 DAVID BALL (24HRS) One Vancouver developer is boasting that it’s “redefining downtown living.”
Porte Development says its Framework condos in the heart of Chinatown are a shining example of that philosophy. Framework's 61 units — prices range from mid-$200,000 studios up to mid-$400,000 two-bedroom suites — are carefully designed to offer highly efficient, compact layouts that are surprisingly spacious at 231 East Pender St. “There's a lot of buzz around the Pender Street area now, it's a pretty exciting place to be,” says Jeanette Chaput, Porte's director of marketing and sales. “The spaces are super-efficient, you get really big rooms, and there's tons of storage space around the home.” In addition to bike lockers on each floor, Framework offers full-size appliances in place of the usual studio-size versions. With a lot of young homeowners moving to the cheaper suburbs, Porte is bucking that trend by taking advantage of a part of town that's still affordable. For the under-30 crowd, especially, living close to the action downtown is a bonus, but too often out of their financial reach. “It's a bit of a mix, but a lot of people who live and work downtown already, who want to live and bike to work,” Chaput says, “but they want something a bit edgier and not cookie-cutter.” Despite building homes for nearly five decades, Framework is only Porte's second project in Chinatown — the first was Ginger — a sign of the monumental changes that have shaped the neighbourhood in the last few years. For the month of June, Porte is offering a promotion for buyers: you can save the GST (“It's a pretty huge savings,” Chaput quips) — and they'll throw in a free movable island for the kitchen. To learn more about Framework, visit Porte's presentation centre at 626 Main St. (Open noon to 5 p.m. daily except Friday), phone 604-620-6223, or visit their website at porte.ca/framework. |