Rising on the banks of the Humber River and across the road from the historic Old Mill is Lanterra Development’s latest condominium development, Riverhouse at The Old Mill.
The 11-storey building, designed by Page + Steele Architects, occupies the former western parking lot that once overlooked the Humber and accommodated the guests at the Old Mill. Given its strategic location on the banks of the river, construction should be a challenge as workers maneuver around the complicated sloping site. A significant amount of earth and trees will have to be removed at the expense of the new condominium, although landscaping around the building will help replace the loss.
Other similarly-sized condominiums and apartments have been built along the plateau above the Humber, offering fantastic views of the river and Etienne Brulé park, yet still being hidden behind the swath of forestry. The 84-unit Riverhouse will be clad in a variety of materials including brick, limestone, precast stone and glass, and should fit in well with its surrounding environment.
Riverhouse's interior is designed by Munge Leung in a traditional style, and features several opportune amenities including a spa pool, a library lounge, a fitness studio, and a boardroom. For everything else Bloor West Village is about a five minute walk away, and Old Mill subway station is steps from the building.
The project had been the subject of some neighbourhood debate earlier, mainly due to its height and impact on the land. Another nearby project, Tridel’s One and Two Old Mill on Bloor West, was also subject to similar critiques, yet is also going ahead. Added traffic has been a worry as well, given that Old Mill Road which the building fronts on is only wide enough for one lane each way in spots and lacks consistent sidewalks.
Despite these concerns, Riverhouse will add animation to the streetscape that the former parking lot could not offer, and density near a subway station. Suites start at $487,900 with the most expensive unit at a cool $2 million. Groundbreaking took place on June 28th, and the project is expected to be completed by Fall 2013.
Have a look at UrbanToronto's dataBase entry for Riverhouse more information and many additional renderings, linked below. You also will see there the link to the Projects and Construction thread for this project where you can join in the discussion.
What are your views on the Riverhouse development? Do you welcome the added density to the area, or do you think otherwise? Let us know by dropping a comment below.
Related Companies: | Jablonsky, Ast and Partners, Milborne Group |