Browsing “Building Blocks Series”

This sponsored feature takes an intimate look at real estate projects in Greater Vancouver, bringing you stories about the developers, the neighbourhoods and the homes themselves. Pacific Palisades is considered one of the Vancouver’s iconic landmarks—a highly regarded example of West Coast Modern design. When it finally closed its doors to hotel guests in 2010, new owner Austeville Properties Ltd. embarked on a two-year renovation to transform the towers from tired has-been to stylish rental complex that pays homage to its international modernist roots.

Pacific Palisades in the 1960s.

Built in the 50s “International Style” by legendary developer Mel Zajac, Pacific Palisades was originally a four-building complex. The office building and one tower came down in the mid-90s. The remaining two towers became the Pacific Palisades Hotel, a favourite haunt of celebs like Johnny Depp, Sharon Stone, Tom Selleck and Martin Sheen during the ‘90s.

Take a look at the transformation below:

BEFORE: Pacific Palisades in Spring 2010. Note the ugly façade and tacky paint job.

AFTER: PaPa in Fall 2012. Note the return of the buildings’ original clean lines and refreshing colour palette.

The façade, a relic from the 80s, was stripped to reveal the glorious arched entryways of the original towers.
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This sponsored feature takes an intimate look at real estate projects in Greater Vancouver, bringing you stories about the developers, the neighbourhoods and the homes themselves. When looking to find the perfect home, we often believe that buying is best. We assume that becoming a homeowner will make us happier and bring more financial security, that we’ll have more space for our possessions and it’ll be easier to host family and friends. But is it possible to have all this without the shackles of mortgages and maintenance? Could there be more to renting than meets the eye? At Pacific Palisades, they believe renting a home should be as great as owning a home—or even better. Read on for PaPa’s top 5 reasons why.

1. Convenience
A common frustration of renters and homeowners is maintenance. Sometimes it can take weeks to get a simple problem fixed. At Papa, tenants come first. You don’t have to call your condo leasing agent to call the strata board to call a plumber to fix your leaky faucet. Our onsite building managers are on hand 24/7 to address any issues you may encounter. You don’t have to pay monthly maintenance fees, either. Everything is taken care of.

Speaking of faucets, all of PaPa’s are Grohe

2. Quality
While we all have fantasies about our dream home, it’s probably unlikely that you’ll buy that home soon. But you can rent it at PaPa. Each of our brand-new studios and one-bedroom suites is full of light and features hardwood floors, quartz countertops, porcelain tile, blackout blinds, spacious closets, soaker tubs and European-style appliances. Rent at PaPa and you can finally stop drooling over the mid-century condos in Dwell magazine and start living in one.

You’ll be the envy of all your friends in a PaPa 1 bdr
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This sponsored feature takes an intimate look at real estate projects in Greater Vancouver, bringing you stories about the developers, the neighbourhoods and the homes themselves. In our previous Building Blocks instalments we’ve taken you on an in-depth journey as to what living at the newly renovated Pacific Palisades would be like. We’ve looked at the storied Pacific Palisades history, the suites, the kitchens and bathrooms and the perks of living at PaPa. We’re finishing off our series by taking a look at where the Pacific Palisades community will flourish—The Commons.

Fostering community among the Pacific Palisades tenants was key to the developer, Austeville Properties. The Commons features a large and spacious laundry room, a brand-new, state-of-the-art fitness centre and yoga space, four meeting rooms and free WiFi throughout the 6,000 sq ft building.

Laundry PaPa-ized

While doing laundry can be a drag, we dare to suggest that PaPa tenants will no longer loathe the task in our spacious, modern, well-equipped laundry centre. It features 15 high-efficiency front-loading washers and 19 EnergyStar dryers. It also has a large counter area with barstools so you can fold your clothes in comfort. Possibly the best feature of the laundry centre is its location on the main level of The Commons; it features wall-to-wall windows overlooking the courtyard that will let in plenty of natural light.

Fitness Centre

This state-of-the-art fitness centre features equipment that even the most picky fitness enthusiasts will appreciate. Brand-new treadmills, elliptical trainers, stationary bikes, exercise machines and free weights outfit this main-floor fitness facility. If running to TV or music helps you reach your goal, then say hello to the cardio machines with built-in TVs and iPod adapters. Aspiring yogis will find a hardwood area equipped with mirrored walls and ample mat space. High ceilings and large clerestory windows also allow for plenty of natural light.

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This sponsored feature takes an intimate look at real estate projects in Greater Vancouver, bringing you stories about the developers, the neighbourhoods and the homes themselves. In the first part of our three-part series on the new Pacific Palisades rental towers, we shone the spotlight on the dining and lounging areas of the apartments. In this second part, we are focusing the attention on the all-important Bs: bedrooms and bathrooms.

Sleeping in Comfort
Whether you are in a studio or one-bedroom, we believe that your sleeping space should be serene. With that in mind, all bedroom areas feature classic white-oak hardwood flooring and neutral paint tones to allow your individual design elements to take centre stage. Spacious closets are also in place. The studio suites have a 5′ 4″-wide full-height closet plus an additional coat/linen closet while the one-bedroom suites boast a 6′ 4″-wide full-height bedroom closet plus two additional coat/linen closets.

Each suite is outfitted with blackout shades for those times when you need peace and quiet—and darkness.

Studio bedroom space

Spacious bedroom in the one-bedroom suite

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This sponsored feature takes an intimate look at real estate projects in Greater Vancouver, bringing you stories about the developers, the neighbourhoods and the homes themselves. In our past Building Blocks reports we shared with you details on Pacific Palisade’s rich and A-list history, and the progress of the new Pacific Palisades rental towers. With days away from our first tenants moving in we want to show you what living is like at PaPa. In this first of a three-part series, we are shining the spotlight on the spaces of your apartment set for dining and lounging.

Let’s talk about kitchens

Whether you are Canada’s Top Chef in training or just Top Chef of take out the kitchens are designed to suit your personal style of cooking and eating. All kitchens feature 12” x 24” porcelain tile floors, quartz countertops, a gorgeous glass tile backsplash and Grohe faucets and fixtures. They also have Greenlam full-wrap laminate cabinets in a natural wood finish––perfect for storing your culinary supplies. The GE EnergyStar stove (self-cleaning), European-styled counter-depth fridge (with wine storage rack!) and dishwasher were selected for maximum usability in keeping with a West Coast Modern aesthetic feel.

Mornings at Pacific Palisades

Multi-purpose kitchens for urbanites on the go

Glass tile backsplash

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This sponsored feature takes an intimate look at real estate projects in Greater Vancouver, bringing you stories about the developers, the neighbourhoods and the homes themselves. With affordability top of mind for many Vancouverites, it was important for the Salient Group to be able to deliver high-quality homes at Trapp+Holbrook at a reasonable price point.

“Anytime you’re trying to provide a high level of affordability while also providing quality design and integration of heritage elements, it’s a complicated process,” Salient Group President Robert Fung recently revealed in a Royal City Record interview. “In order to make the building truly livable – and tie it in with the area in a sympathetic way – there are challenges technically and economically. We faced these challenges, all the while maintaining the affordability of the homes.”

Robert admits that affordability was a key factor in his company’s decision to start a project in the Royal City after a decade of playing a significant role in transforming Gastown. “I was initially attracted to the history and the significance of downtown New Westminster, and the opportunity to help facilitate an economic revitalization in the area. Being able to offer great homes at affordable pricing, along with the most accessible transit connections in the Lower Mainland, is an exciting opportunity for us. ”

Recent studies have shown that many Canadians identify affordability as the primary reason for delaying purchasing their first home. But because of its price and location, Trapp+Holbrook is attracting the attention of a key market: first-time local homebuyers.

According to real estate expert Robyn Lau, New West is a good choice for first-time homebuyers because the city has comparable amenities to Vancouver and Burnaby — but without the high price tag. She says, “First time homeowners couldn’t ask for a better combination right now.  New West offers the opportunity for their investment to do well over the coming years.”

The city’s great transit system means residents could save a lot of money by ditching their car, according to Lau. “Having the option of not owning a vehicle unless you truly want to is a huge benefit with today’s high gas prices and costs of maintaining a car.”

Bob Rennie of Rennie Marketing Systems adds that Columbia Street’s thriving community means good news for first-time homebuyers who would like to see their investment grow. “The street has the potential to become a true walking community. The question is not if, but when.”

New West residents will see the value, breadth, and strength of the community as Columbia Street grows. Investments from projects like Trapp+Holbrook bring new homes and people, which bring pride of ownership to communities. New homes attract commercial demand, and a positive snowball effect follows. The project’s 200 feet of street-level storefront will attract more pedestrian shoppers, contributing to Columbia Street’s revitalization. …READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY>>>