Solaire, a LaCaille (or La Caille) development

http://solaireliving.ca

Construction wrapped up in 2010 on Solaire Condos, LaCaille Group's next downtown project following on the heels of Chateau LaCaille, LaCaille Parke Place, and the two Five West Towers.  Solaire's location is not in the Eau Claire neighbourhood as defined by the MLS (neither are the Five West towers), but who knows where Eau Claire ends and downtown begins, right?

Solaire has 21 storeys with retail and office condominium spaces and storage lockers in the three podium levels, then 135 suites starting from the fourth floor.  Two floors are operated as the Bedouin Luxury Extended-Stay Suites.  The top floor is for mechanical functions, so suites go up to the twentieth level.  The building has green-tinted low-E glass with slightly rounded north and south faces, and the west face curves back as it rises; 'nice.  There are four floors of in-ground parking with the first level below grade allocated to the commercial spaces and perhaps 24 condo-visitor stalls on the second level.  Half of the main floor and the entire second floor is one commercial property that's not part of the condo corporation, either retained by the builder or for sale as a separate legal entity with a co-operation agreement with the condominium corporation.
 
There are a few one-bedroom suites of 620 square feet, but most are spacious one-bedroom homes of up to 832 square feet and the two-bedroom suites are mostly 1,142 square feet.  There are two extra-large penthouses, each offering 1,821 square feet inside plus two balconies.  Higher suites have terrific views of the Bow River Valley and others look towards downtown.  Suite finishings--like at earlier La Caille buildings--are high end, with central A/C, hardwood and tile flooring, natural-gas fireplaces, granite counters, name-brand appliances, de-calcified hot water, balcony natural-gas supplies and your-floor-only security. There's day-time front-desk service and residents will have use of a 1,300 square-foot in-house gym.

The development also houses a fire hall/EMS hall combination with the City having implemented traffic controls that allow emergency vehicles to be well away from the station and condo homes before sounding their sirens.  As part of this development the builder was also contracted by the City's housing subsidiary company to build at the same time an 88-suite affordable-housing building called Louise Station immediately next door to the east.  Exterior windows and doors at Solaire are common property for maintenance and eventual replacement at Solaire.  I keep on file the building's Condo Plan and the suite floor plans.