Taking up the top two floors of the otherwise sold-out Maddox tower in downtown Vancouver is a spectacular, recently finished residence that has just come on the market for $7.8 million.
This two-storey, 3,493-square-foot “true” penthouse is the crowning jewel in Cressey’s development at 1351 Continental Street, just off Drake at the point where downtown meets Yaletown.
REW.ca was invited for a tour of the penthouse July 16, just ahead of Cressey's exclusive July 17 party at the suite for top-tier real estate agents.
REW was guided by Jason Turcotte, Cressey’s vice-president of development, who explains that only those with a security fob can access the private penthouse-level elevator corridor, which also has a recessed, lit, panelled wall ready for the new owners’ statement artwork. For extra security, the owners can use the biometric fingerprint security system to close a sliding glass door between the corridor and the suite.
Inside the suite proper is a double-height lobby with contemporary floating steel stairs and a trio of modern steel globe chandeliers. Underfoot are 24-by-24-inch white marble tiles that stretch through to the open-plan living and dining room. This great room enjoys the best of the 360-degrees of views, facing south and west and enjoying vistas over English Bay all the way to Vancouver Island. It also boasts gorgeous wooden side storage units and matching wood inlay in the ceiling with integrated lighting.
Walking clockwise round the unit, the flooring changes from white marble to grey-brown hardwood as you enter the kitchen area, the highlights of which are the 18-foot quartz entertainment bar and the custom-built, 150-bottle, variable-temperature wine storage. The state-of-the art kitchen units and Sub-Zero appliances are in a recessed section that can be separated off from the bar area with sliding frosted-glass doors – a feature sure to appeal to those who wish to keep cooking smells in their place.
Further round to the north-west corner of the unit is the family room, which leads out directly to the lower-level deck, the larger of two decks that total a staggering 2,400 square feet of outdoor living space boasting 360-degree city views. On this deck is one of two full-sized outdoor kitchens with huge gas range BBQ, a dining terrace and various lounging spots that are sheltered from the wind in strategic places by high glass walls.
Also on the lower level of the unit are three bedrooms (two with ensuites), a media room/den, a glass-walled corner office that would be the envy of any CEO, a family bathroom, another powder room and a small laundry. The master suite itself has a huge bedroom, a dressing room with an integrated safe, and a black-marble-clad ensuite with a tub in the window for spectacular city views, and a walk-in shower with a giant rainshower head.
Upstairs is the larger of two laundry rooms, another powder room and access to the upper, split-level deck where the smaller of the two outdoor kitchens can be found. Up some steps, at the very top of the building, is the piece-de-resistance: a lap pool with jetted resistance for swimming, and a large separate hot tub. “We know of very few penthouses that have private rooftop pools in Vancouver,” says Turcotte.
The entire penthouse is kitted out with the latest technology, including an integrated system than enables a mobile device to control the entertainment, lighting, window coverings and Nest thermostat, among other elements. And down in the parkade is a private five-car garage for the penthouse owners' exclusive use as well as extra storage space.
With its stunning finishings and myriad fine details, the Maddox penthouse manages pull off being opulent without being ostentatious, luxurious but also highly livable. At $7.8 million (plus nearly $16,000 annual property taxes and $1,415 monthly strata fees), there’s no doubt that it’s an expensive piece of real estate. But it is relatively sharply priced considering what else is on the market at that price point.
Luxury real estate agent Malcolm Hasman told REW.ca, “I’ve seen a lot of high-end properties in my time, but this is really luxurious.”
