Elements of Mission

Built in 2004, these 70 condo apartment homes have one of the premier locations on the Elbow River.
A new pathway and decorative iron railing is all that separates Elements from the water and from Lindsay Park beyond. Twenty of the suites have either large east patios or balconies directly overlooking the river, and many suites on north and south faces have at least partial river views. The entire building, of course, enjoys the location adjacent to the Twenty First Avenue footbridge across to Lindsay Park. Go the other way (west) and you're one block from Fourth Street SW. 'Nice.

This building was Streetside Developments' (which also built the Grandview in Mission) second effort on the site. The first proposal was to be called La Crystalle, with larger floor areas and higher prices, but it didn't sell quickly. Smaller square footages, somewhat lower prices and more avant-garde styling appealed to a younger crowd, and the suites in Elements then went like hotcakes at a Stampede breakfast.

The construction is frame-with-overlay, four-storey with elevator service, atop a one-and-a-half-level parkade that houses 75 titled parking stalls, so everyone owns at least one, but only 16 titled storage lockers, so most suites have no out-of-suite storage, although most floor plans have good in-suite storage. Unit factors are in proportion to each suite's floor area, with parking stalls and lockers having a UF of just one each, so they pay condo fees of only pennies per month.

Suites are nicely finished with most having at least laminate flooring, and often true hardwood. All have in-suite laundry, of course, and gas outlets for barbecues, usually maple kitchen cabinetry, stainless-steel appliances, and arborite countertops. 'Very cute, even showy, but not super expensive. The hallways are multi-coloured and art-decorated, reflecting the brightly-coloured exterior; 'modern and almost jaunty. One-bedroom homes are most common, starting at 570 square feet, and the largest suite is 1,130 square feet. My kids would feel very at home here, and would walk to work downtown.

Exterior windows and doors at Elements are common property for maintenance and eventual replacement. I have on file all original marketing materials and suite floor plans, plus the Condo Plan.