There are currently 19 homes in the original phase. 52 homes will be added once Grace II completes. That makes for 71 homes in the very unique and exclusive building by developer James Schouw. How special and how unique? How about Geothermal heating before it was “cool to be green”? How about Biometric security to enter the building or get up the elevator? How about Gargoyles at the gates and statues of women that look like they were taken off the bow of an oldtimer ship projecting beauty out into the sky?
Yes, there is a lot to take in when standing at the gates of Grace I. It looks inspired by Escher and unlike anything else we have in the city. The layouts are grand and gorgeous. The ceilings high and the interiors’ spacious. Every inch of every home I’ve been in there has a very high touch of old-world class. that includes the penthouse, currently for sale, which has an indoor pool just off the winding staircase. I’ve been in several condos skyhomes (seems more appropriate in this context) which ask much more from the future owner but deliver so much less.
Merrick Architecture are responsible for carrying out James Schouw’s dream.
Quirky sidenote: There’s a plaque at the entry to 499 Drake. If you are expecting to read some glamorous prose befitting such a masterpiece you’ll be disappointed. In addition the name Grace may have been taken from the name of the nightclub that inhabited the site before which was “Graceland”.
Apparently the site was also a parking lot and home to several of Jim Pattison’s Billboards.
Vancouver, BC 