Midtown Urbanist
Superstar
That being said, it will be it's most "remote" location once opened.
Toronto Westlake Encore | 146.3m | 45s | Onni Group | P + S / IBI
- Thread starter AlbertC
- Start date
Filip
Senior Member
Freshii is a hit with the lunch crowd, but not too much of one at Park Lawn and Lake Shore. Time will tell if the location survives - but I don't think it'll see 2020.
innsertnamehere
Superstar
I stopped at one in Brockville once on my way back from Quebec City, which I think is more remote than this.
Midtown Urbanist
Superstar
I meant in Toronto. 
67Cup
Active Member
Hey, Brockville, HBS! It’s easy to mistake the one for the other!
Filip
Senior Member
I had to google where Brockville is.
Keyz
Active Member
November 25th, 2018
Full Metal Junkie
Active Member
Brick laying on the commercial building finished a few weeks ago, no action on site ever since. Looks like trades packed up and left for the winter.
A few shots comparing the brick colors between the new building and the Westlake podium hosting Metro store:
The new brick is definitely darker and redder than the old, but in real life almost unnoticeably so. Upon closer inspection I realized that Encore residential podium is also made with this new redder brick, but it blends in with previous phases really well. I guess they had to change the supplier for the last phase or something. Regardless, any brick is better than no brick.
A few shots comparing the brick colors between the new building and the Westlake podium hosting Metro store:
The new brick is definitely darker and redder than the old, but in real life almost unnoticeably so. Upon closer inspection I realized that Encore residential podium is also made with this new redder brick, but it blends in with previous phases really well. I guess they had to change the supplier for the last phase or something. Regardless, any brick is better than no brick.
drum118
Superstar
March 18
New BMO Location
New BMO Location
Torontite
New Member
BMO? Wow, couldn’t imagine anything more boring than a bank branch in 2019. How do you know? It does sort of make sense with the original one being usurped by first capital but how do you know?
Auraz
Active Member
Did someone buy the land that houses BMO on Lake Shore/Park Lawn? Cant wait for the full extent of construction for Christie Factory grounds.
67Cup
Active Member
A staff member at the BMO branch at the Park Lawn/Lake Shore corner told me a number of months ago that the BMO property had been or would be sold. My memory is not exact about which was the case. At the time, she thought the bank would move into the podium of one of the new buildings. The corner property where the bank sits presently must be quite valuable. It makes sense that it would be sold. I hope it becomes either green space or something architecturally striking.
I have no idea if the commercial structure at Encore is the replacement but if so, I will be happy it remains in walking distance. A bank branch may be boring, but it also remains convenient for some purposes, even with online banking
I imagine that First Capital has been keen to add that property to their holdings: combined with their property, that land would be far more valuable to them than it would to another purchaser on its own. As it's right at the corner, at the two main roads defining the property, it's the most likely spot for a signature tower (although I would also expect particularly high density at the GO Stn/TTC hub too). I expect green space is more likely to occur more centrally within the site, with buildings designed around its edges to define it.
42
Midtown Urbanist
Superstar
I'm actually happy that it is a separate property from the rest of the Kraft site. Sometimes a master-planned area feels too master-planned. The eventual development of the BMO property may introduce some urban granularity to the block.
67Cup
Active Member
It may not be a “separate property.” Perhaps it has been or is being sold to First Capital. FWIW, the staff person at BMO didn’t name the purchaser of the property.