Two St. Thomas
Introduction
Nestled in the heart of the chic district of Yorkville in Toronto, Two St. Thomas is luxury living at its best. Replete with a 24/7 concierge, fitness center, pet spa, rooftop terrace, gourmet kitchens and smart lockers from Parcel Pending by Quadient, the property offers a first-class rental experience.
Two St. Thomas was developed in 2017 by BentallGreenOak and KingSett Capital. Their executive teams recognized that installing a smart locker solution would solve their package management issues while also helping residents. They also discovered that having a convenient, always accessible package management amenity has proven to be a competitive advantage, one that attracts quality prospects.
| “Without smart lockers, we would have to hire one full-time person just to handle packages.” |
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| Steven Gross, Vice President, Multi-Residential, KingSett Capital |
Smart Lockers as the Secret to Managing Package Overload
Although installed four years ago as part of the original construction and design plans, smart lockers evolved into a critical component in maintaining a seamless resident experience during the pandemic. While the property used to receive an average of 886 packages per month, parcel load skyrocketed last year to an unprecedented 1,827 packages per month – a 106% increase!
As Steven Gross, Vice President, Multi-Residential at KingSett Capital, explains: “Without smart lockers, we would have to hire one full-time person just to handle packages.”
Delivering Today’s Essentials 24/7
As Canada wrestled with COVID, deliveries brought food, prescriptions and other essentials. After all, online shopping became its own form of entertainment…and a lasting habit. The flexibility of having both standard and refrigerated lockers at the 250-unit building allowed for safe storage of groceries, prescriptions and other items.
Smart Lockers as a Competitive Leasing Advantage
Since Two St. Thomas was one of the first rental properties with smart lockers in Canada, their leasing consultants have highlighted the lockers on every sales tour. Prospective renters delighted in knowing that their packages were accessible on their schedule with no waiting required. “Lockers are a must-have leasing tool; we highlight them in all marketing materials,” states Chrystal LeBlanc, Director, Residential Strategic Marketing at BentallGreenOak.
| “Lockers are a must-have leasing tool; we highlight them in all marketing materials.” |
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| Chrystal LeBlanc, Director, Residential Strategic Marketing, BentallGreenOak |
The App to the Rescue!
Shannon Tullio, Regional Property Manager, notes how Parcel Pending’s accompanying mobile app helps keep residents happy, informed, and in control. They can get instant delivery notifications and turn them off during work hours. She also appreciates how the app allows tenants to quickly open the locker with the touch of a button or a scan of the barcode. “95% of our residents use the lockers,” she explains.
Using Smart Lockers for More than Just Parcels
| “Many of our amenities are closed, but thankfully [the lockers have] remained open during the pandemic. It was so great to have a service our residents really valued and could use during such a critical time.” |
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| Shannon Tullio, Director, Residential Strategic Marketing, BentallGreenOak |
With lockers being one of the few amenities available to renters during the pandemic, the community leveraged their ability to safely and securely deliver more than just packages. Gifts from residents to residents, tokens of appreciation, lease documents and official notices were all able to be safely and conveniently sent, stored and received using lockers.
In essence, Two St. Thomas found Parcel Pending’s lockers a key component in not only managing the barrage of packages but in creating a better experience for its residents.