April 2015
High-rise living began with apartment rentals. Today, high-rise condominiums are an attractive alternative to houses as a form of home ownership.
As high-rise living in condos evolves, the condo community may evolve to become a micro community where one can live, work and play. The beginnings of this evolution are occurring as condo buildings increasingly are multi-use facilities.
Many condo buildings have diversified and now incorporate small scale retail such as restaurants and convenience stores.
Hullmark Corporate Centre combines residential and commercial condominiums with a Whole Foods supermarket, Rexall Drugs, Royal Bank, restaurants and other retail.
Gibson Square, recently opened, will include an Aroma Espresso café. Emerald Park condos, when complete, will include a Metro supermarket.
A proposed apartment building in Regent Park is to include a daycare facility and retirement units. A new 94-bed Red Door Family Shelter will be housed in a proposed Leslieville seven-storey boutique condominium project.
Private exercise clubs locating in condo buildings are seen as increasingly desirable.
