Whir. Click-Clack. Plink. Plink. Plink. Honk! Honk! These are some of the sounds residents of 89 Avenue won’t be hearing when the bespoke Yorkville building opens its doors in a few years’ time.
That’s because noise mitigation is just as important as every finish and carefully chosen luxury brand going into the residence to deliver a “lifestyle of quiet sophistication” – part of what the developer calls the Armour Heights difference.
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“We’ll pursue that perfection and we insist on excellence,” said Armour Heights Developments president Frank Mazzotta. “The quieter you get a home, the more insulating factors you have in the walls, the less vibrations (and other noises) will sound.”
Sound measures planned for the exclusive condominium include insulated interior walls with a sound transmission class (STC) rating of 57, high-performance soundproofing membranes that cover concrete floors like a blueskin, noise attenuation flooring assemblies that offer a minimum impact insulation class (IIC) rating of 60, and integrated window systems with an STC rating of 30 compared to the standard 18-20 rating. You won’t find noisy plastic pipes either because the developer is going back to cast iron for sanitary and storm systems.
“You’re not going to hear someone flushing their toilet upstairs,” said Mazzotta. “These are clients that are very set in their ways and really want to have things that are above normal.”
When you enter one of the opulent suites, the world class features and finishes will take your breath away, but it’s the systems you don’t see that will truly deliver a luxurious and gracious custom home experience, he added. “It’s going to outshine, let me tell you,” he said.
At 89 Avenue, Armour Heights is looking to incorporate variable refrigerant flow (VRF) technology developed by Daikin Industries for heating and cooling. Residents will have their own individual rooftop units so that any malfunction affects their suite only. Humidification will also be included to prevent wood finishes from warping or cracking, and automatic water detection sensors will be strategically placed to shut down valves as soon as a small leak is detected.
In addition to smart lighting controls and power window shades, residents will have an exclusive ‘cyber suite’ app that integrates their smartphone with alarm, entry and elevator systems, connects with concierge, valet and security services, operates home sound and theatre systems, and shows nearby restaurant, spa, salon and other local services. Reflecting the new normal of a post-pandemic world, the filters in the air purification system are expected to have a minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) rating of 20, the highest efficiency possible.
Earlier this year, Lifetime Developments partnered with Clear Inc. to integrate both air and water systems throughout its future developments, starting with Oscar Residences in the Annex. The smart air purification technology offers four levels of purification to remove particulate, microbiological chemical contaminants and odours, and the water system is designed to kill 99.99 per cent of viruses and bacteria.
At a recent gathering of purchasers interested in Lanterra Developments’ Glenhill Condominiums, expected to be ready for occupancy in 2024, chairman Mark Mandelbaum remarked that people were as “intensely interested” in learning about technology as they were about finishes. Systems, he said, are now just as high on the features list, with discerning owners expecting highly rated air purification, water circulation to provide instant hot water, and individual heating and cooling units with smaller conduits that don’t interfere with coffered ceilings.
Sound mitigation is high on the list, making noise attenuation systems standard for both flooring and windows, and at the extreme high-end of the market owners might even request double layers of drywall, though it’s rare.
At 50 Scollard, now under construction, Lanterra is providing discreet, private access elevators controlled by a smartphone. “It’s a system where it comes to you exclusively and takes you directly up to your suite,” said Mandelbaum.
