Developers cater to executive lifestyles

Living in the heart of the city’s pulse is no longer a big enough draw to  attract sophisticated urban professionals.

This group demands that their homes include conveniences that caters to their  busy lifestyle — and condo developers are taking note.

In addition to high-end finishes, a number of projects coming to bustling  communities of downtown Calgary will also include a variety of services and  state-of-the-art common areas — concierges, lounges, functional lobbies and more — that will greatly appeal to this demographic.

“Time is a huge commodity an

d people want to use it very wisely,” says Robert  Marchand, director of sales and marketing for Anthem Properties and project lead  on the Waterfront development in Eau Claire.

That’s why developers are not only building condominium projects in  neigbourhoods near offices in the downtown core, but also offering products and  services that let residents quickly shift from work to life.

With two of the four towers completed, Waterfront is already providing its  tenants with: an executive concierge service; a two-storey grand lobby; a  theatre room that seats 16 and includes a 115-inch screen, surround sound and  tiered seating; a contemporary owner’s lounge complete with a pool table,  fully-equipped kitchen, double view fireplace and amble seating; fitness centre  with high-quality cardiovascular machines and weights; a tranquil yoga studio;  his and hers steam rooms as well as a Jacuzzi; and a rooftop courtyard.

These components, plus the riverfront location, all factor into the time  equation that rapidly moving young professionals function on a daily basis,  offering them the luxury to utilize their time with ease.

And when it comes to seeking inspiration to meet the demands of those always  on the go, there’s no better place to look than locations that specifically  cater to the jet set lifestyle — hotel

s.

“Our research has shown that young professionals staying in urban hotels  prefer to spend their personal time in public spaces rather than alone in their  rooms,” says Al Schmidt, vice-president of LaCaille Group.

That’s why the developer, which has its eye on the same elite target market,  will mirror common hotel elements in the main lobby of Vogue, its newest  residential tower pegged for the west end of downtown Calgary.

Features will include wi-fi service for Internet access, flat screen  televisions, and comfortable seating areas for tenants to gather with their  family and friends.

“We expect that the Vogue lobby will become a common gathering place for the  building’s residents — a modern day version of the traditional town square,” Schmidt says.

Vogue, which will be located on 6th Avenue between 8th Street and 9th Street  S.W., will also have retail spaces on either side of the main lobby, making room  right at home for possibly a coffee/win bar, bistro or casual pub.

In addition to offering conveniences that help ease the time crunch, all of  these features will also foster connections between homeowners, says Tamara  Rosenblum, president of Mantaray Creative, the Calgary-based marketing agency  that has been working on the Vogue project.

“It makes a building much more appealing because there’s a community aspect  to it,” she says, adding that these types of extra spaces provide the  opportunity to meet neighbours beyond the gym, parkade or when taking out the  trash.

Rosenblum keeps her eye on hotel trends around the world, explaining she  believes it’s a natural progression for condo projects to adopt similar inner  amenities. She anticipate

s the next big trend developers will follow is how  hotels integrate technology into the building.

But for now, urban condo dwellers can simply expect to come home to concierge  services, community building spaces, appealing retail offerings and much more.