Downtown proximity without downtown prices is attracting artists and those who appreciate the arts to one of Vancouver’s up and coming areas — commonly referred to as SOMA (South Main).
   Uno is a 110-residence development at the corner of 11th and Kingsway that has a range of prices, from onebedroom, 536-square-foot apartments for $174,900 to 1,534-square-foot two bedroom and den townhomes for $479,900. (The project’s three penthouse suites, with their mountain views, were snapped up on the first day when sales opened in April.)
   “The neighbourhood is a cultural mixing pot and that’s indicative of our buyers,” said Uno public relations representative Pamela Groberman, who noted 75 per cent of the buyers are in the 20- to- 45- year-old age range.
   “All are very into design and excited by the newer concepts and layouts. Most are from Vancouver and many are first-time buyers who find it’s cheaper living in SOMA than downtown.”
   Groberman said many buyers grew up in the area but are coming back to Main Street, from about East Second Avenue to East 15th, because of the “cool elements” the area offers.
   “Generally it has a bit more edge to it,” said Groberman, who added many fashion studios, trendy restaurants and cafes are nearby.
   Sales coordinator Darren Hunter agreed noting buyers are typically either in the arts field or very interested in the arts.
   “One buyer designs video games, some are in the film industry, another is a yoga teacher. This is a great space for them.”
   Joelle Ciona and Dina Gonzalez Mascaro are typical of Uno’s buyers. They’re young, involved in the arts and appreciate the area’s diversity. Ciona, 35, is an artist and set designer, whose latest project was Catwoman with Halle Berry. Mascaro, 38, is a sculptor and jewelry artist from Argentina.
   The couple know the SOMA area well. Ciona has lived for the past eight years and Mascaro for three years in a rental house just three blocks away from the Uno project.
   “The first time I saw it I was coming from work and I saw the showroom. I told Joelle we must live there because of the name. It’s Spanish.”
   The couple knew it was definitely for them after visiting the showroom and seeing the simple but highly functional design. Five hours after that visit they signed on the dotted line and in a year — when the project is completed — take possession of a 711 sq. ft. one bedroom with den suite. This will also be home to their friendly, twoyear-old blue heeler, Burana.
   “We had been looking on the Internet for a place but nothing felt like us,” said Ciona, who said they were also delighted Uno also allowed pets.
   “We’d decided we didn’t want a house because a home is so much work with yard maintenance.”
   Mascaro said they were immediately attracted to Uno’s design.
   “Uno is really simple and bright. They have light and use a lot of glass which I like,” said Mascaro.
   Ciona, who also has a degree in architecture, said she also appreciated the work of Uno’s architect Peter Busby, who is known for his environmentally friendly architecture.
   “The exterior of Uno is going to be beautiful,” said Ciona.
   She said her only criticism of the project is there is no communal roof top garden. That space belongs to the penthouse owners. However, she said there is a communal courtyard and anyone above the fourth floor and up, on the north side, will have a mountain view.
   The interior space was designed by Toronto-based designers Anna Simone and Elaine Cecconi, who are known for their work designing for smaller living spaces. They were brought in early so their ideas on how to make the best use of the space could be incorporated into the overall design plan.
   As an example, the design team strongly believe in using perimeter lighting to help expand a space. That’s why the units all have this feature.
   Another feature in the smaller units is the lack of corridors. This was deliberate on the part of the designers, who instead opted to have a small entry vestibule opening into the suites.
   “There’s not one square foot we don’t take into consideration,” said Cecconi.
   “Space is so expensive to buy so it’s really important there’s no wasted space.”
   While some of the units, at only 536 sq. ft., would be considered small the way they are designed makes them equivalent to a 1,000 sq. foot unit, said Simone.
   “Traditionally you would use a corridor to get you from one room to the next but by removing it you still lead from room to room with visual light [available from the one window at the end]. That again helps open the space,” she said.
   The rooms are separated by a clear sliding glass door. Buyers can upgrade to opaque glass for the sliding door partitions.
   The bathroom, however, does have an opaque glass that separates the space. Some of the units have a wall instead of the opaque glass that separates the bathroom from the main living area.
   Simone and Cecconi said they personally liked the area so much they have selected the Uno project as the site of their retail store in Vancouver. The partners already have a 4,000 sq. ft. store called Oni One that opened in Toronto in September, 2002. The space in Vancouver will be over 7,000 sq. ft. and occupy the entire retail area on the ground floor of the Uno project.
   Intracorp. senior vicepresident Don Forsgren said the city requested some type of street-oriented retail use on the Kingsway street frontage.
   “We could have probably got away with total retail space as small as under 2000 sq. ft. [like a coffee shop] but in the end of the day we have over 7200 sq. ft. of dramatic space.
   “The alternatives would have forced townhome type units on to Kingsway, which would have been a poor design.”
   Forsgren said the company decided destination retail would look the best and be the best choice for Uno condo owners.
   “I made finding the retail user a priority before we finalized the development plans. We had a number of interested parties but Oni One was obviously an amazing connection and asset to Uno,” he said.
   Groberman noted Oni One is also a good choice for all the Uno homeowners because it is closed at night and therefore quieter than if a restaurant or convenience store, for example, were occupying the space.