Tower near Chinatown mostly bought on first day of selling
Michael Sasges
Sun
Panelling will hide dishwasher, hood fan and fridge in the homes and, from fridge to main entrance, a stacking washer/dryer and storage. Keep your eyes on the red vases. Photograph by : Glenn Baglo, Vancouver Sun
Panelling will hide dishwasher hood fan and fridge in the homes and from fridge to main entrance a stacking washer/dryer and storage. Keep your eyes on the red vases. Photograph by : Glenn Baglo, Vancouver Sun
The one built-in that isn’t is the kitchen island. It’s on wheels (right). Photograph by : Glenn Baglo, Vancouver Sun
The 54 apartments in 33 will not overwhelm with their size but they will with their design and finishes. They are one-bathroom homes for example but those bathrooms will be more typical of the en suites found in multi-bathroom homes. Entrance to the bathroom will be through a sliding frosted-glass door (top left). Photograph by : Glenn Baglo, Vancouver Sun
Tub and shower will be separate (top right). The vanity not shown will float a mirror and a recessed medicine cabinet also mirrored above. Photograph by : Glenn Baglo, Vancouver Sun
Open storage will top walls dividing bathroom and bedroom (top right) and bathroom and office (facing page) and will top the outside wall against which the storage and kitchen cabinetry will be placed. Photograph by : Glenn Baglo, Vancouver Sun
Open storage will top walls dividing bathroom and bedroom (top right) and bathroom and office (facing page) and will top the outside wall against which the storage and kitchen cabinetry will be placed. Photograph by : Glenn Baglo, Vancouver Sun
Open storage will top walls dividing bathroom and bedroom (top right) and bathroom and office (facing page) and will top the outside wall against which the storage and kitchen cabinetry will be placed. Photograph by : Glenn Baglo, Vancouver Sun
IN THE EYES OF THE BEHOLDERS: How many Vancouvers can one photograph show? Possibly as many Vancouvers as there are sets of eyes to view this photo taken from the Pender Street block in which the 33 homes will rise and showing the street’s westward march downtown. Some people older readers perhaps will see mostly the Sun tower on the left and if familiar with this stretch of town the Lotus Hotel across Pender Street from the once-upon-time tallest building in the British Empire. Pender does not end at the Vancouver Vocational Institute but jogs (to the right in the photo). Others younger readers perhaps will see International Village and Tinseltown below the Sun tower. The bus hides hoardings advertising the next opportunity to own a home in this neighbourhood. It is called Espana and it will be offered by the Henderson development company owner of International Village. Photograph by : Glenn Baglo, Vancouver Sun
33
Presentation centre: 81 West Pender, Vancouver
Hours: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Telephone: 604-623-3302
Web: 33living.ca
Project size: 63 apartments and penthouses, nine-storey building
Residence size: 1 bedroom, from 525 sq. ft; 1 +den, from 770 sq. ft; 1+ den penthouses, from 1,013 sq. ft. – 1,017 sq. ft.; 2-level penthouses, from 1,244 sq. ft.
Prices: From about $289,900
Developer: Georgia Laine Developments
Architect: Acton Ostry
Interior design: Lucid
Tentative occupancy: January, 2008
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The 33 development is the second new-home opportunity in, or near, Vancouver’s Chinatown to come to market in a couple of months and the second new-home project in the Lower Mainland in a couple of weeks to sell out, or almost, in a couple of days.
The other project that is attracting new-home shoppers to one of Vancouver’s oldest neighbourhoods is East. It, too, is located on Pender Street, one block east of 33.
The other project that enjoyed a similarly robust response is the Lotus. It’s located in Richmond.
Bob Rennie is marketing East — and converting a heritage building next door into his corporate office and art gallery.
The partnership of Jason Craik and Cameron McNeill is marketing 33. Their MAC Marketing Solutions is also marketing Lotus.
”[Last] Saturday was our very first day of selling and the response exceeded everyone’s expectations,” Craik reports.
”When planning 33, developing a clear picture of the type of people who would love to live in the heart of Crosstown, Vancouver’s most historic community, on the Silk Road to Chinatown and just a block from the Chinatown Gates was easy.
“Some members of our MAC team were just those type of people. In fact, two of the three salespeople at 33 have bought for themselves and plan to live there.
”We knew people would love to live there, we were just surprised to see so many of them come in so fast.”
On Saturday, 47 sales contracts were signed. By Wednesday, more than 50 had been signed. ”On Saturday, a young, hip group of Vancouver actors, entrepreneurs and professionals, mostly singles and young couples planning to live there, came in and bought 80 per cent of the homes,” Craik comments.
The 33 developer is Robert Wilson – and he is apparently very alert to the circulation of concerns about Winter Olympic construction jeopardizing the pace and cost of new-home construction.
”He promised a room full of Vancouver realtors, and continues to promise, to deliver the exact product you see in the show suite on time and on budget,” Craik says.
”He’s exactly the type of developer we love to work with. He’s hands on and heavily, personally invested in the project’s success.”
Wilson has been a developer for 10 years and his most recent new-home project, the Hub in the Vancouver’s Mount Pleasant neighbourhood, sold out, Craik reports.
”Robert is currently working on properties in North Vancouver, Port Moody, West Broadway, and Main Street which are in different stages of pre-development. Robert’s philosophy is to have people living in smaller projects, 24 to 70 units, in which they will commune with each other, in work, entertainment, family, creating a village-like atmosphere.”
The 33 buyers are very alert to the changes coming to the neighbourhood, Craik reports.
”Many of the people we’re meeting at the presentation centre already know about the city’s multi-million-dollar investment in the Carrall Street ‘greenway’ that will connect False Creek and the Inner Harbour. Even more know that Woodward’s is coming and what a profound change it will make to the surrounding community.”
The Carrall ”greenway” is ”up” the block from the 33 site. The Woodward’s project is around the corner from 33, at Hastings and Abbott.
The 33 buyers are equally very alert to the historical quality of their neighbourhood, people who would want historic references in their architecture. ”From Pender, you [will] notice a lot of horizontal and vertical lines with elements of warm, coloured glass that, when they catch the light, make the front of the building subtly resemble fabric, a tribute to its ‘Silk Road’ location,” Craik says.
Secure underground parking and ”cool” layouts under 10-foot ceilings are “interior” reasons for the pace of sales at 33, Craik thinks.
”The developer is offering a level of finishing that you have to see for yourself to believe,” he says. ”It’s as good as anywhere in Vancouver.”
The show home is a memorable exercise in making more from less. ”It’s really cool,” Craik comments. ”You really just want to move right in. It feels way bigger than it is due to the layout with its intimate entrance, but main room with its 10-foot ceilings beckoning you on.”
© The Vancouver Sun 2006
