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Nestled in the nexus of Westboro and Wellington St. West, 1451 Wellington sits at a location in the heart of Ottawa’s historic district.

Already designated a landmark building by the city’s Urban Development Review Panel, “the street was also part of the royal route where the Queen would travel to Parliament,” explains Jonny Cracower, vice-president of development at Mizrahi. “So the architecture was heavily inspired by the buildings which surround it including the National Archive and the National Gallery of Canada.”

The boutique condo was designed by the architectural team of Harry Burstyn, associate director of Page + Steele Architects, which has combined forces with the IBI Group, and senior partner Sol Wassermuhl. Interior design is by Brian Gluckstein who is renowned for his articulation of spaces exuding a classic, understated elegance.

“The architecture is first and foremost designed to be unique — not just a box with window,” explains Cracower. “It’s part of the custom-build philosophy that Mizrahi brings.”

“This really is a tribute back to the city — especially in terms of its architectural style,” says Cracower. This includes a dramatic spire, reminiscent of castles or the heritage-styled Fairmont Chateau Laurier, which will be featured as the living room space in the junior penthouse suites. “The spire is really the jewel of the building, creating this incredible circular room on the interior,” he notes. “It’s very rare to see this in a modern building.”

While initially the 12-storey condo was to feature 93 units, the size has diminished as buyers have opted to buy two units in order to create one extra-large condo. “By the end of construction, there will likely be around 80 or so units as more people have opted to combine suites,” explains Cracower. “It’s like a custom home in the sky.” Junior and full-scale penthouses both feature large walk-out terraces, though smaller units feature balconies.

For the larger penthouses, Mizrahi offers two-storey units on the 11th and 12th floors, though they did an interesting inversion in the design. “We flipped it so that the kitchen and dining areas are on the 12th floor, closer to the private rooftop for outdoor access,” says Cracower.

“This way your guests don’t have to travel through your personal living quarters that are located on the 11th floor — these include the bedrooms and private areas.”

There’s also a designated elevator that goes from the 11th to 12th floor that is exclusive to the penthouse units. This is separate from the building’s elevator that carries residents to their designated floors. “We wanted to make the private outdoor rooftop as accessible as possible,” says Cracower. “If you live in Ottawa, you know the winters are long — so people really want to make the most out of their summers.”

Other units come in one-,two-, three-bedroom plans, as Cracower states Mizrahi wanted to create a point to the building for young professionals. This includes the one-bedroom which is 578 sq. ft. for $704,000 — though combined suites can go into the multi-million dollar range.

The lobby design echoes the style of Mizrahi’s sister, Toronto-based building 133 Hazelton in Yorkville. Here, inlay marble floors and curved walls lead to a library and mail room as well as the 24/7 concierge and valet parking services.

Other amenity spaces include an overnight guest suite, an aquatic facility with salt water lap pool, infrared sauna, indoor pet-washing station and fitness centre featuring Techogym equipment.

There’s also a dining room with a kitchen attached and large-scale lounge that can be booked for private functions.

The rooftop is reserved exclusively for the private penthouse owners though a communal balcony extends off the lounge area that provides BBQS and other socializing areas.

One notable luxurious detail is the heated parking garage with car-washing facilities. The parking stalls are also outfitted with electrical hook-ups and are fully enclosed. A private drywalled storage room comes with a keyed entry and optional power supply.

The suites themselves include heated floor in the master suites, extra-high ceilings throughout and high-grade windows as well as stone countertops, designer fixtures and European appliances.

“What we’ve really noticed is that a lot of the people who are purchasing are end-users,” says Cracower. “There is a community feeling to this neighbourhood — and people are drawn to the building as a place they want to live in and raise their families.”