New Local Home
June 18, 2009
by KOLBY SOLINSKY
Living in downtown Vancouver can be enjoyable, convenient and quiet
In his rendition of Petula Clark’s classic, Sinatra carries on, urging us Downtown with, “Listen to the music of the traffic and the city, linger on the sidewalk where the neon lights are pretty.” And then, famously, he asks, “How can you lose?”
It’s a question with only one answer, really, and it brings people into the big city every day for purposes of both business and pleasure. After all, it brought Ol’ Blue Eyes from Hoboken to Broadway.
For many new home buyers, downtown is the place to be. They can try going elsewhere, but the “neon lights” are where they belong. “It’s how we live,” says Paul Fraser. He and his girlfriend, Keri Bosch recently moved into Townline’s 540 Beatty development, formerly known as the Crane Building. “A major piece of our decision-making criteria was that Keri could walk to work.” Certainly, the apartment’s location in the middle of a “web of amenities” – that the couple list off like deli numbers – and its close proximity to Bosch’s work is a major benefit of living downtown.
They had tried living in Port Moody before, but felt that Vancouver was just a better fit. The commute (to work) and the lack of action, they say, just didn’t work.
“It wasn’t that much cheaper, although it’s certainly less expensive,” says Fraser of their time in Port Moody. “You get some more square footage, but you’re not spending that much time in that extra square footage.” Of course, downtown may not be for everyone. For some families, the pace and lifestyle that the Rat Pack made famous isn’t in the cards. Bosch and Fraser both say there were benefits to living in Port Moody, and families loved the area.
For this couple, though, downtown is where they want to be and they have enjoyed their time at 540 Beatty ever since.
And therein lies the secret that all new home buyers should be applying. “To each his own,” says Fraser. “I’m 31, Keri’s 35, we don’t have any kids, so we did find ourselves in a situation in Port Moody where it was like, ‘Well, I can see why people move here and get more space but we just don’t really need it.’”
The two also feel they are situated in an exciting, up-and-coming section of Vancouver.
“It’s a unique little spot here,” he says, noting what he sees as unlimited potential growth in the Yaletown area. “There isn’t really going to be much that stops this sort of neighbourhood… schools and campuses and all of these things are probably within about a five-to-ten minute walk.”
The couple looked long and hard even after seeing the place on Beatty St. to make sure they found the apartment they wanted. Fraser says they probably looked at 30 to 50 other properties but, in the end, they kept coming back.
“There’s so many things about buying a place that you want, and we had to narrow it down to, ‘What are the top things you can’t live without,’” says Bosch. “Accessibility, what neighbourhoods did we like, where could we see ourselves living and making a home.” Specifically, the couple was drawn to the very innovative approach taken to 540 Beatty. It’s one of two properties that Townline is currently selling downtown, along with their development at 1241 Homer St. Both use a classic, Manhattan style that takes you back to the era when Monroe married Dimaggio. “It’s almost like a hotel,” says Yvonne Drinovz, sales representative at Madison Marketing (the firm selling the units for Townline Group of Companies) when describing 1241 Homer. “It’s a very substantial building, right in the middle of Yaletown, but you’re just on the quiet block so right around the corner you’ve got all these amenities.”
Drinovz notes that people have loved the exclusive boutique feel to both properties, and their style was designed to resemble an old New York City-style brownstones loft. She speaks proudly of how Townline took on the Crane Building’s heritage conversion. The developer “gutted it out and seismically upgraded it,” she says, while still maintaining a classic feel with brick walls, columns, and concrete floors. 1241 Homer has also been designed to bring a modern feel to an eternal, eloquent look.
“Not a lot of developers would take that on,” she says, laying praise on Townline president Rick Illich. “It’s for emotion, rather than just building and making numbers work for investors. They [the two buildings] have extra personality and are a little more classic and timeless.”
This style approach has led to successful sales in both buildings, as well as Townline’s four other downtown projects (which are now completed and sold out). Certainly, it has made an impression on Bosch and Fraser. “We really like it here,” says Fraser. “We like the building, we like the space, we like the feel.”
“I definitely like that it’s a heritage building,” says Bosch. “It has such an old feel but everything is modernized.”
Rooms are spacious but lavishly decorated. Pricey, maybe, but it’s clear this is premier downtown living that is affordable rather than excessive. However, the couple’s favourite aspect of their new place ventures into unknown territory for most downtown condos.
“One thing that stood out is how quiet it is on the street,” Fraser says. “When we were looking at places, we knew that living at downtown was a little bit noisy and you make concessions, I guess.”
However, that hasn’t been their experience so far. 540 Beatty and 1241 Homer have both been designed and positioned to provide an exclusive, quiet feel to downtown living. The couple agree that a major plus in the building was it’s small number of units – listed at 57 – and it’s positioning just off Yaletown’s stylish hub. They find it to be the perfect mix of fun and relaxation.
“We were in a brand new high rise before and it was surprising how much street noise you can hear, and we were 21 floors up,” he says. “I think if you can get downtown and get in a quiet little spot, then I believe it’s a big bonus.”
“Bit-by-bit, there’s only so much real estate downtown and these buildings in particular… there’s really nothing else like this in Vancouver.” So what’s the secret? It’s clear that the couple have found their paradise in Vancouver’s skyline, a metropolis that has boasts both the highest density of skyscrapers in North America and a plethora of parks and culture.
Fraser says the two pearls of wisdom he would give to new home buyers are to “look, look, look” at as many places as possible and “be realistic on your price range.”
“Those would be the two biggest things,” he says. “You’ll know when you find the one you like.” Their advice carries some weight right now, as prices have fallen below record levels in 2007 and 2008, giving buyers more choice and allowing them to hop on high-end locales for less.
“For us, it really felt like we could finally have an opportunity to get into the market,” says Bosch. She adds that when the couple assessed the feasibility of renting, it just didn’t make sense right now.
“I think it’s definitely in comparison to before, when the market was at it’s peak, but it just felt like you could get a place for the same amount that we were paying rent.” Like one semi-popular New Jersey native once said, “How can you lose?”
View Full Story: 540 Beatty – New Local Home – 18 June 2009 [PDF]
