The Yonge and Eglinton area is growing up fast, and the transformation has resulted in the redevelopment of a few neighbourhood landmarks in recent years, including the original North Toronto Collegiate and The York Theatre on Eglinton. As land values continue to rise, landmarks with historic value, like the Dominion Public Building—Postal Station K—at Yonge and Montgomery and the heritage bank at Yonge and Roselawn, are being incorporated into new development. The Art Shoppe, however, long a Toronto home furnishings institution, has less obvious heritage value to many, but its clean aesthetic will inform a redevelopment of its site at 2131 Yonge. The upscale store left its longtime location on Yonge Street south of Eglinton in late-2014, and will now be redeveloped by Freed Developments and CD Capital as the Art Shoppe Lofts + Condos.

Rendering of Art Shoppe Condos, image courtesy of Freed Developments and CD Capital

Running the length of the block from Soudan to Hillsdale, the architectsAlliance-designed condominium development will feature a 28-storey/304 foot-high tower rising above a C-shaped 12-storey/146 foot-high base building, the lower two storeys of which will feature restaurants, cafés, and shops fronting Yonge Street, possibly even a grocery store.

Indoor and outdoor amenity areas at Art Shoppe Condos, image courtesy of Freed Developments and CD Capital

Double height amenity spaces for entertaining, relaxing, or working out in will face the development's central park space. Designed by Cecconi Simone and Janet Rosenberg + Studio to work together harmoniously, the spaces inside and out will make for a memorable oasis for residents at the end of a busy day.

Rendering of rooftop amenity area at Art Shoppe Condos, image courtesy of Freed Developments and CD Capital

The 12,000 square foot park sheltered from north and west winds is just one of the outdoor spaces to be offered here. At ground level, a linear park on the east side of the building will lead from Hillsdale Avenue to Soudan, edged with an innovative living wall, while up above the Yonge Street side, a rooftop terrace with a pool deck will offer many places to relax and catch the sun's rays.

We will know more about the Art Shoppe Lofts + Condos as more information emerges in the coming weeks. For now, you can find further details and higher-res renderings in dataBase file for the project, linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Check out the associated Forum threads, or leave a comment using the space provided at the bottom of this page.