Kerry Moore
Province
Well-equipped kitchen opens to living area Photograph by : Jon Murray, The Province
Scale model shows Patina and YMCA building Photograph by : Jon Murray, The Province
Bedrooms are roomy. Photograph by : Jon Murray, The Province
Amenities aren’t the big draw at Patina, location is.
“We went on Google Earth and had a look at where Patina was going to go up and we couldn’t believe it. It was literally the epicentre of Vancouver,” says Rod Wilburn of Concert Properties.
How it got is prime location on rising land at Barclay and Burrard involved years of planning with, of all partners, the 66-year-old YMCA already on the site.
As a result, the Y will gain a new athletic centre which will connect to its historic brick building on Burrard. Patina’s 42-storey tower is to be at the back (or west end) of the property.
“In its prime location, Patina will have the residential appeal to people who like the West End feel of a tree-lined street and opportunity to walk everywhere.” Another bonus: “You won’t be living in a construction zone because the area is largely finished,” says Wilburn, senior vice- president of sales and marketing.
Patina is designed to have three levels of lifestyle appeal, almost like three separate buildings.
“Up to the eight floor and to a degree to the 14th, are studios, one- bedroom [units] and one-beds and a den. We refer to these as pied-a-terre suites,” says Wilburn, adding that these are likely to appeal to people who split their time between the city and recreational property.
The 15th to 36th floors will likely attract empty nesters (called “lifestyle buyers”) and business professionals who want to be close to work and keep the car parked.
Another group of buyers who are expected to choose these same floors are young people “who bought into Yaletown several years ago and are upgrading in quality and recognized value.”
Above the 37th floor are expensive and expansive corner homes containing two bedrooms and a den. Prices start at $1.35 million. The two top floors are penthouses, and are in the stratosphere in cost as well as height.
All levels offer between four and 11 different floor plans with the most choices on the lower levels.
“Finishings have all the sophistication you’d expect in a downtown residence” says Wilburn, pointing out fine details that reinforce a plan for practicality and elegance.
All suites have porcelain tile throughout, except in bedrooms which have a soft low-pile wool carpet. The floor tile is rectangular rather than the predictable squares and is heated in the bathrooms. Glass tiles on the kitchen backsplash and shower walls catch and hold the light, adding a softness to areas often dominated by hardware or appliances.
Speaking of which, there is a full package of Miele and Liebherr appliances plus built-in air conditioning, dual-flush toilets, choice of three co-ordinated colour schemes, including three wood-grain finishes in light, dark and a warm teak.
Privacy is ensured by restricted floor access, encrypted security key fob and in-suite TV-monitored entry system. Suites are wired for advanced telecommunication requirements and parking is underground.
Oh, yes, there are amenities despite a lack of emphasis on them. Owners share the Patina Club on the eighth floor, a fully furnished lounge and fitness studio opening on to a rooftop garden terrace. They can also enjoy a “serenity” lounge on the mezzanine adjoining a private garden courtyard.
A full-time manager is on site. And, of course, there will be a state-of-the-art YMCA a few metres away from Patina’s Barclay Street entrance.
The YMCA will open in 2009, Patina in 2011. “Yes,” grins Wilburn, “there is life after the Olympics.”
THE FACTS
Patina
What: A 42-storey highrise containing 256 suites.
Where: Barclay & Burrard, Vancouver.
Developer: Concert Properties.
Sizes: 550 sq. ft. to 3,200 sq. ft., from studios with dens to penthouses.
Prices: $375,000 to $6 million.
Open: Register at discoverpatina.com to view the two-bed-and-den display suite near Alberni and Burrard. Viewings start Sept. 15/16.
© The Vancouver Province 2007
