Jason Glynn and his wife, Joanna (nee Anagnostakos), have always viewed their 930-square-foot suite as the perfect marriage of style, function and convenience — even more so now
with a baby on the way.

Joanna, 30, is seven months pregnant with their first child, but both she and Jason, 31, feel comfortable with the arrangement that they have in their two-bedroom, two-bath, plus den unit. In fact, it couldn’t be better.

The couple loves to travel and it was the maintenance-free lifestyle that first attracted them to the condo in a southwest inner city complex. And, although having a baby might cut into their travel plans, they feel their needs are still addressed by staying right where they are.

“It’s on the main floor of the building which adds a lot of convenience for me,” Joanna tells Condo Living. “No stairs to negotiate for one thing, and the backdoor opens right out to the big courtyard, the ideal setting for warm afternoons just hanging out with the baby.”

“It’s like having a park as your backyard,” Jason adds. Some of their friends have actually used this beautifully manicured common space garden with a gazebo and pond as a backdrop for wedding pictures.

But beyond the idyllic setting is the nest itself. Gateway Garrison Green is an all concrete construction — including most walls between units — which is an excellent standard that gives residents extra peace of mind.

“The developers really did a good job with the building, they didn’t cut any corners,” says Jason, who is a certified condominium specialist with Discover Real Estate, and knows a terrific development when he sees one.

The floor plan is flexible enough to meet their needs, and the couple — who met while working seven years ago as part of the Cineplex management team — are hard at work turning the second bedroom into a nursery.

“We don’t know if it’s a boy or a girl (we want to be surprised), but we’re decorating the nursery in shades of brown with a teddy bear theme,” says Joanna, who has a background in interior decorating. She adds that the layout of the unit has the second bedroom just across from the master bedroom, which she says is quite ideal. “It makes it easy to check on the baby and still have some privacy.”

The couple actually lived in a single bedroom unit on the third floor of the building before moving to the bigger suite four years ago when they got married. “We really love the location, it’s inner city and just a short drive to downtown and everything we need is right in the neighbourhood,” Jason says.

“I’m an inner city girl myself,” adds Joanna, who grew up in nearby Killarney and still has family there. Jason is from Woodbine at the southwestern edge of the city and he says his new address is a much better fit for their lifestyle. “Who wants to spend more time on the road than they have to?”

The unit is handsomely furnished with stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, and tile flooring at the entrance, enhanced by the couple’s tasteful design touches (check out the funky post-modern paintings by German artist, Mique, in their living room and den). It presents a cozy affair that is as much a reflection of the easy-going nature of the loving couple themselves.

Having a baby is of course life-changing no matter who you are or where you live, but Jason and Joanna seem thrilled to face this challenge, and at least they know they are in the right place to enjoy the first few years as they become a family. “Maybe we’ll move in a couple of years as the child grows, but right now we love where we are,” Jason says.

One note to readers, however; it would be wise to check with your condo board if children are allowed in the complex beforehand as there are some condominiums with strict age requirements.