As Toronto condos and their appliances get smaller and smaller, one developer is saving space by ditching an appliance altogether: the oven. In 162 units at 576 Front St. W. near Bathurst St., all suites under 480 square feet, there is no standalone oven. Instead, those apartments include convection microwaves, which combine the functions of microwaves and convection ovens.“As part of considering a diverse market and lifestyle preferences in our designs, this appliance was selected as a smart solution that offers space saving efficiencies and functionality within the living area,” said Agnieszka Wloch, vice-president of development at Minto Communities Toronto, in an email to the Star. She said the 528 larger units in the building, known as Minto Westside, have separate wall ovens and microwaves.Rental listings on realtor.ca for the ovenless units show kitchen areas with the convection microwave overtop of a two-burner stovetop and small sink, with dishwasher, fridge and freezer blending into the cabinetry. One ad for a small studio referencing a “gourmet kitchen” asks for $1,650 a month. Other studios ask up to $1,850, while an ad for a one-bedroom unit is posted at $2,100 a month.Lifestyle changes, specifically a decline in cooking and rise in popularity of food delivery apps, can at least partly explain the move to smaller and nonexistent appliances in condos, says Murtaza Haider, an associate professor at Ryerson University’s Ted Rogers School of Management and an expert in urban housing markets.“Society is moving toward an app-driven society where SkipTheDishes is the new norm and there’s no need to cook,” Haider said.Haider added that, as well as saving space, combining the microwave and oven could possibly “save the builder a few thousand dollars.” And he said these types of units could also be designed for investors interested in Airbnb-style options, “because the short-term rentals, inclu ...
|
