The first apartment I ever bought had no gym, no meetings rooms and no outdoor barbecue area.
It had a loveseat in the lobby and that was it when it came to amenities.
Flash-forward two decades and you find developers in Burnaby piling on the amenities as they compete with each other to lure in condo buyers.
Perhaps the most decadent can be found in what Concord Pacific announced recently in its plans for the next phase of its huge Brentwood development that will be called Oasis.
The centrepiece is a 120,000-square-foot outdoor beachfront and running track. This, together with 30,000 square feet of indoor amenities, is all part of the park front phase of the 26-acre major development located south of Lougheed Highway between Beta and Delta Avenues.
Inspired and modelled after beachfront resorts such as Hilton Village and lagoon on Waikiki Beach, this bright 2.75-acre wellness escape will include an upper level 400 m track/walking path and garden area above overlooking a lower-level lounging lagoon. The beach experience can be experienced and viewed from the development’s indoor pool. There will also be a bowling alley added to the leisure centre as well as a full gym.
Consider my mind blown.
Then there is also the Grosvenor project just down the street and next to Brentwood SkyTrain station. These plans are much further away, but the city is moving forward with consultations on what would be a pedestrian-only project that includes walking trails and a 100,000-square-foot community centre.
In the Metrotown area, Concord Pacific has gone all-in on amenities aimed at people who love to cycle. These include 50,000 square feet of space for a bike repair centre, showers for the post-bike cool down, an indoor cycling track, heated bike storage and lockers, and lounges to chill. One floor above will also have a 60,000-square-foot outdoor park with a running track, swimming pool and conservatory.
But does it have a loveseat in the lobby? Asking for a friend.
Follow Chris Campbell on Twitter @shinebox44.
