subscribe to our RSS feedWestern Living Magazine: Suite Dreams
March 1st, 2006
Western Living Magazine – Suite Dreams
Bowman Block – Everything old is new again in a Crosstown warehouse conversion.
[ BUY THE CONDO ] The Bowman Block, to be completed this fall, is one of the new generation of warehouse conversions in the Downtown Eastside. At 522 Beatty Street in the area now being called Crosstown, it was built in 1906, the first brick building on the block. Now the Salient Group is adding a couple of storeys, for a total of 11, and converting it to 38 lofts, a dozen of them double height. The six penthouse suites have private decks with outdoor fireplaces, and there’s also a communal roof deck with a gas fireplace, gas barbecue and mature trees. Insuite washer and dryer are standard, as are room dividers/TV cabinets (above) in some floor plans. Single-level suites range from 674 to 745 square feet, two-level from 1,147 to 1,285 square feet; $330,000 to $700,000.
[ STEAL THE LOOK ] Another Alda Pereira design, this suite is open plan because (a) it’s a loft and (b) it’s only 732 square feet. Pereira kept the space simple and pared down, aligning the kitchen along one wall to create more living space. Base cabinets are extra deep to provide more storage, allowing upper cabinets to be less- obtrusive open shelving. Cabinets with sliding doors at the back of the counter provide more storage, and a multipurpose stainless steel tabletop swivels on a leg with a caster to act as a bar in the living room or extra work space in the kitchen. A clever shelving unit that defines the bedroom area contains a now-you-see it-now you- don’t TV cabinet. The cable and wiring are on a pivot point so the TV can be rotated to face either the bedroom or the living room.
Terminus
[ BUY THE CONDO ] The Salient Group, committed to making the Downtown Eastside the sort of heritage area we admire in other cities, has bought five adjacent buildings on Water Street in Gastown. The Terminus project involves converting two of them, the Terminus Hotel and Grand Hotel, into 46 stylish suites. The interiors of both were unsalvageable, but the bricks from the Grand Hotel will be reused and the facades will be restored, influencing the design of the interiors: bay windows on the Terminus side, arched ones on the other. The rooftop lounge will include a spacious deck, a water feature and a fireplace. To be completed in late 2007, sizes range from 619 to 1,619 square feet; $350,00 to $1.5 million (for the largest penthouse).
[ STEAL THE LOOK ]Instead of the standard boxy bathroom found in many condos, Terminus has taken a linear approach. The tub, shower, powder room and laundry are lined up along one wall. They are concealed behind frosted glass doors, which provide privacy while admitting light. The tub, sink and toilet are by Philippe Starck, and floors (throughout the suites) are ribbonlike walnut strand, made of slender strips of laminated wood.
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