Analyzing Amenities

This month, our special features will focus on condo amenities. We realize this doesn’t sound like the most exciting topic, but these communal areas in today’s soaring residential towers are the only form of escape from your home in the sky. The different types of amenities you have in your condo determines your social activities, as well as the health of your body and mind, and you pay for it all! The amenities in your condo will largely influence your monthly maintenance fees, so much so that they could affect affordability.

With that said, we will obviously be having a lot of fun this month, too, exploring the most creative amenities coming to the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), and showcasing some of the best amenity space designs in the city. As cities evolve, and Toronto is growing quickly, the demographics of the residents change, so floor plan designs change and of course there is a shift in the kinds of amenities being offered.

Yoga room rendering at East United

As Toronto started to become taller and taller, the units got smaller and smaller, and developers had to start considering what kinds of amenities young professionals wanted in a condo. That’s why we see so many pools, yoga studios, and fitness centres in today’s condo market. Over the next few years, the young people living in Toronto’s condos will be starting families, but many won’t want to leave the convenience of the downtown core, so we’ll see developers including amenities that are more family friendly. We’re already seeing it happen. Pet spas and daycares in condos may soon become the norm, and perhaps it won’t be long before condo podiums actually house entire schools!

Condo amenities can be a controversial topic because there are many buyers out there who actually don’t see the need for them and would rather not pay additional maintenance fees, but how do developers find the balance to please everyone? It’s actually a delicate subject that perhaps doesn’t receive enough attention.

If you have anything to share on the subject, please get in touch with us on Facebook or Twitter. We would love to hear your opinion on condo amenities in the GTA!