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Bathurst Street has been the focus of a lot of development talk lately. A proposed big-box mall near Dundas has raised neighborhood concerns, and news of the upcoming sale and redevelopment of the iconic Honest Ed’s and Mirvish Village has spurred a lot of talk about what kinds of development are appropriate here.
While the future of this thoroughfare and its built form are a hot-button debate topic, one ongoing development just south of Bloor is providing us with much insight into the type of mid-rise developments that are envisioned in Toronto's Avenues Plan. B.Streets Condos, a 9-storey, Hariri Pontarini Architects-designed condominium from Lindvest Properties, impressed with its renderings, and now appears to be making good on the promise shown in them.
The project is now officially topped off, and we took the opportunity to join in on the celebration, and to take a walk through inside the 195-unit development. While the interiors of the building are still quite raw, installation of the exterior cladding has commenced, and at this project, the materials will make all the difference.
The charcoal brick being used on the lower levels of B.Streets is of a similar pigmentation to another Hariri Pontarini project that we love; Diamante’s ‘The Florian’, in Yorkville.
In the photo below, we can see the first of the charcoal bricks gracing the exterior of what will become one of the building’s ground floor retail units.
Above the retail units, the building is a made up of a full range of suite sizes, including two and three bedroom plus den units, crowned with two-storey penthouse lofts. Townhouses facing the back lane finish off the list, meaning that suites at B.Streets cater to the full range of singles, couples, and families who are drawn to this dynamic area.
The views from B.Streets provide a uniquely arranged panorama of Toronto's tallest. Although the building is only nine storeys in height, the surrounding low-rise Annex streets allow for unobstructed views in all directions from any of the upper floors. The hazy 30 degree noon-hour heat made for some difficult photo-ops, but the sun-silhouetted skyline views would look pretty spectacular at sunrise or in the evening.
You also get some amazing neighbourhood views from B.Streets. Take for instance this view of the Bathurst and Bloor intersection and the famous Honest Ed’s department store. The lights should be fun here in the evening, and as they're off before 11, they'll cause no problem for those looking for a dark bedroom at night.
Looking northeast, we see more low-rise Annex and a distant range of neighbourhoods indicated by the taller towers. Click to enlarge the image to get a look at an iconic Toronto landmark peeking out from above the treeline.
Can’t see it? Here is a closer look at E.J. Lennox’s landmark Casa Loma.
The higher density Bloor/Spadina and Bloor/Yorkville neighbourhoods lie to the east, once again obscured in summer's haze.
The western views look out over Mirvish Village and the predominantly low-density residential communities beyond. In the distance, the growing skylines of central Etobicoke and the Humber Bay Shores are visible.
While we have been known to spend all day wandering a construction site, documenting every room and every angle, yesterday’s real main event was the topping off ceremony and celebration. Typically more people are working on a building when it's being topped off than at any other time, so developers like to mark the occasion with a bash, showing gratitude to their employees and contractors with a good meal.
In a playful spin on the term “top off”, the individuals whose efforts were integral in getting the project off the ground gathered in formal attire and tipped their caps to commemorate the success of B.Streets thus far. In the photo below we see (right to left) Lindvest’s Senior Project Manager Chris Hawkins, VP of Construction Peter DeBiasio, President George Hofstedter, Vice President Michoel Klugmann, Milborne Real Estate’s Vice President Maryann Grace and CEO Hunter Milborne.
We look forward to further progress on the site here! For additional information including building facts and renderings, please visit the associated dataBase listing available below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Check out the associated Forum threads, or voice your opinion in the comments section provided below.
| Related Companies: | Cecconi Simone, Hariri Pontarini Architects, Jablonsky, Ast and Partners, Lindvest Properties, Milborne Group |
