Stella

Completed in 2006 by Vancouver's Qualex-Landmark Developments (aka Qualico), Stella is the first of three towers that will line the north side of 12th Avenue on this block. The next-to-go Nova Condos was completed in 2009 right next door to the east, and a few steps further east Luna started construction in March of 2010.

Stella is the shortest of the trio, rising to 20 floors, while Nova tops out at 27, and Luna will rise to 28 floors when complete late in 2012. While of similar finish, the buildings differ in that Stella features balconies set in from the corners while its successors have corner-located balconies for the corner suites. The three buildings will be connected by a two-storey podium of small townhouses fronting the entire block of 12th Avenue, allowing "live/work" occupancy, and third-floor gardens atop the podium between the towers.

Stella and Nova towers are a single condominium corporation while Luna will be governed by itself. Stella's entry is on Eleventh Street, giving access to 163 homes and a few commercial spaces in the tower and townhouses, plus 187 titled indoor parking spaces in the three-level below-grade parkade.

Stella's Condo Plan assigns equal unit factors to all the building's suites, regardless of sizes, which range from one-bedroom homes of 593 square feet to two-bedroom suites of under 800 to over 1,000 square feet., plus penthouses of 2,209 square feet. The bylaws, however, specify that condo fees will not be based on the unit factors, so monthly contributions correspond to the size of the suites. Space is saved in some of the two-bedroom homes by having only one bathroom with a so-called cheater door from the master bedroom as well as having a door from the living area.

There are large common-property areas on the main and second floors of the tower for the two-storey lobby, the gym, steam room, and social room. There is one small condo corporation-owned suite available for rent like an in-house hotel room. Floor-to-ceiling glass makes for dramatic views, especially from corner suites.

Exterior windows and doors at Stella and Nova are common property. I have the Condo Plan on file.