Elements of comfort and style displayed at Cressey?s Chelsea
Kathleen Freimond
The Vancouver Sun
Project: Chelsea
Project address: West 31st Avenue and Cambie Street
Project city: Vancouver
Developer: Cressey Development Group
Architect: IBI Group
Interior designer: Insight Design Group
Project size: 79 units
Bedrooms: Studio, 1-, 2-, 3-bedrooms, penthouses and townhomes
Unit size: 461 — 1,733 square feet
Prices: 2-bedrooms from $1,269,900; 2-bed-and-dens from $1,699,900; 3-beds from $1,749,900; townhomes from $2,050,900; penthouses from $2,149,900 (plus GST for all)
Construction: scheduled for completion 2021
Sales centre: 3130 Arbutus Street, Vancouver
Sales centre hours: by appointment only
Phone: 604-736-3898
Website: chelseabycressey.com
Chelsea, Cressey Development Group’s low-rise residential project at West 31st Avenue and Cambie Street in Vancouver, is part of the exciting transformation of the Cambie corridor that is seeing more multi-unit developments in the neighbourhood.
The city’s Cambie Corridor Plan is a long-term framework to guide change and growth in the neighbourhood and allow for higher-density development close to the area’s rapid transport services.
Chelsea comprises two six-storey buildings with 79 units (45 in the north building and 34 in the south building) in a range of sizes including studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom townhomes and penthouses.
True to Cressey’s philosophy of focusing on livability in all its developments, the team spent a lot of time working on furniture placements and the floor plans, says Jason Turcotte, the company’s vice-president of development.
“We always design with the homeowner in mind, so whether the person is in their thirties and buying for the location, is new to the market or moving out of a single-family home in the area, the range of homes all have a comfortable scale,” he says.
“Chelsea is immediately across from Queen Elizabeth Park and being toward the top of the rise as Cambie climbs the hill, it affords great views towards the city, ocean and mountains in the distance and the western-facing units have views across to the park,” Turcotte adds.
The presentation centre at 3130 Arbutus Street shows an example of a Chelsea home with two bathrooms, two bedroom and a den. Homebuyers can choose from two colour palettes created by Insight Design Group: the lighter Uptown scheme – used in the show suite – or Parkside, with its darker floors and finishes.
A distinctive wide-plank hardwood floor laid in a classic herringbone pattern makes an immediate impression.
“We see floors like this [herringbone design] in some old character homes, but in those instances, it is often a narrow plank in yellow oak. At Chelsea, we have used a wide plank in a brushed finish, a light oak for the Uptown palette and a darker oak for Parkside. It’s a nod to tradition, but done in a contemporary way,” says Linda Gallo, associate at Insight Design.
Gallo says the unusual floor adds value and creates visual interest.
“As soon as you enter the home, the space has character, before you even put in a stick of furniture.”
The major kitchen appliances are by Wolf and Sub-Zero. The refrigerator and freezer drawers are behind integrated panels, while the cooktop is installed flush with the counter with the knobs on the front face of the cabinet panel and not on cooktop itself, Gallo notes.
The cabinet doors in the kitchen have a raised panel detail with a fine edge that’s set back.
“We wanted to have detail in the cabinetry, rather than flat panel, but in a refined way,” Gallo explains.
A large pantry cupboard complements the other storage space in the kitchen, including the popular Magic Corner unit with its slide-out shelves, enabling access to the ‘blind’ corner cabinet.
While most kitchens feature polished countertops and backsplashes, at Chelsea the countertops will be a matte finish, ensuring the polished porcelain slab backsplash gets plenty of attention.
In the show suite (the Plan D1 floor plan) the eight-by-three-foot peninsula with a waterfall edge is an elegant design feature that provides a large working surface that also doubles as a place where the family can pull up a few kitchen stools for a quick meal.
Potential homebuyers can also see two of the available kitchen upgrades in the suite: a built-in Wolf coffee maker is a good fit above the wall oven, while a wine fridge conveniently opens on the dining room side of the peninsula.
In the ensuite bathroom, elongated hexagonal tiles on the floor of the shower extend up the wall in another modern interpretation of a traditional feature. The shower has a bench covered with the same stone as the bathroom counter, while a linear drain and rainshower head give the space a sophisticated ambience.
The vanity, with double sinks and polished chrome Kohler faucets, is raised on a black frame. This black accent, also used to frame the glass partition in the shower, is repeated in other places, such as the door between the second bedroom and den, to enhance the feeling of continuity between different spaces.
Turcotte says the premium finishes reflect the significance of Chelsea’s location.
“During the planning process, I visited the area and took walks in Queen Elizabeth Park. It was a reminder how amazing it is and how fortunate we are in Vancouver to have such a fantastic amenity in our city,” he says.
In addition to enjoying walks and summertime picnics in the 52-hectare park it’s also a popular vantage point to admire the views across the city and to the mountains on the North Shore. The park, named for Elizabeth, the Queen’s mother, is also home to the famous Bloedel Conservatory, the Dancing Waters fountain, the spectacular Quarry Garden and the Rose Garden planted in 1967 to commemorate Canada’s Centennial.
All units at Chelsea include a parking space and some buyers will have the opportunity to add a second parking stall, Turcotte says.
Amenities include a gym and a social area to host gatherings and an outdoor area for barbecues.
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