Pieds-Ã -Terre: Little Homes in Places You Like to Visit
As told to Bethany Lyttle (New York Times)
Published: February 18, 2005
WHO Karl Manheim, 57, a professor at Loyola
WHAT 2-bedroom condominium
WHERE Vancouver, British Columbia
Last August, my sister, my nephew and I went sailing in the San Juan Islands with my cousin Larry and his family. They’d never been up to Vancouver before but visited toward the end of the trip. They fell in love with the city. So, when they heard I’d been considering buying a place here with my father and sister, they wanted in. This purchase has been a family venture.
The condo is in a high-rise with a great view of the city and False Creek to the south and a view of the mountains to the north. When I’m here, I still do a lot of things tourists would do. I walk around Yaletown, go to Chinatown or stroll along the seawall at Stanley Park. Oh, and eat. The restaurants here are great. In fact, I had my first dim sum here. But that was in 1976 on a trip across Canada on a motorcycle.
Vancouver is one of the greatest cities in the world. It has the critical mass to provide the cultural diversity that makes any city great, but it’s more manageable than most American cities. In addition, there’s something very attractive about its infrastructure. Take the library, for instance. It has a cafe inside. You see things like that here, and you get the sense that everything is just a little more civilized. Combine that with the facts that it’s probably a wise investment given the state of the United States economy, that it’s easy to get here from any major U.S. city, including Los Angeles, where I live, and it’s hard to imagine a reason for not buying here. The only thing it really lacks is a Trader Joe’s.
As told to Bethany Lyttle
WHERE Vancouver, British Columbia
WHAT 1-bedroom condominium
HOW MUCH $242,000
This new 669-square-foot loft-style condominium is in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood within minutes of the Granville Island Public Market, the South Granville shopping area and downtown. It has mountain and skyline views, high ceilings, brick walls, Douglas fir wood floors, a small room suitable for an office, a soaker tub in the one bathroom, a fireplace and granite counters. Folding doors separate the living and sleeping areas. Agent: Anne LeBlanc, Royal LePage Northshore, (604) 787-6080; www.anneleblanc.com.
WHERE San Francisco
WHAT 1-bedroom condominium
HOW MUCH $649,000
This 722-square-foot unit is in a year-old 112-unit building in the South Beach area, a block from SBC Park, home of the San Francisco Giants. It has maple floors, high ceilings, granite counters, one bathroom, parking, a washer, a dryer and floor-to-ceiling windows with views of a Zen garden. An alcove can be used as an office. Agent: Masti M. Pahlbod, Prudential California Realty, (415) 264-1296; www.prurealty.com.
WHERE Miami Beach
WHAT 1-bedroom condominium
HOW MUCH $715,000
This two-level condominium is south of Fifth Street in South Beach and within easy walking distance of shopping and restaurants. It is 1,310 square feet and is on the first floor of the four-acre Murano Grande complex, which has 325 units, 700 feet of bay frontage, an exercise center, a swimming pool, a sauna and beach access. The unit has a private entrance, hardwood floors, granite counters, a harbor view, one bathroom and a walk-in closet. Agent: Paul Hansen, Turnberry International Realty, (305) 935-0300; www.hansenhomesaventura.com.
WHERE New Orleans
WHAT 1-bedroom condominium
HOW MUCH $195,000
This 575-square-foot French Quarter condominium is on the third floor of a 19th-century building on Royal Street at Governor Nicholls Street, a five-block walk from Jackson Square and an easy walk to shops and restaurants. The condo has hardwood floors, a spiral staircase to the loft-style bedroom, exposed beams, one bathroom and a nonworking fireplace. The building has eight units and a landscaped courtyard with a swimming pool. Parking is not provided. Agent: Michael Wilkinson, French Quarter Realty, (504) 949-5400; www.fqr.com.
WHERE Boston
WHAT 1-bedroom condominium
HOW MUCH $499,000
This 879-square-foot condominium has views of the Charles River and the city. It is on the 38th floor in a concierge complex designed by I. M. Pei. It is on the Boston Harbor Walk next to Rowes Wharf. The complex has an outdoor pool and 624 units. Downtown Boston, Faneuil Hall, the North End and the Financial District are within minutes on foot. A pocket door between the living and sleeping areas opens to enhance the view. There is one bathroom. Agent: Carmela Laurella, Otis & Ahearn Real Estate, (617) 227-6070; www.otisahearn.com.
WHERE Seattle
WHAT 1-bedroom condominium
HOW MUCH $595,000
This 1,088-square-foot condominium is in the heart of Seattle overlooking Elliott Bay. The Seattle Art Museum, galleries, restaurants and shops are within walking distance, as is the Pike Place Market. It has 12-foot ceilings, a parking space, a terrace garden, a wood-burning fireplace, one bathroom, a walk-in closet and hardwood floors. It has views of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains. The building is 23 years old and has 82 units. Agent: Jeannie Butler, Windermere Real Estate/Wall Street, (206) 399-4594; www.windermere.com.
Information was provided by the listing companies.