The goal at One Roxborough in Toronto’s Summerhill neighbourhood is to provide services that make the lives of its busy residents easier.NORTH DRIVE INVESTMENTS
Jet-setting luxury buyers want services that let them lock and leave their condos any time they wish
Those who market luxury condos in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) will tell you that buyers define luxury by the little touches that contribute to a frictionless lifestyle.
That doesn’t just mean an opulent lobby area, a fully equipped gym, plush common areas, high-tech elevators and expansive outdoor space. Those are all givens. The difference maker for a lot of luxury buyers boils down to such things as a separate entrance for Uber food orders, a seamless system for the drop-off and storage of Amazon deliveries, or maybe a car detailing service for the BMW or Mercedes.
“The must-have for luxury condo buyers is 24-hour concierge and valet parking, especially in this day and age where … security is so important,” says Nigel Denham, a sales representative and senior vice-president of sales at Denham Brown & Associates in Toronto. “No concierge, no deal.”
Homeowners in the luxury bracket tend to be jet setters. They travel to warm locales for long periods during the winter months, or head to Muskoka properties during the summer, so lock-it-and-leave-it services offered by luxury condos that afford the owner true peace of mind are key.
Technology is one thing and there has been a revolution in smart phone technology through which an owner can adjust the heating and cooling levels in their suites, adjust the lighting and unlock the front door all from the palm of their hand while sitting on a beach in Turks and Caicos. But homeowners at this level also want a concierge that has their back when they are away. They are buying a five-star hotel lifestyle and boutique experience when they move into a condo. A concierge can enter the suite and water the plants, take care of pets, oversee having the suite cleaned prior to the arrival of the homeowners, or book transportation to and from the airport. From dining reservations to personal shopping and home repairs, the list of services is almost endless.
“At One Roxborough, we’re focused on simplifying the lives of people who live here,” says Paul Johnston, who is heading up sales for North Drive Investment’s new 12-storey, mixed-use, boutique condominium project on Roxborough Street West right off Yonge Street in Toronto’s Summerhill neighbourhood. “We know they lead busy lives – travelling for work or pleasure, focusing on family and time outside the city.
“So, everything we’ve done is to be certain that time spent away from home is utterly stress free. I’ve experienced this shift myself, having moved from a single-family home to small building – and the peace of mind that goes along with knowing that everything is secure, that parcels aren’t piling up at the door, that there isn’t a basement that might spring a leak … that is truly a huge part of making condo living such a great choice. Less worry, that’s for sure.”
At 2Fifteen, a new, luxury purpose-built rental property in Toronto’s Forest Hill neighbourhood, a full-service, world-class concierge is a big reason why the project is 75 per cent sold out, says Bryan Levy, chief executive officer of DBS Developments, the company behind the project.
“[The concierge] gets to know the resident as little or as much as the resident wants,” he says.
Levy says he expects the entire project to sell out over the next few months. 2Fifteen is meant by the developer to get Toronto’s luxury rental projects to be seen in the same vein as those found in world centres such as New York, Paris and Los Angeles.
“The best part is you have a professionally managed building where you don’t have to deal with mortgage payments, condo corps, realty taxes. … You lock your door and you travel the world and you know our current concierge staff and the experienced managers on site will take care of your unit and make sure that when you come back nothing’s changed,” Levy says. 2Fifteen even has an online door access control technology called SALTO that gives the renter the assurance that the concierge actually did what they were asked to do because the renter can see who is accessing their suite.
“It’s an easy way of living. And it enables you to take those dollars that would have been tied up in a down payment on a condo; you can now invest in a savings account or travel the world or enjoy your retirement with that money as opposed to tying it up in equity in the condo.”
Advertising feature produced by Globe Content Studio. The Globe’s editorial department was not involved.