Ninety Eight Hundred

This 19-storey tower was built in 1982 and condo converted by a local family in 1990. Age restricted to those 18 years and older, the building for years housed mostly elderly folks, but more recently buyers represent a broader range of ages. There are 191 suites in the podium and the tower, which has terrific views except directly north, where the Pinnacle suites hotel and rental building stands even taller. The location is steps away from the Southland C-Train station and Southland Crossing mall with its Safeway, plus all the retail, dining and entertainment along MacLeod Trail.

The building has no basement, but two levels of fully-enclosed above-ground parking garage, fronted at grade by the lobby and three suites, then by five suites on the second level. The parking is all assigned common property, with enough for everyone to have an indoor stall--a great building feature. Full residential levels start on the third floor, which for three more floors has wings projecting north and south from the tower's floor plate. The zig-zagging hallways on these four floors are fun to find your way around! Subsequent floors house 10 suites each in the tower with the largest at the corners, offering spacious two-bedroom layouts with large wrap-around balconies.

One-bedroom suites here are large at 699 square feet or more. Two-bedroom homes range from a roomy 886 square feet to an even larger 942 square feet and just one topping out at 973 square feet. I find all floor plans here to be generous and there are storage lockers on every floor, too. Suite finishings run from original to fully modern and upgraded. I don't believe suites originally had in-suite laundry, but many have installed that since, although probably not with dryers vented to outside. In addition to the over-18 age restriction, the building has long had a policy of only allowing pets under 20 pounds. Off the lobby there's a social room where coffee is often on, a gym, and a sauna.

Owners and prospective buyers should note that by Condo Plan amendment in 2001 the corporation of owners made each suite owner individually responsible for maintenance and/or replacement of exterior windows and patio doors. I keep the Condo Plan on file.