Just east of Toronto's Downtown core, the architectsAlliance-designed St. Lawrence Condos at 158 Front is set to replace an existing parking lot with another high-rise presence. Joining the growing and historically rich St. Lawrence neighbourhood, the project—recently rebranded from 158 Front Condos—will being approximately 400 suites to Toronto's Front Street. 

The hero shot (looking north), image courtesy of Cityzen / Fernbrook

Formerly home to Greyhound's Bus Parcel Express depot, the site is located directly across the street from an adapted industrial building housing the Young People's Theatre, a Toronto Public Library branch, and a 24-hour Rabba supermarket. Immediately north of the local hub, a pair 26-storey towers will rise above a shared podium, which will be clad in dark brick to reflect the scale and materiality of the surrounding heritage structures. 

A closer look at the east end of the podium, image courtesy of Cityzen / Fernbrook

Atop the lower podium floors, the upper levels are split into two forms, with the dark brick giving way to a lighter lattice grid above. Ranging in size from 420 ft² to 1,054 ft², the project's residential suites will feature engineered hardwood floors and stainless steel appliances. Many of the units will also feature south-facing terraces with views of Lake Ontario.

The party room amenity space, image courtesy of Cityzen / Fernbrook

The interiors are also appointed by architectsAlliance, with amenities spread out across 10 floors. While most of Toronto's new-build condos feature a concentrated amenity cluster, aA's dispersed layout allows for more varied spaces. As aA's Peter Clewes explains, "generally amenities are all on one floor, but at 158 Front they’re divided vertically to create interconnected floors and the opportunity for double-height spaces, which is really quite unique."

The double-height library promises an exceptionally open ambiance, image courtesy of Cityzen / Fernbrook

Amenities will include an upscale gym with cardio and weight rooms, library and media lounge, state-of-the-art theatre and party room with contemporary chef’s kitchen. Between the two towers, an outdoor terrace featuring a pool and lounge area is also planned.

The rooftop terrace, with a view of Lake Ontario, image courtesy of Cityzen / Fernbrook

Developed by Cityzen and Fernbrook, the project will bring with it an improved public realm. At street level, widened sidewalks and new street trees will complement the new retail spaces, making for a more pedestrian-friendly environment.

The street level, at night, image courtesy of Cityzen / Fernbrook

The project targets a 2018 completion, and we will continue to keep you updated as the the start of construction nears. In the meantime, make sure to check out our associated dataBase file for more information. Want to share your thoughts about the development? Feel free to leave a comment in the space below this page, or join in the ongoing conversation on our Forum.