Some people want a home that is just a bit out of the ordinary.  Perhaps some place in a convenient location, but a bit hidden away.  Perhaps a beach house with a great view of a lake.  All of that comes together at The Beaches@Port.  Located in Port Dalhousie in St.Catharines and completed in 2019, this unique 16 unit, six-storey condominium faces Lake Ontario in one direction and the harbour and expansive beach in a different direction, yet on the entry side presents itself as a modest low-rise building.  From the lake, sailors and sports fishermen can see that the top of the building remains below the tree line, so, while providing a useful landmark to help define the sometimes-elusive entrance to the harbour, it does not disrupt the forest skyline that characterises this part of the Lake Ontario shoreline.  Multiple pitched roofs reflect the traditional cottages that have been central to the character of Port Dalhousie for well over a century.

Building on this one-of-a-kind site required Quartek’s architects and engineers to deal with several challenges.  To reduce overall height, The Beaches@Port was built of steel with precast hollow-core slabs.  To deal with the soil conditions next to the lake, micropiles and grade beams were used for the foundations.  Deep retaining walls were designed and constructed to deal with the slope of the bank.

The Beaches@Port is that unique project that offers many features to those who live in it, and will be a longer-term asset to the community.