Green Lake: Save The Planet
The developers of the Florera condominium complex, on the northeast corner of the park, are doing their part to save the planet.
The project is aiming for LEED silver certification, according to the on-site sales agent, using sustainably built practices, plus it boasts of eco-friendly amenities including a cistern to collect rainwater and a P-Patch garden on the roof.
There’s not much to see of individual units yet since the building is still mostly framing, but you can request a hard-hat tour. That’ll at least tell you about the privacy, noise, and views of the homes you’re interested in. This one-bedroom, one-bath is on the east side, which is subject to I-5 noise. As for ameliorating sound from the two adjoining units, the agent was only somewhat sure that there’d be an air gap, so I’d confirm that.
What also was fuzzy at the time that I visited was the exact finishes that would be used. What was displayed were combinations of round ceramic, glass, and steel tiles; bamboo floors; terrazzo-type and Paperstone countertops; and vertical-grain laminate cabinets. Colors were very muted, in shades of grey, mauve, putty, taupe, beige, and brown. The agent indicated that these weren’t final choices. Unfortunately, they didn’t have mock-ups of the kitchens and baths, so you’ll have to use your imagination to visualize what will eventually be built.
A serious negative for this unit is that there isn’t an assigned parking space. Given the dearth of street parking in that area, all the park visitors who claim any inch of curb for their cars, and the forthcoming burst of apartments that are planned for the Albertson’s and Spuds, if you can’t find a slot in the common garage, you could be hoofing it some distance from driver’s door to front door.
Another thing to consider is that the unit has one of the smaller one-bedroom floor plans Florera offers, which works out to be a stiff $567 per square foot. It’s at the top of the per-foot numbers among available condos in this price range in the northwest corner.
For another report on the complex, you can read several posts at the Urban Living condo blog.
STATS:
MLS#: 27049033. Click for detailed listing.
Asking: $374,950
HOA dues: $375 per month
Address: 400 NE Ravenna Blvd. #403
Bedrooms: 1 Baths: 1
Living square footage: 661 (per developer)
Last sale price: new construction
