I think Bid Daddy is missing the fact that 1 sq.ft. in a condo does not = 1 sq.ft. in house, its a lifestyle change that one chooses and adapts accordingly (with less furniture + less junk)
 
Big Daddy said:
And with respect to families - none of these projects are being built with families in mind (I haven’t heard mention of school construction going on). They’re are all being built with "couples" in mind and once these "couples" start to have families, it’s out to the burbs they go.
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You're right, the average Canadian woman and her 5.1 children will feel ridiculously cramped in these condos.

Oh, wait, I accidentally picked Cameroon from the drop down list. My bad!
 
grey said:
Just out of curiousity, what are your opinions on urban sprawl and people who drive SUVs?
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I think more people living downtown is the ideal. However, our developers and planners have forgotten to plan for families. There are very few two bedroom and even fewer three bedroom condos downtown and even fewer of those are affordable by young families. If couples have to move to the suburbs to have their families, we have achieved very little. There should be a place for families downtown as well and this has been left out of most of these big impressive projects. They may be building a school in Cityplace but there is very little school construction in the core as projections based on units would dictate there won’t be many children moving there...............And before you jump on me, I am aware there may be a few, but certainly they are the exception.

I sell homes in Mississauga and Oakville and there are very few people interested in a two bedroom house or townhouse so a condo apartment isn’t going to fill the bill. If you have kids you need at least three bedrooms.
 
^^ Also, it is logical to assume that those with families will want to be stationary for a number of years. I am young, not attached to any children that I'm aware of and don't have to factor their lives or needs into my decision-making process. Conditions like schools, day-care, safe streets, cultural elements and room to grow in your own home, etc, are (probably) more on the minds of someone with a family than say, your average urban hipster doufus. So it is almost inevitable that the core cannot sustain families with a school-aged child or children because it cannot hold onto residents as their tastes and lifestyles change. The degree to which this is a failure probably rests on one's own values. But I think it is audacious, or at the very least disingenuous to assume that one who states family are forced to leave the core has a strong affection for SUVs and sprawl.
 
The schools in the downtown region are losing their population (in fact, this is happening acrosss the city). There is no need for new physical buildings when the present schools are losing their students.
 
Ok, I completely agree. Adam Vaughan is pushing for family-sized units, but the current stockpile of tiny one-bedroom units really doesn't seem sustainable. Considering that we have an aging population, this does not put the neighbourhood in a healthy position. This is an extremely important issue that really needs to be revisited, but the planning department isn't going to win any awards for foresight and long-term planning (see skyline tapering policy, etc).
 
the market plays a crucial role in determing what type of housing products go for sale. Lot of the 1 bedroom / 1 bdr + den units are being bought up by either singles, young couples, empty nesters downsizing and investors. Urban centres and the core are where they want to be. So these products are selling like hot-cakes, builders create more.
 
HiRiser said:
the market plays a crucial role in determing what type of housing products go for sale. Lot of the 1 bedroom / 1 bdr + den units are being bought up by either singles, young couples, empty nesters downsizing and investors. Urban centres and the core are where they want to be. So these products are selling like hot-cakes, builders create more.
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The market does play a huge role - in fact the main role. But that’s why we have a planning department so that ten, twenty years from now we have a sustainable core. I also like the Ice condos but if the developers had their way it would likely be three condo towers and no office tower. If that were to happen - and it often does - eventually all office towers will be pushed to the suburbs and the core will be in trouble. There needs to be a balance.
 
Is this not the fear in Vancouver? Too many people, but not enough jobs, in the core. They are getting a bit concerned out there on the wet coast.
 
Ive heard a coupe of times that in New York raising a family is common place. I myself prefer to stay in the city, even when the wife and I begin to raise a family. I am giving Adam Vaughn respect for pushing the 3 bedroom units.

While they will be VERY expensive, I still think the advantages of living in the core outweigh the negatives. And personally, as much as I would love a big house and giant backyard, as an environmentalist I just cant seem to justify it, you know?
 
Also, when we're talking about families...this is Toronto, not Salt Lake City. It isn't like four-or-more-child families are the norm here, you know...
 
To solve the 3 bedroom issue, we purchased two units side by side, and had a double doorway (60" wide by 80" high) cut between the two units, The main entrance of the 2 bed unit opens into what was the kitchen in the 1 bed unit. We'll use the living room of the one bedroom as a family/tv room. We had no problem getting the builder to agree, we gave up the kitchen appliances and cupboards in the one bedroom in exchange for the design change. The units are still considered 2 separate units, and we had all the plumbing/electical 220v outlet, 110v outlets left as rough-in behind a removable panel in the bulkhead should we ever decide to block up the doorway and turn it back into two separate units.
 
Michael62 said:
To solve the 3 bedroom issue, we purchased two units side by side, and had a double doorway (60" wide by 80" high) cut between the two units, The main entrance of the 2 bed unit opens into what was the kitchen in the 1 bed unit. We'll use the living room of the one bedroom as a family/tv room. We had no problem getting the builder to agree, we gave up the kitchen appliances and cupboards in the one bedroom in exchange for the design change. The units are still considered 2 separate units, and we had all the plumbing/electical 220v outlet, 110v outlets left as rough-in behind a removable panel in the bulkhead should we ever decide to block up the doorway and turn it back into two separate units.
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Ive heard of a number of people doing this. I wonder exactly how much you could modify it. Could it be ripped apart and completely redone?
 
cabbagetowner said:
i love the clean modern look for the kitchen, but it's really going to be hard to get at your stuff without handles on the cabinets. i know because i don't have handles on my cabinets yet.
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Have you considered the magnetic push latches, or the thin sleek pulls?
 
I stopped by the temporary sales office and picked up a set of floor plans for my collection, and the "preview" price list. Prices are in the high 500s and low 600s, per square foot. A parking space is $35,000 extra, which apparently is becoming the new normal downtown. The floor plans, IMO, are mainly OK, although a few of the smaller models do have the unfortunate bowling alley configuration with the windowless bedroom.

The line-up of people was out the door, and I didn't wait around to actually go in. There seems to be some "buzz" about this property, although whether it translates into strong sales, remains to be seen.
 
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