We went today as well. Had a really great time, and stayed much longer than we'd planned.
The best unit we saw for the price was one at 1633 Ontario Street priced in the upper $600Ks. Though it was a one bedroom (860 sq ft, I think), it also had a large enclosed balcony off the bedroom that in turn connected to a spacious outdoor balcony (you could access the outdoor balcony from either the enclosed one or the living area).
The unit just had a really nice flow to it and unexpectedly incredible views. The unit faced west but was high enough that you could see the water, downtown and mountains to the north from the balcony and enclosed balcony. In addition you could look down below to the interior courtyard garden with water features and you got nice glimpses of the immediate village area. I actually liked the view better than some of the mega-million ones because you could see a variety of things . . . it was an interesting view in that you could see the village and the downtown in addition to the "marquis things" people pay premiums for (namely water and mountains
).
All the units were pricey, but it was one I walked out of thinking that for the price you'd be getting a really great, functional space with amazing views.
Even though it was 1-Bdrm, 1-Bath, with the enclosed balcony and flex space, it felt larger and more functional. The bedroom was spacious. The bath was a true spa-like suite - 2 vanities, large walk-in shower, nice soaker tub. The enclosed balcony was huge and integrated well with the unit - quite ample for an office / den area. And to top it off the fully covered outdoor balcony was nearly 90 sq ft so could easily be an extended living area during the warmer months. All in all the unit felt more usable - and spacious - than many 2-bdrm units I've seen in the city.
Finishes in all the units exceeded my expectations. High end kitchens, spa-like baths (an overused term that actually fit
), nice fixtures and appliances, high ceilings, smooth drywall ceilings (no popcorn
), nice flooring - high-quality engineered or full hardwood (not sure which), and stylish, comfortable carpeting in the bedrooms. I usually hate carpeting, but liked it there. I particularly liked the full floor to ceiling seemingly frameless glass doors that linked the living spaces to the balconies and enclosed balconies. It really made those spaces feel like they were part of the units. I don't even recall their being a threshold, which is funny considering that was one of the complaints of the paralympics, wasn't it? If there were thresholds, they were awfully seamless.
The outdoor public spaces throughout the village were probably the nicest I've seen in Vancouver . . . on par with the coal harbour garden areas, nicer in some ways.
I was really impressed. If we didn't like our place so much downtown so much, I'd be tempted . . . which I never expected to say.
My sense is they'll be able to sell them simply because it really is a complete neighborhood. It doesn't feel like a place where a buyer will be "waiting" for the area to develop because it has it's own presence already. I think buyers will respond to that. I do think they're pushing the price a bit, but seeing it today went a long way to convincing me they could get what they're asking.
The only real disappointment was one unit in the building at 12 Athletes Way. It just didn't work, yet on paper it looked good. You had you're own door (though the unit is on the 4th floor - an outdoor walk on the courtyard side. Once inside though, everything just seemed choppy. The flex space actually sits right next to a "window" but the window was covered with drywall. At first I thought it was the "designer" element, but I noticed when leaving that all the units of that style had a window like that. Strange. Also, though it had a balcony, it was a triangle shape. The only portion large enough for a table was where the door opened outward from the living room. The bedrooms were tiny, though there were 2 of them. It just felt cramped and awkward, and was quite expensive. I can't even recall what they said now, but I remember thinking there was no way I would pay that much for the space. I want to say it was something like $900K+.
________
Lastly, near the end they did shut down the open house early today. Apparently the protesters got a bit pushier near the end. I heard rumour than a few might have forced their way into one of the show units or something. They were marching about banging drums in the centre courtyard when we left a little after 4 pm.
Sad really, as earlier there had been protesters I thought were doing a good job at making attendees aware of housing issues. They were passing out factual, impressive flyers . . . lots of data, graphs, and a timeline showing the reduction of housing promises at the olympic village from the time the olympics were announced through to the present. They also presented some type of funny skit with scheming developers and real estate folks as pirates. I mean, it was the kind of thing that was entertaining yet making a point, and people were watching and taking photos. It was far better than the wandering around yelling and banging drums later, which mainly just served to disrupt families on outings and people out enjoying the day. I saw a lot of rolling of eyes and irritated folks when the units shut down early . . . irritated at the protesters, not the developer or the city. Might have been counterproductive to their efforts.
At any rate, it's worth a look. Go see it if you get a chance.
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? Albeit it wasn't cheap at all to build.
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