September condo deals

Smart buyers took advantage of a slow month and reduced prices to sign on the dotted line, some of whom were handsomely rewarded:

A condo with a view in a renovated, well managed building: 1 bedroom with parking in Beechwood Village for just $208K

$270K for a nearly new 1-bedroom with stainless steel, hardwood floors and parking between the Market and U of O

2 bedrooms with parking in the East Market Lofts for $350K

Only $380K for a 2-bed/2-bath condo with parking
in a Charlesfort building!

$399K for a 1460sqft loft in Wellington Village, complete with parking and designer finishes... why buy new???

Wellington @ Island Park occupancy delayed

Progress continues on The Wellington at Island Park: although this month's original occupancy schedule has been pushed back to March 2012, purchasers have been receiving appointments to pick out interior finishes (along with the usual sticker shock that comes with any requests for upgrades or changes).

As expected, buyers have been taking an increased interest as construction proceeds, and delayed occupancy has already seen some units re-assigned from the original purchasers, as well as the sale of a unit the developer had held back for rental. I imagine a good number will further come up for sale in the spring.

Lastly, there is the question of the two remaining penthouse units, equaling 2790sqft in unsold space. Logic would dictate that the builder rework these floorplans into smaller units: what actually happens remains to be seen, but one would hope that Theberge avoids the penthouse fiasco up the road at 150 Caroline.

Ottawa's first SOHO condo almost ready

Construction proceeds apace at Soho Parkway, Ottawa's Soho debut at 201 Parkdale Ave, with an occupancy date of October 2011 for the lower floors.

Despite the usual hysteria about this being yet another fastest-selling-ever-condo-project, a few units remain and at very attractive prices given the location and finishes being touted, including the euro-styled cabinetry and concealed appliances being installed by Normac Kitchens this week:

An application to the City this past month has requested a reduction in the number of visitor parking spots from 18 to 8, presumably in an effort to free up more spots for purchasers. That said, with this Soho being a mere block from the Transitway, this would certainly be a luxury rather than a necessity.

Big Green Eat Little Green

After an anemic start and a relaunch with new floorplans and new pricing, Domicile's One Three One project in Wellington Village is finally more than 50% sold.

Groundbreaking took place last week, and the irony isn't lost on some of us in the neighbourhood that the home of a local florist and the former site of The Healthiest Home (purveyors of sustainable building supplies) have been razed to make way for eco-friendly condos.

But my real concern with this project is Domicile's intention to include a no-smoking provision in the condo declaration that extends to the individual units. According to Domicile, sitting on the condo boards of their other projects has brought to their attention secondhand smoking complaints, and they feel that non-smoking buyers will appreciate this initiative.

While I myself applaud Domicile for addressing the concerns of secondhand smoke, even as a non-smoker I nonetheless find the scope of such a by-law just too intrusive for my own comfort, and wonder why this issue isn't being addressed through the building's mechanical and physical infrastructure. Will spicy cooking be targeted next?

My legal counsel agrees, but warns that after 30 plus years of practicing real estate law he is seeing this issue crop up more frequently and contends that the current mood of the courts would be to uphold such a declaration as being "reasonable".

Keeping in mind that such a regulation will not only apply to those buying into the project new, but those looking to buy a unit on the resale market, two words apply here: buyer beware.

Wellington at Island Park now under construction

With all but 2 penthouses sold, construction has started on Wellington Village's latest taste of boutique luxury at The Wellington at Island Park. Rumour has it that Theberge Homes knows they are being watched closely for their first condo attempt and are determined to impress. I have clients that have bought into this project so fingers crossed that this newbie delivers.

Psst... true or false?

Gossip heard by the water cooler this past week:

• Three $1-million condo units to be built over top of Caffe Mio in Wellington Village
• Richcraft to build a 9-storey condo at the corner of Rideau St and Charlotte
• The controversial Artisan proposal on Hamilton Ave is already being shopped around by its developers (...no word on any takers for the project, and no word on what Mona Lisa thinks...)

New 1-Bedroom Floorplans...

...now being offered at 101 Richmond:


Translation: the more expensive, two-bedroom plans haven't been selling well hence the need for a redesign. Note to buyers that changes to a building's original design are always a risk when buying pre-construction, although certainly the risk is greater in some projects than others.

New Construction: The Wellington at Island Park

Sophistication... refinement... elite... imagination. Move over Istanbouli (with a 2nd location on Holland Ave), here comes The Wellington at Island Park, who have obviously taken a cue from the SOHO Parkway's marketing team. Could a battle of luxury condos be gearing up west of downtown?


While the website is still under development, the initial ad copy for WIP makes it clear that Wellington Village's latest condo proposal has been designed (and priced) with the well-heeled in mind.

That said, I sometimes wonder if the copywriters actually stroll the locales they are describing. As a long time resident of Wellington Village, luxury and upscale are not the words I would apply to this family oriented neighbourhood. Nonetheless I look forward to seeing the actual floorplans and building specifications, all of which should be ready shortly given that the sales centre is already well under construction.

Domicile to return to Wellington Village

Domicile fans will be pleased to learn that the City has approved an 8-storey condo application at the corner of Holland and Wellington, formerly the Ovation site by Tartan Urban who built 92 Holland just up the block. It would seem that Tartan has given up on "urban" altogether, selling the site to Domicile who have expanded southwards by purchasing the adjoining property.

The technical specs call for 67 condos, 66 underground parking spots with an additional 4 for visitors and 2 for Vrtucar in a ground floor garage; bicycles will be accommodated with 34 spaces both on-site and within the garage. Similar to The Piccadilly on Wellington St at Island Park, the first floor will include commercial space. Locals may or may not be pleased to know that Collected Works is one of the retail tenants slated to move in. (This is one of my favourite haunts—I must admit that I'm still somewhat wary of their impending move.)

Unlike the now defunct Ovation project, and The Currents just next door, there has been no word so far about the greenness of Domicile's latest outing in Wellington Village, but perhaps this is just as well after the recent EcoCité flop. That said, a quick scan of the City's report states that "the tree in front of 137 Holland Ave will be preserved", so hope springs eternal.

(PS: It would seem that saving a tree is perhaps not enough as the City's approval of this project has been appealed to the OMB.)

Condo of the Week: The Parkdale Market Lofts

KRP Developments must be commended for having done a particularly nice job on the units and common elements of the Parkdale Market Lofts, two buildings that straddle the divide between Wellington Village and Hintonburg (also called The Quad in arts circles).

Phase I at 45 Spencer St was originally built in the 1940s and had had a number of industrial uses including the manufacturing of gyroscopes during WWII. The original 3-storey property was converted into 19 lofts, keeping its hardwood floors and exposing the building's post and beam structure where possible. A steel frame penthouse was added onto the structure and made room for two extra large penthouse units, along with meeting and exercise rooms. The project earned KRP an Architectural Conservation Award.

Phase II is an 8-storey project of 39 additional lofts built from the ground up and is addressed at 320 Parkdale Avenue. While some of these floorplans are too open and "lofty" for many buyers, my favourite is easily the 'B' layout that KRP used for their model suite and one that is currently for sale on the 6th floor:

Click here to view more details

Bright and airy with 12ft ceilings and 1057sqft of space, this layout features a generous master bedroom with walk-in closet and ensuite bathroom, and then a second bedroom and second full bathroom on the other side of the unit. Both bedrooms feature sliding barn doors which offer a very sleek look to the unit, if leaving something to be desired when it comes to privacy. That said, this is the trade-off of a "loft" and still better than nothing when family and friends pay a visit.

In the market for this kind of space? I have sold in this building before and would be happy to arrange a visit if you're not already working with a realtor; please feel free to get in touch by phone or by email.

Rumour: Sale of the Richmond Rd Convent?

The local rumour grist has it that the Soeurs de la Visitation property on Richmond Road may be up for sale for as high as $10 million. This would be the long gray wall in Westboro directly across from the old Canadian Tire lot, now home to Ashcroft's impending 101 Richmond condos.

Being a long time resident of the neighbourhood, I for one would miss the sisters and the character their spiritual oasis lends the burgh, but more progressive types feel it is high time that we brought down the walls and opened up this prime development lot:


Reading through the City's planning bible (no pun intended, really), it seems that they too are leaning in this direction and possibly know something the rest of don't:

"Should the Soeurs de la Visitation Convent site be redeveloped sometime in the future, the convent wall should be taken down and the convent building be adaptively used, with mixed- use/ground floor commercial along Richmond and residential behind, incorporating as much of the existing landscaping as possible and views of the convent building."