What is a Live/Work Loft?

Glube's live/work lofts allow professionals, entrepreneurs, artists and others to live in a space that is well suited to serve both home and work needs.

Although the concept harkens back to the days when the corner store grocer's family lived in rooms above their store, the design now owes more to the artists’ loft that has become popular over the last few decades in renovated commercial buildings found in resurrected downtowns.

The live/work concept at Glubes Lofts is unique to the Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM). In most areas of the HRM, zoning laws will allow residential use in commercial zoned areas but then will restrict or forbid the inclusion of commercial activities in that residential building.

This is not the case with Glubes Lofts because of their location at the southern end of Gottingen Street. Gottingen Street is included in the Peninsula North Area 8 planning district with a unique zoning that allows residential developments using commercial rules.

In this area your live/work space can have signage, can include employees and can be advertised. Retail use is allowed. Furthermore, if you are an architect, engineer, graphic designer, accountant, jeweller, visual artist, dress maker, lawyer, registered massage therapist or yoga teacher or virtually any other small business, Glubes Lofts offers a space that can incorporate both your work and living space requirements.

The loft life and its benefits

For many people, living in the city has an irresistible appeal. They may not want to live amongst the hustle and bustle for their entire lives, but they at least want to experience it for a while. The idea of living in a loft in an urban setting has been romanticized in books and movies, but many people who live in lofts will tell you the same thing: that notion is not far removed from reality.

The bottom line is that loft life is a fun one. At the same time, it simply makes sense for many people. They can be close to work, restaurants, galleries and shops. They do not have to spend much time on home maintenance. Owning a vehicle may be optional. And most people find they have plenty of space. In short living, in a loft is as practical as it is efficient.

Many people think of Europe when they think of lofts, but the truth is they can be found in nearly any urbanized area. So what exactly is a loft? You probably would be surprised by the variety of definitions people have for what constitutes a loft. As far as most people are concerned, the exterior walls of lofts are constructed of either brick or concrete; the ceilings are at least 10 feet high (though many lofts have ceilings much higher than that); and there are large windows that let in plenty of light. (That last characteristic is why lofts have been especially popular with artists over the years).

You can further classify lofts into two categories:  true or “hard” lofts and “soft” lofts. True lofts are those in buildings that once served an industrial purpose and that have been converted for residential living. If you move into one of these and read about the history of the building, you may have a great story to tell your friends. Soft lofts on the other hand are built to resemble true lofts, but the buildings in which they are located are built specifically for residential purposes.

Lofts are great for people who like living in an open space, but you can find lofts that have bedrooms or closets for example that are sectioned off from the rest of the unit and allow privacy. For many people though one of the primary draws of the loft life is feeling that it makes things simpler. While you can find most of the amenities of a single-family home in a loft, there is no lawn to mow and no sidewalk or driveway to shovel. There is no need to worry about maintenance that needs to be done on the outside, and leaving on vacation is as simple as packing your things and locking the door behind you.

For many Canadians, moving to an urban apartment is about tapping into the excitement and cultural opportunities of a big city and can also mean a shorter commute to work.  Glubes Lofts are an example of a true authentic hard loft conversion of an existing building. See the history section for the Glubes Loft story.