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. For the Salient Group, developer of Trapp + Holbrook in New Westminster, historical revitalization is more than just a passion. For this Gastown based company, preserving local history is a mission, something that is engrained in every single project.

Salient Group president Robert Fung, who we recently featured in our 50 Coffees series, is respected as a developer sensitive to an area’s history and long-time residents. He aims to add interest and diversity while helping strengthen the existing community.

In this post, we learn more about Salient Group’s past projects and reveal more about Trapp + Holbrook.

Many of the Salient Group’s previous projects are in Gastown, a Vancouver success story that has maintained its character while becoming home to many of Vancouver’s creative companies as well as restaurants and bars. Terminus at 36 Water Street is a unique blend of historic façades and all new construction with a very modern aesthetic. A fire destroyed all but the façade of the Terminus hotel in Gastown, but the Salient Group saw an opportunity for a stunning modern building to rise up in its place.

The Alhambra, also on Water Street, is one of Vancouver’s oldest and most valuable heritage buildings. Constructed immediately following Vancouver’s “great fire” in 1886, the Alhambra underwent an extensive renovation that rehabilitated the building’s historic structure, facade and windows. In this commercial building, modern architectural elements have replaced 70s era interventions.

Garage, currently home to Gastown favourite Boneta, incorporates retail, office, and residential space. Merging architectural elements from …READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY>>>

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. New Westminster, Western Canada’s first city, is reclaiming the spotlight. Boasting hip new shops, cool restaurants and the historical charm the city is known for, the Royal City is hot again, and many businesses are taking notice. New West, known as a major transit hub in the Lower Mainland, is reclaiming its reputation as the Golden Mile and is once again becoming the “place to be”.

In this post, we’re taking a look at one of the many exciting projects coming to New West. Trapp + Holbrook, a 196-unit condo project by the Salient Group, is a reconstruction of the historical Trapp building on Columbia Street. The project consists of a new concrete 20-storey building above an existing heritage “podium” level and will feature a revitalized façade from the Trapp building.

In case you’re not familiar with the Salient Group, here’s a short intro. Salient prides itself for the creation and restoration of compact, walkable, and vibrant communities in the urban environments. The company and its founder Robert Fung is most known for its restoration projects in Gastown — Terminus Building and Paris Annex are just a couple of examples. Recently a Salient redevelopment was recognized with a Lieutenant Governor’s Medal in Architecture, and they have received many other sustainable architecture and building awards over the past decade.

Now, New Westminster is attracting the Salient Group.

Just like Gastown a few years ago, New Westminster is arguably one of the most overlooked areas in Metro Vancouver. Over the past few years, the City of New Westminster has been hard at work reviving its downtown core. The City wants to reinvent downtown New West into a trendy neighbourhood for young singles, families and empty nesters.

So far, it looks like the plan is working. Upcoming projects such as a new civic centre (which we’ve recently featured in our Nicholson Road series), a 10-cinema theatre, boutique shops, and new condo developments such as Salient Group’s Trapp + Holbrook are helping to make the city’s plan a reality.

Awesome landmarks such as the world’s largest tin soldier live side by side with new businesses in the city. The Network Hub recently opened a second location in New West, and so did Wild Rice. Mom ’n’ pop businesses such as the vegan shop Karmavore and Cloud 9 Specialty Bakery (which specializes in gluten-free goodies) are popping up.

New West is also earning a reputation as a cultural centre, thanks to …READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY>>>

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. We were originally going to introduce you to this incredible Downtown Vancouver development in case you hadn’t heard about it… but it seems the word is out. TELUS Garden, a partnership between one of our community sponsors – TELUS – and Westbank, has sold out before grand opening!

Comprised of 428 homes over 53 floors, this residential tower will be located on the same block as the soon-to-be-built, brand new TELUS national headquarters. TELUS wanted to provide its employees with an opportunity to live and work at TELUS Garden to encourage a sustainable work and lifestyle. To make this possible, TELUS employees had a unique preview opportunity in advance of the public and were able to purchase at a modest 1% discount.

“Our team members are the reason that TELUS is the largest private sector employer in British Columbia and we wanted to recognize their contributions,” said Andrea Goertz, senior vice-president for strategic initiatives at the telecommunications company.

Needless to say, response was phenomenal. Nearly 150 of the homes sold to TELUS team members alone, excited with the idea of living and working without a commute. The remaining homes were snapped up by individuals and Realtors who had registered with the project.

“The demand from the public was stronger than anybody anticipated, and can be taken as a clear indication of the desirability of Vancouver,” said George Wong, principal of Magnum Projects – the sales and marketing company behind TELUS Garden.

They say real estate is about location, location, location and you can’t argue with such an awesome one in Vancouver. Steps to some of our city’s greatest amenities, here’s but a tiny snapshot of the neighbourhood:

- Robson Street shopping at your doorstep (hello retail therapy!)
- Stadium District for all the concerts and sports you can imagine
- Minutes from some of Vancouver’s best neighbourhoods – Yaletown, Gastown, Chinatown – you’ll never need to cook again!

TELUS Garden will be one of the most avant-garde, architectural masterpieces in all of North America – including a 53-floor residential tower and a 24-floor signature office tower. Not just a pretty face, TELUS and Westbank have redefined what it means to be green. The office tower will be the first of its kind to meet Canada’s latest LEED® Platinum Standard while the residential tower will meet LEED® Gold Standards.

“Our goal for TELUS Garden is to reduce energy consumption from conventional sources by up to 80 per cent compared to similar buildings,” said Ms. Goertz.

One thing is clear – TELUS Garden will set a new standard for green and innovative living, and the overwhelming response from Vancouver is a firm indication that green is in.
…READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY>>>

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. For Austeville Properties, the owner, developer and manager of the all-new Pacific Palisades rental complex, few things are as important as fostering community amongst tenants, local businesses and the neighbourhood. Which is why Austeville asked its PaPa team to create a program for PaPa renters that provides exclusive access and ongoing deals from retailers and services near the two towers at Robson and Jervis.

We call it PaPa Perks. Our partner program includes these six businesses:

A free natural Aspen Clean cleaning product with first-time cleaning services (which includes 100% natural, ECOCERT-certified unscented laundry detergent, valued at $19.90).		$25 application fee waived, $30 driving credit, $30 first-year membership fee ($35 savings), 1-2 Zip cars parked in PaPa garage.
A $10 gift card.		$20 off moving boxes for any order over $100.
$25 off each of the first 3 SPUD orders.		$25 off first cut, $25 off first colour at Aveda. 10% off products on first salon visit.

And that’s just scratching the surface. For the growing list of PaPa Perks partners click HERE.

Retail Tenants

PaPa’s retail spaces are situated on the ground floor of the 20-storey Robson Tower, and are very much in keeping with the West Coast Modern spirit of Pacific Palisades.

PaPa’s anchor tenant, CB2, is opening its first Vancouver location at Pacific Palisades in February. CB2 (part of the Crate and Barrel family) features “affordable modern” furniture and accessories designed particularly for urban spaces. Need to outfit your new PaPa pad? CB2 should prove the perfect fit.

Vancouver’s independent beauty and skincare specialists Shifeon will also soon call Pacific Palisades home. Shifeon offers an unsurpassed selection of cosmetics, skin care and fragrance products. Services such as boutique facials will make it as easy as heading downstairs to access the best skin care in town.

Want to call PaPa home? RESERVE your place today in what will be downtown Vancouver’s most sought-after rental community.

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 FIRST POST we shared the celebrated history of Vancouver’s Pacific Palisades. Now, let’s talk about what living at PaPa is soon to look like. Each rental suite is designed with materials that rank high on aesthetic appeal but also on durability, function and sustainability.

The Rental Suites

All 234 one-bedroom and studio suites feature porcelain-tile entryways, classic white-oak hardwood flooring, deep soaker tubs, Grohe faucets and fixtures and roller blackout shades for noise and light minimizing (yes, the suites are that bright!). Each suite feature was carefully selected in keeping with a West Coast Modern aesthetic.

Tenants also have access to secured storage lockers, bicycle lockers plus underground parking (there’ll also be a couple of Zipcars in the garage, too).

When deciding on amenities and the common areas, the PaPa team polled people through the “Imagine it at PaPa” contest to discover what Vancouverites really wanted in a rental. Hundreds of ideas came through and PaPa is implementing the top three suggestions:

1. Resident guest suites to book for a reasonable rate (no more family and friends crashing on the couch or floor!).
2. A workshop for resident cyclists to repair and tune up bikes.
3. Artwork in the common areas that showcases local artists/photographers or highlights the history of area.

The Commons

Establishing an amenities area that tenants would actually use became a priority for PaPa’s developers, Austeville Properties—in keeping with its mandate of creating strong ties between residents, their neighbourhood and communities. Enter The Commons, a de facto community centre for PaPa residents.

The Commons offers residents 6,000 sq ft of space, divided into three zones and featuring free WiFi:

1. Laundry Zone, a huge area situated on the main floor with natural light courtesy of the PaPa courtyard. With the Rolls Royce in eco-friendly laundry machines, your stylish garments are safe here!

2. Fitness Zone, an area that includes state-of-the-art fitness machines as well as a yoga space with mirrored walls and hardwood flooring. There are some pretty nifty views from the treadmills, too.

3. Meeting Zone, which features four meeting rooms and two shared kitchenettes—ideal for the growing entrepreneur and freelancers of the city.

Shoes on? Boxes already packed? Visit the WEBSITE for info on how you can “Come to PaPa.”

BONUS Q&A with PaPa design team, led by Hugh Cochlin and Kerri Shinkewski of Proscenium Architecture + Interiors
…READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY>>>

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. It was the place to stay in Vancouver for the who’s who of the A-list Hollywood stars of the last few decades. Bob Hope, Kathryn Hepburn, Johnny Depp, Sharon Stone and Tom Selleck were just some of the names that called the Pacific Palisades Hotel their home away from home. Forget the Roxy lineup, the Pacific Palisades Hotel bar was the Vancouver location for your Thursday-Friday-Saturday night drinks and carousing.

The Palisades, located on Vancouver’s renowned Robson Street (at Jervis), is considered one of the city’s historical landmarks for the guest list alone. In Spring 2010, for industry and business reasons the hotel said good-bye to its last guests and closed its doors – but not for good. Enter Austeville Properties Ltd.

The property management and development company has been in the business for over 40 years and is behind some of the most coveted rental buildings in the Lower Mainland. Its focus is providing rental solutions that create and sustain strong ties between residents and their neighbourhoods and communities.

Austeville had a vision for this one-time hotel, and was determined to both preserve the historical, mid-century design while updating it for 21st-century urban living through conversion to high-end rental suites. Opening in June 2012, the Pacific Palisades upgrade will be complete and become the new home for 200-plus Vancouver urbanites.

Pacific Palisades will offer 234 rental apartments in two towers. The Commons building will provide amenities for residents that include a fitness centre, yoga space, art gallery and meeting rooms. The anchor commercial tenants of Robson Tower’s retail space are CB2 (affordable modern home furnishings and accessories from Crate and Barrel) and Vancouver skincare specialist Shifeon. 

…READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY>>>