
Yes, absolutely. Council missed the boat with the Shawarma Capital thing. They should have declared us the bland, borderline (and sometimes straight up) offensive Charchwhite Capital, partially brought to you by a City Hall that doesn't care.
pgagnon
Active Member
Eww. I was expecting a boring but cohesive black tower. They have been slow to do windows & cladding on the outside walls facing Baseline/Woodroffe, so had no idea they had snuck in this hideous design on the inside.
Urban living: New Gemini Tower covers all the bases
Author of the article:Laura Byrne Paquet
Published Sep 27, 2024 • 3 minute read
Located just a few minutes’ walk from the north end of Algonquin College’s main campus, near the intersection of Baseline Road and Woodroffe Avenue, the new Gemini Tower apartment building seems like a prime rental location for students. However, “while its proximity to Algonquin College makes it an excellent option for students seeking convenient housing, the property is not exclusively marketed to this demographic,” says Lorne Greenberg, president of Atreides Capital Developments. Atreides is one of three companies, along with Theberge Homes and Mastercraft Starwood, involved in developing and marketing Gemini Tower.
Gemini management’s efforts to attract a diverse range of residents to the 267-unit building in Centrepointe seem to be paying off. Along with students, young professionals and families have been drawn to the 16-storey tower, as well as another perhaps surprising demographic.
“We’ve also found that many people over 55 who are downsizing their homes and want to stay in this area are interested in our larger three-bedroom units,” says Greenberg.
All the bells and whistles are designed to help Gemini Tower feel more like a neighbourhood and less like a typical apartment building where anonymity rules the day. “By offering high-quality amenities and a prime location, we create a community,” says Buter.
What is it about the building that has spurred interest from such varied groups of people? Kristen Buter, vice president, property management with Mastercraft Starwood, points to Gemini Tower’s extensive shared spaces. These start with a stylish lobby designed by Montreal-based Alexandre Lafleur, featuring a Happy Goat coffee shop, lounge areas, and—of particular interest for remote workers—meeting rooms and co-working spaces.
Other building amenities include bike storage facilities, electric vehicle charging stations, a games area with billiards and table-tennis tables, a library, a party room with a catering station, a stadium-style “hang space” with a big screen, and a pet washing station. On the roof, there’s an indoor fitness centre and an outdoor terrace dotted with barbecues, seating and fire tables. The rooftop terrace may be particularly popular because only a few apartments in the building have balconies.
All the bells and whistles are designed to help Gemini Tower feel more like a neighbourhood and less like a typical apartment building where anonymity rules the day. “By offering high-quality amenities and a prime location, we create a community,” says Buter.
Speaking of location: The building is near the College Square big-box centre and OC Transpo’s Algonquin Station, which will become an LRT station when the next phase of the O-Train’s west extension is complete. “The proximity to the LRT station is extremely important,” says Buter.
Gemini Tower offers lots of indoor parking, but there are not quite as many spaces as there are suites. Management experts some residents will choose not to own a car. “The building will also have a car share program available for those who need it,” Buter notes.
Creating projects close to transit has been a Mastercraft Starwood priority for a while. The company was also involved in developing the Soho Italia apartment building, a stone’s throw from the soon-to-open Dows Lake O-Train station.
At Gemini Tower, apartments range in size from 321-square-foot studios to 952-square-foot, three-bedroom units. Rents start at $1,495 for studios and at $2,860 for the largest apartments. Buter frames the building’s appeal as “luxurious and affordable living,” pointing out that Mastercraft Starwood has experience in developing Toronto boutique hotels.
All the units at Gemini Tower were designed by Studio Lafleur to have an industrial loft vibe, with exposed ductwork, concrete walls and huge, low-E windows. Entry doors have keyless smart locks, and every unit has a stacked washer and dryer. Heat pumps provide both heat and air conditioning.
Nine-foot ceilings and laminate plank flooring are standard in the living rooms. Kitchens are kitted out with Italian-made cabinetry, Grohe fixtures, porcelain-slab counters and backsplashes, LED lighting, and stainless-steel appliances.
In the bathrooms, there are more Grohe fixtures. Shower walls and flooring are made from Dekton, a blend of natural minerals that has many of the esthetic qualities of quartz, marble and granite but is less porous, more durable and easier to clean.
Bedrooms feature custom-designed, floor-to-ceiling closets, along with drywall ceilings, pot lighting and blackout blinds.
Gemini Tower welcomed its first residents on September 1, but units are still available. Currently, new residents may qualify for up to two months of free rent on select apartments if they sign a lease by October 1, 2024.
Urban living: New Gemini Tower covers all the bases
New amenity-rich living space will appeal to renters of all ages
ottawacitizen.com