Toronto Emerald Park Condos | 128.92m | 40s | Bazis | Rosario Varacalli

[WillTo]

"Prestigious" Emerald Park?
Direct access to subway is a lie.

 

[Uncle Meat]

The sign is now in place and there is nothing, short of the piece of plywood by the stairs, to suggest the entrance is still closed.

 

[m6kim23]

Lets burn that piece of wood

 

[Bill123]

Toranj is now open in the food court. They are doing kebabs.

Update: The Sushi & Teriyaki unit is actually going to come in. They are currently tiling.

 

[amnesiajune]

I was thinking LCBO got fed up or realized their mistake, have been looking for an "out", and might be interested in a space either at the newly renovated Sheppard Centre or the soon-to-be-vacant Solutions space at Empress Walk (expand their current tiny location, which is often bursting at the seams).

Both would likely be better locations. Not only for sales, but for relationships with landlords/developers.

I doubt LCBO would expand at Empress since the Loblaws there now sells beer & wine. I can see an expansion at RioCan but it seems like they've lately been pushing for rent subsidies from supermarkets, at least in the Toronto area. That seems to be what they did at Maple Leaf Gardens, Maple Leaf Square, Avenue/St. Clair and Yonge/Eg, to name a few.

The grocery stores are obviously willing to give them a below-market rent since it brings customers into their store, and the LCBO obviously likes the subsidy. That would be why the Emerald Park location made sense. At Empress Walk or the new Sheppard Centre, they would need to do it through the malls' management which makes the arrangement more complicated. Loblaws obviously isn't going to shell out the money for this when they're already selling beer & wine as a loss leader. Longo's might do it if the mall lets them, but there's only one suitable unit (around 950 sq. feet larger than their Emerald Park unit) in their site plan and it's not connected to the mall. It's a Sheppard-frontage unit on the bottom level of the mall, beside the Shoppers Drug Mart.

Here's a link to the site plan, by the way: http://riocan.com/docs/default-sour...y/yongesheppardcentre_torontoon.pdf?sfvrsn=16

 

[constructo]

TUNNEL UPDATE:

The city building inspector was there on Thurs. Dec. 29 with builder TMG and Bazis architect Roy V. to review progress to the deficiencies list. The "Fire Do Not Enter" sign was not installed yet (promised for this week) and project manager Jonathan Gold was going to do a preliminary test this week to insure the fire safety system system is working prior to setting up a final test with the building inspector and Toronto Fire Services. Jonathan's "hopeful" inspection date is Jan. 12 but he has not booked that date with the city yet. Will Jan. 12 be the last inspection followed by approval to open? Stay tuned.

 

[constructo]

The soap opera continues. Following testing of the building's fire safety systems on Thurs. January 5th 2017, Jonathan Gold said, "it was discovered that some devices were not operational. These devices have been re-ordered and will be re-installed next week Wed. January 11th 2017. Following this the system must be re-tested to confirm complete operation.
Anticipated final inspection date is therefore tentatively set for Thurs. January 19th 2017, subject to pre-testing."

There was an inspection done Fri. Dec. 16 where it was noted that “FIRE DO NOT ENTER SIGNS” were not working and
fire alarm audible signals were not working on the Emerald Park side. There has been more testing since then and just now they find that some devices are defective and must be replaced? End of 2016, we thought it might open in Oct., then Nov., Dec. for sure. Now it's a "maybe" for Jan. 19.
Ray may turn out to be right when he forecast a Feb. 2017 opening. At least he's got Tim's coffee and muffins to keep up his spirits.

 

[sunnyraytoronto]

Right about now,... to keep up my spirits, I'll need an entire LCBO store,.... oops.

Err,.... I'm already pushing my February 2017 opening prediction back!!!

Sorry, but no tunnel opening in your Xmas stocking. What I'm about to tell you may be shocking to some but fully expected by others knowing it's Bazis and their lack of on-time engineering and construction. Part of the problem may be Jonathan Gold, Bazis project manager who is looking more and more like the posterboy for the "Peter Principle" which states that a person rises in a company through promotion until they reach a level of incompetence.
Here's the results of the Fri. Dec. 16 site inspection. Jonathan was there as well as TTC and city staff.
An Occupancy permit to allow opening was not granted for the following reasons:

- “FIRE DO NOT ENTER SIGNS” were not working
- Fire alarm audible signals were not working on the Emerald Park side
- Exit signage not installed
- Mechanical issues for Measure “N” vestibule still outstanding
- 2 Hr. fire separation at Measure “N” vestibule not provided
- Required documentation has been submitted and is currently being reviewed
- A continuous handrail is required at the P1 level landing

The TTC and city have been fully co-operative with Bazis so Jonathan shouldn't be pointing fingers at them, and an outside fire safety system consultant has been doing the testing. Jonathan was told to rebook a final inspection when all deficiencies have been rectified which means that one day in 2017, you'll walk by the south end of Sheppard-Yonge and be amazed that the hoarding is gone. It's difficult for me and others who know building codes to understand how a company can miss installing basic items like exit signs, proper handrails and minimum fire separation. I doubt that the engineering consultants would have missed this on blueprints so it comes down to the work of the contracted companies and oversight by foremen and project managers.

In order to have "Peter Principle" apply, the candidate must have advancement based on past success until a position with level of incompetence is reached. While Jonathan Gold seems to have reached a level of incompetence, his past advancement is likely not due to past success but rather due to his "Gold"-en last name and his relations to Bazis' President Michael Gold and Bazis' Director of Sales and Marketing, Veronika Belovich; thus Jonathan Gold is the poster child for nepotism. While the current whipping boy, Jonathan Gold, has been Bazis' Project Manager for the last 2 years,.... Bazis long history of financial mismanagement, poor quality build, and inability to deliver on time precedes Jonathan Gold and is systematic of issues within Bazis itself - Bazis' lack of quality control, issues of cutting corners to save costs, issues of constantly screwing over their customers, clients, contractors, and City Staff, etc,...

Bazis' architect Roy Varacalli design architecturally uncommon towers like peeling flair top EmeraldPark dual towers (built with partner Metropia & Plaza), messily stacked white cubes of Exhibit (built with partner Metropia & Plaza), black towers with red amenity floors and pool in the sky for E-condo (built with partner Metropia & RioCan), aluminum twisting fin exterior of 1 Yorkville (built with partner Plaza), etc,.... but it seems in order to offset these higher engineering costs and dealing with Bazis' $30million lost on their 1 Bloor project, Bazis will cut corner on quality and take short cuts to minimize any costs.
Note: For every single project after CrystalBlu and massive financial loss on 1 Bloor, Bazis usually needs 2 other partners - that's a reflection of Bazis' inability to get financing on their own. Going forward, it looks like Bazis will be focusing on smaller townhouse projects after 1 Yorkville as Bazis doesn't seem to have any other major projects in their pipeline seeking CityPlanning approval. Which is a shame because Bazis architect Roy Varacalli is probably the most talented (local) architect actually stationed in Toronto now, as witness by EmeraldPark, Exhibit, e-condo (renderings) and 1 Yorkville (renderings),... but Bazis' execution has been horrendous, especially with regards to delays and quality.


Anyways,... a google search of "Jonathan Gold Bazis" returns this Linkedin - Note: TMG was Bazis' construction contractor for EmeraldPark.
https://ca.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-gold-7a1a03114

>Experience
>Project Manager
>Bazis International Incorporated
>October 2014 – Present (2 years 3 months)
>
>TMG Builders
>Site Assistant
>TMG Builders
>April 2012 – October 2014 (2 years 7 months)
>
>Site Assistant and site super
>Bazis International Incorporated
>March 2007 – April 2012 (5 years 2 months)
>Construction of 38 story hi-rise condominium with a 5-level parking garage.
>
>Education
>York University
>York University
>Master of Science (M.Sc.), Clinical Psychology, University
>2003 – 2008

Jonathan Gold completed a Master in Psychology at York University in 2008 - likely at around 23 years old which would make him around 31 years old now.

Adding to UncleMeat's post,...
http://urbantoronto.ca/forum/thread...-rosario-varacalli.4829/page-141#post-1172092

From a Globe&Mail article dated September 2009:
"Bazis came to Toronto in the early years of this decade. The Canadian company has three local partners - Michael Gold, who handles financing, his wife Veronika Belovich, director of sales and marketing, whose father owns the parent company in Kazakhstan, and architect Roy Varacalli, who is director of design and construction."
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/real...adas-tallest-condo-fell-apart/article4286570/

Bazis' President "Michael Gold, who handles financing",... how's that coming along?
https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2009/07/18/yongebloor_development_on_the_brink.html
Note: After Bazis 1 Bloor project failed, every major Bazis project going forward (EmeraldPark, Exhibit, E-Condo, 1 Yorkville) seems to require partners likely for financial reasons.

Here's a Fall 2007 image of Bazis' President Michael Gold and Veronika Belovich,... how old do they look back then?

http://www.andreakantelberg.com/pdf/media_articles/012_07Nov12_Condo Guide_1Bloor.pdf


Here's another image of Bazis' President Michael Gold and Veronika Belovich (Director of Sales and Marketing) from Spring 2011 at EmeraldPark ground-breaking ceremony taken by EdwardSkira,.... you can clearly see the family resemblance between Michael Gold and Jonathan Gold,...... judging from their age difference, I'll leave it as an exercise for you to figure out their relationship,.... but it's safe to say Bazis is quite literally a Mom&Pop boutique developer. The really sad part is,.... as Michael Gold gets older and older,.... guess who seems destined to be promoted until he's ultimately running the family business,... err, I mean Bazis,....
http://urbantoronto.ca/forum/thread...is-rosario-varacalli.4829/page-38#post-506130

"Michael Gold - President, Bazis"

Here's another intesting photo from the above post by EdwardSkira,....

"From left to right: Purchaser, Barbara Lawlor - President, Baker Real Estate, Roy Varacalli - Bazis/architect, Tony Moro - TMG Builders, Michael Gold - President, Bazis, Howard Sokolowski - Metropia, Scott McLellan - Plaza, Veronika Beovich - Bazis, Michael Maneguzzi - TMG Builders, John Cho - Century 21 New Concept."

The TMG, Metropia and PlazaCorp executives (mainly holding the shovel) look like season professional who have raised from the rank and files,.... whereas the Bazis executives look like puny accountants who have never even picked up a shovel before!


BTW, Have you seen the initial splash screen and AboutUs page at bazis.ca,.... oh, man, I haven't had such a big belly laugh in a long time!
Bazis.ca - Competence, Integrity, Vision, Responsibility

As I walk around NorthYorkCentre, I see all these high density towers with cornerstones or marble plaques with the developer's name chiseled into them - Tridel, Menkes, Minto, ShaneBaghai, RioCan, etc,... but nothing at EmeraldPark,... nothing with Bazis, Metropia or PlazaCorp on it,.... it's like they're trying to erase all evidence from the crime scene!

 

[Mint]

At this point, all I can say is: lol...

 

[sunnyraytoronto]

SRT my friend it really is getting old. Can you give me a Christmas present and allow me to read up on updates to this project without all the negativity until 2017?

Well, Christmas is now over,....

So, with all the screw ups, we should also look at TMG builders and their construction quality. The developer, as much as they are the owner, are likely not the ones who built the building. And I'm sure no developer in their right mind would knowingly skip on fire safety installations because it will always end up costing them more to retrofit for inspection. If anyone cut corners, it's likely the builder's subcontractors.

BTW, TMG Builders didn't do the wiring (fire safety installations),... it was OZZ Electric. Here's the list of Bazis partners, contractors and subcontractors for EmeraldPark,... basically the same for Bazis other projects. You'd think if there was issues with TMG Builders, the contractors and subcontractors, Bazis would change them out by now.

Poor quality build issues at EmeraldPark isn't just limited to one specific type of component that's trace-able back to one contractor alone,... it's widespread. Leaking foundation, wiring issues, plumbing issues, doors that doesn't close properly and gets smashed in the wind, 25% of public realm pedestrian sidewalk along Beecroft and Bogert have already been replaced due to quality issues, elevator issues, poor quality glass prone to cracking, etc,....


Let's focus on TMG Builders,... Bazis' builder of choice. TMG Builder is known in the industry for their innovative fast building methodology,... but we certainly didn't see that at EmeraldPark.

If the issue is with TMG Builder and their subcontractors, then we should see similar poor quality issues with TMG Builders' other completed projects,.... out of this list of TMG Builder's completed projects, none of them seem to have as much issues with build quality and delivery issues as the EmeraldPark project does:
EMERALD PARK
IVORY ON ADELAIDE
THE YORK HARBOUR CLUB
KING WEST condominiums in liberty village
THE TOWER at king west in liberty village
KING+CONDOS
ELECTRIC CITY phase one and two
THE ADDRESS at high park
SAN FRANCISCO by the bay
NXT at windermere by the lake
LAKEHOUSE BEACH RESIDENCES
http://www.tmgbuilders.ca/projects-archive

Here's TMG Builders' list of current projects,....
EXHIBIT
E CONDOS
FUSE
MUSEE
RISE CONDOMINIUMS
BEACH HILL RESIDENCES
1 YORKVILLE
109Oz
THE YORKDALE CONDOMINIUMS
50 at WELLESLEY STATION
GARRISON POINT
VIDA
THE MET
http://www.tmgbuilders.ca/projects

Hmmm,... guess which ones I'm willing to bet big money on that we'll see similar poor quality and delivery problems with,... yeap, that's right - Exhibit, E-Condo and 1 Yorkville,... gee, I wonder what they have in common? Oh, that's right, they have the same developer, Bazis.


Do you recall a comment I made in summer 2015 in a discussion with you as EmeraldPark construction was wrapping up,....

Tridel HullmarkCentre was able to deliver th‏eir South Tower on time in 2013. But HullmarkCentre north tower and podium was about a year late due to problems with their original design of the pedestrian tunnel connection from north tower to Sheppard-Yonge station - the redesign and city approval delayed the North Tower by a year.

But even with this delay, Tridel HullmarkCentre finished way ahead of EmeraldPark,... I live in the neighbourhood and walk by these construction sites almost everyday. The construction workers working on the Tridel HullmarkCentre project look like real army of construction workers. Those on the EmeraldPark site look more like general labourers,.... and disorganized,... even now when I pass by EmeraldPark, I often wonder,... huh? Isn't anyone working here?

http://urbantoronto.ca/forum/thread...-rosario-varacalli.4829/page-106#post-1032398

Throughout that post and many other since their marketing stage, I've consistently compared Bazis EmeraldPark and Tridel HullmarkCentre since both marketed their projects as NorthYorkCentre's first luxury residential condo units, both had similar price points during selling stage, both got CityPlanning approval in early 2010, both started construction stage about the same time,... but the smaller Bazis EmeraldPark project took longer to complete and had many delivery and quality issues,.... Throughout the years, many wondered why I've been so negative on Bazis EmeraldPark but yet generally positive on Tridel HullmarkCentre,.... it's because I live in the area and have front row seat basically watching their performance everyday,.....

Since then, new residents have been moving into both EmeraldPark towers, retailers and offices have opened,.... and now we start to see all the flaws from poor quality material, workmanship, short-cuts, etc,...

Even worst, when issues pop up, EmeraldPark management show no urgency to fix them,... they just wait it out like they'll just fix themselves and the problem will magically disappear,.... in the meantime, they just create fire hazard endangering the people who live, work and visit EmeraldPark.
http://urbantoronto.ca/forum/thread...-rosario-varacalli.4829/page-146#post-1177609

 

[constructo]

And the award for "best Googler" goes to Ray. It's appreciated, but I've previously seen and read all that you just posted, and I didn't feel it was that important for me to show all the "Gold" photo-ops. Others may find it of interest.
The best line of all in their promotional ad is "Bazis is in a class of its own." Enough said.

 

[Bill123]

Bean house is actually a dessert place, not coffee.

 

[Mint]

Looks like there's a poke bowl place opening as well

 

[Uncle Meat]

Bazis has a major presence in its home country. Here is a snapshot of their other projects. Emerald's "sister" building appears at 0:27

 

[amnesiajune]

Looks like there's a poke bowl place opening as well

If somewhere in EP started selling Sushi Burritos, I'd die. Then I'd go bankrupt. Hopefully they're reading this forum...