Life in the village
Little Italy will soon be home to a slick condo boasting fibre optics and a green roof
By Paula McCooey, The Ottawa Citizen, November 28, 2009
The revitalization of the Preston Street area continues to swell with a slick condo loft taking shape on a prime corner in Ottawa's burgeoning Little Italy.
The L.A. Group -- a local development company -- is now developing the Z6 Urban Lofts. The company had a hand in Montmartre, a blend of historic apartments and new townhomes on the eastern edge of the ByWard Market and the transformation of Hintonburg's École du Sacré Coeur into modern condos called Schoolhouse Lofts.
The five-storey building will be located at the corner of Balsam and Booth streets, allowing residents to walk to the traditional Italian restaurants on Preston or one of the many Asian spots along Somerset in Chinatown.
The Booth Street site was home to the Salvatore Restaurant until owner Sam Princiotta decided to close, making room for his newest project, Z6 Urban Lofts.
Princiotta has been in the construction business for more than four decades and is also uncle to Joe
Princiotta, president and CEO of Princiotta Group that builds custom homes. He lived within a block of the site when he arrived from Italy about 45 years ago.
The sleek brick, stone and steel condo is designed by award-winning local architect Toon Dreessen, who wanted the building to blend in with the surrounding residential neighbourhood.
The project will feature one commercial office space on the ground level and 26 condos, ranging from a 611-square-foot studio for $236,926, up to a 1,177-square-foot one-bedroom plus den condo for $427,926. There are 12 floor plans, and the project is now 40 per cent sold.
The target market is not age-specific, but rather geared to people who want to enjoy the experience of downtown living, says Phillip Justice, L.A. Group's marketing and sales representative. "We have people who are semi-retired. We have young couples, we've got everything," says Justice.
The building will particularly appeal to the media savvy crowd, because the group will be installing "lighting speed" fibre optic Internet throughout, which is included in the condo fees.
"It is a utility, just like water," says Justice. "It's the only building in Eastern Ontario that has it as part of the services."
All of the lofts include 10- foot ceilings, granite or marble vanity countertops and vessel sinks in the bathrooms and granite counters with an undermount sink, contemporary flat panel cabinetry and extra-tall upper cabinets in the kitchen. A model of the kitchen is at the Z6 Urban Loft sales centre.
The granite and the hardwood floors are all standard, which will be attractive to potential buyers who don't want to pull out a calculator to tally up the cost of upgrades. Typically when buyers go to a sales centre or a model home, they assume everything is an upgrade, says Justice. Suddenly they become concerned about the ultimate cost.
"They are surprised when we tell them, no, everything in that nice kitchen with the granite and the extra-tall cabinetry is all included. There is no extra (cost)," says Justice. "What you see is what you get."
Also included in the price is a choice of engineered hardwood flooring, natural cork or bamboo.
The lofts don't scrimp on lifestyle features. The building will be outfitted with a fitness centre, a planted green roof and state-of-the-art security.
The city is almost finished construction on Preston, which is good news for area residents. "What's going on on Preston Street is going to make it better than it's ever been because it is a real revitalization project. They are widening the sidewalks. There is going to be more room for patios at the different restaurants and pubs," says Justice.
The building is expected to be finished by fall 2010.
SALES CENTRE
224 Preston St. (one block north of Gladstone Avenue)
Hours: Weekends and holidays, noon to 5 p.m.; Monday to Wednesday, noon to 7 p.m.; closed Thursday and Friday.
Cost: $236,926 to $439,926, with condo fees ranging from $193.71 to $367.62.
Bonus: Floor plans can be customized before construction begins.
For more info: 613-234-3322 or visit
www.Z6urbanlofts.com
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