Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Video: Azure condos previewed at opening party

By Mike Orren , April Powell

DOWNTOWN DALLAS — We got an invitation to last week's opening party for the Azure Condominiums. (Warning: link plays unrequested music.) When that invitation suggested that the party would be the first opportunity for photography of the interiors, we decided to up the ante and haul out a video camera to shoot a bit of the festivities and of the interiors of these $500,000+ urban dwellings.

Now understand that we're only freshly graduated from iMedia's videography program and haven't had a bit of editing training yet. So cut us a little slack on the jerks and shakes -- You still get a pretty good idea of what goes on inside.

Harwood

Harwood's propaganda sheet on the Azure. Looks a bit better than our external videography, eh?

The party, thrown by project developer Harwood International, drew several hundred people, mostly media and other folks who could probably afford one of these luxury condos. There was lots of jostling of champagne and hors d' oeuvres as people crammed onto the elevators to visit demo units on the third and seventh floors.

We started our tour with the pool, which our hostess, Jessica Young of Forte PR, tells us is the largest residential building pool in Dallas. The pool is indeed large and fountain-y, with lots of sunbathing space. It adjoins the workout room, where you could catch folks in suits and heels (presumably a few cocktails in) trying out the equipment.

Harwood

Harwood had a little booklet showing all of the lifestyle and cultural amenities within 1,000 yards of its properties surrounding (and including) the Azure. Granted, the distribution is a little heavily weighted to the outskirts of the map -- but it is a compelling argument that you could avoid driving much of the week.

The first unit we hit was one of the smaller 700-square-footish ones. It was decked out with the tile and hardwood floors, marble counters and stainless steel appliances one would expect from a half-million dollar joint. Now we're the sort who'd much rather have a big yard and a private pool, so we're not the target market for a place like this where you're paying for location, views and amenities as opposed to running space. We ran into several friends who could actually afford one of these condos and they all seemed duly impressed.

The coolest feature of all the units is the gas fireplace built in on the balcony -- it's a real one that actually gives off heat, meaning it'll be of tremendous use for the two cold months of the year.

The larger units we saw were indeed spacious, but of course you have to pay for that square footage. Apparently there are lots of people who have done so, as we're told the building is 86% sold. According to Candy Evans on D's Dallas Dirt blog, one of those buyers is Terrell Owens. She's also got several posts with photos of the pool and lobby.

Got video of an opening event around town? We'd love to run it. And if you are planning something interesting and you ask nicely, we might even come shoot it ourselves.

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• Real Estate > Residential

Comments

Lisa Lawrence Merritt Verified

I was there and it was nice-n-all buuutttt...Sweetheart, it's all laminate.

You can talk location but it's so overpriced for what you get.

Truth.

9 months, 2 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Lisa Lawrence Merritt Verified

Peter:

I researched the Dallas condo scene for about 7 months before I bought in. I took a look at the both the Azure and W projects and eneded up buying within a half mile radius (6 blocks) of the W. I got a full choice of finish out (instead of just light or dark), gas cooking, much larger rooms, same building amenities, a killer view from the 23rd floor and all for 100K LESS!!!

A friend of mine and I were at the Azure opening and during a tour of one of the units overheard a salesperson tell someone that the "Italian crafted cabinets" were solid oak. I nearly spewed champagne through my nose because those cabinets are LAMINATE!!! (as well as the floors and doors...think Pergo) I have the exact same "Italian crafted cabinets" in my place so I should know.

As to the "Azure Lifestyle": No, you won't see me walking out of my unit in a pashima shawl and Dior boots giving my greasy European neighbor dual kisses to cheeks and asking "will I be seeing you in Cannes next week?"

;)

9 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )