Bruce Langereis, Vancouver Developer, Seeks Local Buyer For $18-Million Penthouse
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The show living room in the 48th-floor penthouse.
Fresh from a trip to Singapore, the president of Delta Land Group apologizes for being jet-lagged, then proceeds to energetically list off features about the 48-storey tower.
Residents can access any of the amenities from the adjoining five-star Hotel Georgia, including catering from Hawksworth restaurant, spa services, maid and room service, valet parking, and use of the saltwater lap pool. Langereis and his company restored the 88-year-old heritage property, which is managed by Rosewood Hotels.
The Private Residences tower, which connects to the hotel on the fourth floor, began pre-sales in 2007 and now has six units remaining on the market.But they’re no ordinary suites: five sub-penthouses that take up half a floor each, ranging from $7.7 million to $8.1 million — and a true penthouse that covers the entire top floor.
The 6,832 sq.-ft. home offers a glorious 360-degree view from several balconies. One corner of the penthouse is set up as a sumptuous dining/living room for now. The rest is an empty concrete shell, since someone who can afford the $18-million price tag will presumably want to custom-design pretty much everything.
"Selfishly, I’d like to see someone who’s really going to enjoy this and appreciate it and embrace what we’re offering,” said Langereis, stopping short of saying he would veto a potential buyer.
"I could never not do that but I’d be a lot tougher to negotiate with," he offered.
"Let me put it this way, if it’s someone’s who’s going to invite me back for a social up here, I’d probably do a better deal than someone who’s going to buy it and never invite me or invite anybody from the building. Or never be part of the hotel or part of the chemistry of the city."
The front entrance of the Private Residences at Hotel Georgia and the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia share the same front door.
Langereis has a "good for them" attitude.
"Bravo, you’re selling it," he said. "But think about that, if you bought there to live there, how are you going to feel if it’s so transient (when people flip their condo).
"It’s not our style. It’s not the way we do things."
Langereis, who flies his own helicopter to go solo camping at remote sites, is willing to be patient.
Looking out the floor-to-ceiling windows toward St. Paul’s Hospital where he was born, Langereis reflects on coming from a "poor family from Europe that immigrated here" and growing up in East Vancouver.
"I don’t want to just follow and do what’s easy, I want to do what’s right," he said.
"This building will be here long after I’m gone. And I don’t want anyone to point at the building with embarrassment.... I’d like them to say, ‘Oh my dad, or I know Bruce, and that’s a great building!’ That’s what I want."
Right now, Langereis wants a local buyer for that $18-million penthouse. And he's got a final pitch.
“One of the advantages to buying here is you get me as a neighbour.”
