Haven on the Bluffs (VHL Developments) - Real Estate -

Edward Skira

Edward Skira

http://skyrisecities.com
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From $159,800, including parking and locker. Twenty minutes from downtown in an area that's not at all desirable now but has significant upside potential IMO. What say the real estate professionals?
 
Just purchased (well through a proxy, since I work overseas) a unit here. A 2D1 (2bdrm 840 sq/Ft) on one of the upper levels, with a western view (so mostly city with some lake), for $310k. I think it's a steal, my agent agrees. The area looks a bit rough around the edges, but I went to highschool at RH King up the road, and several of my friends have lived in the immediate area around this site, one still does, he even work at the Irish Pub up the road, and it's just that it, it looks rough, but it's really not all that bad. For the moment that rough look is keeping the prices reasonable. And what lack of ammenities there are in the building are made up by walking a few hundred metres to the Variety Village training centre, or just a little further to the Birchmount Aquatic centre. And depending on traffic, you are max 25 mins from downtown if you drive. Also in regards to the FTTS, I asked them its Bell Fibe FTTH or Rogers Cable right in the suite (dunno why they created their own acronym).

Can't wait for this place to start construction.
 
Posted in the wrong spot, that's what I get for posting right before bedtime.

Just purchased (well through a proxy, since I work overseas) a unit here. A 2D1 (2bdrm 840 sq/Ft) on one of the upper levels, with a western view (so mostly city with some lake), for $310k. I think it's a steal, my agent agrees. The area looks a bit rough around the edges, but I went to highschool at RH King up the road, and several of my friends have lived in the immediate area around this site, one still does, he even work at the Irish Pub up the road, and it's just that it, it looks rough, but it's really not all that bad. For the moment that rough look is keeping the prices reasonable. And what lack of ammenities there are in the building are made up by walking a few hundred metres to the Variety Village training centre, or just a little further to the Birchmount Aquatic centre. And depending on traffic, you are max 25 mins from downtown if you drive. Also in regards to the FTTS, I asked them its Bell Fibe FTTH or Rogers Cable right in the suite (dunno why they created their own acronym).

Can't wait for this place to start construction.
 
Privateer said:
Posted in the wrong spot, that's what I get for posting right before bedtime.

Just purchased (well through a proxy, since I work overseas) a unit here. A 2D1 (2bdrm 840 sq/Ft) on one of the upper levels, with a western view (so mostly city with some lake), for $310k. I think it's a steal, my agent agrees. The area looks a bit rough around the edges, but I went to highschool at RH King up the road, and several of my friends have lived in the immediate area around this site, one still does, he even work at the Irish Pub up the road, and it's just that it, it looks rough, but it's really not all that bad. For the moment that rough look is keeping the prices reasonable. And what lack of ammenities there are in the building are made up by walking a few hundred metres to the Variety Village training centre, or just a little further to the Birchmount Aquatic centre. And depending on traffic, you are max 25 mins from downtown if you drive. Also in regards to the FTTS, I asked them its Bell Fibe FTTH or Rogers Cable right in the suite (dunno why they created their own acronym).

Can't wait for this place to start construction.
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The city forces condos to have a certain percentage of amenity space. The theory is they don't want the new residents to burden existing recreation infrastructure. My opinion? Another example of Toronto city planner's blindly adopting sh*tty zoning requirements thinking its for the public good. The amount of amenity space should really be market driven. I'll get off my soap box here.

I view the lack of amenities in this building as an advantage. Why? Condo maintenance fees will probably be a lot less here than at comparable properties, adding to the price advantage over time. Pools are the one that really get me because the insurance the condo association must carry is through the roof, in addition to the high maintenance and operating costs. Another line item that eats up a chunk of money is landscaping. It could be the largest budget line item in a towers in a park development, or zero for urban infill.
 
I just bought a unit here. Seems like it an area that maybe redeveloped in the coming years starting with this project :)
 
Convince them they should let you on the roof of the sales building to take some pics and they can sell out faster so you can move in :)
 
canazian said:
I just bought a unit here. Seems like it an area that maybe redeveloped in the coming years starting with this project :)
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Yes. This area was rezoned for residential and commercial a few years ago. It was previously mainly just commercial. Haven In the Bluffs is the first major condo development that came about from that rezoning.

Here is the City of Toronto page on it: http://www.toronto.ca/planning/kingstonroad_cliffsidecommunity.htm

And here is the final report: http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2009/sc/bgrd/backgroundfile-24625.pdf

In it you'll see the max height allowable is 11 storeys on the south side.

Also check out this thread: http://urbantoronto.ca/forum/showth...fs-(2229-Kingston-Rd-VHL-Developments-2x-11s)
 
bbq?

BTW, are propane tanks even allowed on condo patios in Ontario? I thought they needed to be natural gas. Plus I wouldn't be surprised if they decided to forego the patio BBQs even if they were natural gas, since this rooftop patio is a lot lower than many of the condos, which means smoke could get into the units.
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I asked the sales centre about the BBQ's and they "assume" that it will be natural gas.
 
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Eug said:
BTW, are propane tanks even allowed on condo patios in Ontario? I thought they needed to be natural gas. Plus I wouldn't be surprised if they decided to forego the patio BBQs even if they were natural gas, since this rooftop patio is a lot lower than many of the condos, which means smoke could get into the units.
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As far as I know, there is no by-law banning the use of barbecues on balconies. As such, condominium it is up to the condominium corporations through their declaration or rules to allow or ban barbecues on balconies. There are laws governing transportation of propane tanks through high-rise buildings. According to the Propane Storage and Handling Code, a propane cylinder can only be conveyed by an unoccupied freight or service elevator. Where such elevators are not available the propane cylinder is to be transported by passenger elevator with no other passengers than the person who is bringing the cylinder to their unit.

My understanding is that most condominium corporations simply manage the issue by forbidding gas barbeques on balconies which are not equipped with natural gas outlets.
 
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I have I bought unit here (obviously), and I think the sales people are slightly retarded. I have gotten several conflicting answers re: BBQ's. A woman in the sales centre told me BBQ's on you balcony or good to go, and she had no idea about the kind being used in the public area. I asked them the same questions via email, and they said balcony bbq's were verboten, and they first said the public ones were propane, then natural gas. Hopefully they are almost at their target sales number, on their website under the plans and prices it's showing a lot of the units are only available on the upper floors.
 
Privateer said:
I have I bought unit here (obviously), and I think the sales people are slightly retarded. I have gotten several conflicting answers re: BBQ's. A woman in the sales centre told me BBQ's on you balcony or good to go, and she had no idea about the kind being used in the public area. I asked them the same questions via email, and they said balcony bbq's were verboten, and they first said the public ones were propane, then natural gas. Hopefully they are almost at their target sales number, on their website under the plans and prices it's showing a lot of the units are only available on the upper floors.
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I believe that their target sales is at least at 80% before their financiers and committed to building this. I believe on the website the numbers you are looking at are in regards to which floor these units start at. I don't see anything showing what is sold and what is not.
 
canazian said:
I believe that their target sales is at least at 80% before their financiers and committed to building this. I believe on the website the numbers you are looking at are in regards to which floor these units start at. I don't see anything showing what is sold and what is not.
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The website isn't showing what is sold/unsold perse. When I bought my unit, all the units were being shown as starting on the bottom floors, now that it is showing as many only being available on the upper levels, it's rough indication of what they have sold so far. At least in my view.
 
AHK said:
As far as I know, there is no by-law banning the use of barbecues on balconies. As such, condominium it is up to the condominium corporations through their declaration or rules to allow or ban barbecues on balconies. There are laws governing transportation of propane tanks through high-rise buildings. According to the Propane Storage and Handling Code, a propane cylinder can only be conveyed by an unoccupied freight or service elevator. Where such elevators are not available the propane cylinder is to be transported by passenger elevator with no other passengers than the person who is bringing the cylinder to their unit.

My understanding is that most condominium corporations simply manage the issue by forbidding gas barbeques on balconies which are not equipped with natural gas outlets.
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OK thanks. That makes sense, and it also explains the mixed messages one gets about BBQs in condos.

For my last condo they had just said that propane wasn't allowed to be transported to balconies of the condo building, and didn't explain the rest. Luckily for me it wasn't an issue, because I was actually in a (stacked) townhouse with a rooftop patio (in the same complex), with nobody above me, and the townhouse patios had natural gas outlets.
 
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I think it all depends on the Property Management as well.

When I lived at X Condo on Jarvis and Bloor, I had an electric BBQ on my balcony (figured I`d take advantage of those balcony power outlets - what else are they for I figured) and was told to remove it. You`d think an electric BBQ would be ok, but I guess people complained about it and I had no choice but to remove it.
 
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