Condo Living

September 9, 2024 Published by Toronto and Area Chapter - By Kathryn Gaysinsky

Let’s Plan a Party!

From the Summer 2024 issue of CCI Toronto Condovoice Magazine.

A Guide to optimizing shared facilities in condo communities

In the world of condominium living, shared facilities such as party rooms, billiards areas, gyms, pools, and more play a pivotal role in community life. Having spent years reimagining these communal spaces to meet the evolving needs of the community, we have arrived at the following pointers which may be of help when thinking through the framework of preparing to tackle renovations of these spaces.

Understanding the challenges that shared facilities come in all shapes and sizes, the one similar element is that they typically do not yield high returns on investment despite being cost-intensive on a per-square-foot basis. This paradox makes their design a complex, albeit critical, undertaking. While lobby and corridor renovations can immediately enhance a condominium’s appeal and market value, amenities like gyms, pools, and party rooms require a more nuanced approach due to their intensive maintenance needs and typically lower exposure and usage rates. They often require significant upkeep, must meet rigorous health and safety standards, and need to accommodate diverse activities without a direct return on investment. A few examples of the challenges that Cor- Let’s Plan a Party! Shared Facilities A Guide to optimizing shared facilities in condo communities Kathryn Gaysinsky, Principal, De Style Design Inc porations experience with these spaces would involve: replacement or introduction of mechanical systems at pool areas such as dehumidification equipment; rework of the pool basin (structural and /or finish), corroded wall studs behind cement board in change rooms as well as relocating drains in the wet location spaces, upgrade finishes that wore poorly and have not been properly planned for longevity by the developer.

Correcting these existing conditions, will often set you back hundreds of thousands of dollars – even before getting to the cosmetic refresh and updates. Working on these areas also requires specialized expertise – therefore, make sure you engage an engineering firm, a qualified interior designer and general contractor to undertake these projects, as they are not purely aesthetic in nature.

Party rooms are changing in today’s world of condominium living and entertainment, there is a clear shift to open concept party rooms that offer flexibility of use and utilization of space. We often-times shuffle around layout of existing party room to create a space that can accommodate a townhall meeting, or an event, as well as maximize on opportunity to use the space for a quieter get together, game of cards or a committee event. Furthermore, we are stepping away from closed kitchens in party rooms serving as a back of house cooking space – towards more of a catering and bar-like server station as well as buffet style food display. The bar is set out as an open island, and there are predominantly warming drawers and integrated fridges as opposed to cooking appliances in the traditional kitchen space. Overall, party rooms are the third most important item on our list of interior refurbishments for impact – right after typical corridors and main lobby areas. Party rooms – if done right, may add some residual income as well as elevate the experience of the community within the building.

Adapting to Changing Needs

The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the necessity to adapt shared spaces to current needs. For example, larger gym areas and quiet spaces for remote work or virtual meetings have become crucial. Our approach involves conducting surveys to grasp how these spaces are used at present and identifying opportunities for minor tweaks that will satisfy most regular users of the space – before undertaking significant renovations that may not be appreciated by the community. This will also give the vocal residents the opportunity to express themselves and feel involved in the decision-making process.

Navigating Legal & Practical Constraints

It is vital to approach the redesign of shared facilities with caution, respecting the original designated uses established by developers to avoid having to go through an intensive community approval process. Our recommendations to condominium boards typically include reaching out to their legal advisor to review what can or cannot be done as a minor update to common elements and to ensure that the original list of amenity spaces listed by the developer is still available to building residents at the end of the refurbishment.

We cannot also forgo the topic of accessibility and inclusive design. This is a hot topic of discussion in all commercial spaces we tackle, but it poses a challenge when we are considering reusing and renovating existing spaces, that may have been contracted according to dated building codes. Our general modus operandi is to ensure any interior construction that allows easy compliance with today’s codes (such as opening curbs in shower stalls, adjusting height and clearance for vanities, introducing automatic door openers, slip resistance of materials, grab bars and comfort height toilet seats) is implemented in our scope. However, most existing spaces cannot be truly barrier free for today’s standards without moving concrete walls and carving out wider doorways, as well as changing materially the floor plate and access to such areas as squash courts, pools, change rooms. We typically advise the Board on the decision-making tree and applicable budgetary repercussions to help evaluate the need for every next tier of compliance.

Implementing Effective Changes

To effectively manage amenity space refurbishments, we advise:

• Issuing a community survey to pinpoint desired changes.
• Ensuring that existing structural, mechanical, and electrical systems are thoroughly evaluated and maintained to avoid future issues.
• Using funds judiciously to enhance spaces that benefit the entire community, thereby maximizing impact and value.
• Keeping modifications simple and cost-effective, prioritizing areas like party rooms and that yield higher utilization and returns.

Conclusion

By strategically planning and implementing updates to shared facilities, condominium communities can enhance their livability and appeal while ensuring that these spaces remain functional and financially viable for years to come. With careful planning and community input, these common areas can be transformed to meet the changing needs of residents while adhering to budgetary and legal constraints, well known to many condominium corporations.

Kathryn Gaysinsky
Principal, De Style Design Inc