what happened to Context?

[Hipster Duck]

Not sure if this belongs in P&C but what happened to Context developments? They haven't unveiled anything new since the Loretto and they seem to have disappeared off the developer's map.

 

[alklay]

I think the partners broke up and thus ended the company (certaintly for future projects).

 

[Edward]

Mark Simpson mentioned this once when the old Urban Toronto was active. BTW, Mark Simpson are you still here but under a new handle?

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

I think Context's raison d'etre evaporated the moment Lanterra, Great Gulf and other developers started signing up aA/Clewes - thus killing their claim to design excellence. That said, I think their firm is instrumental in opening up the development to "good taste".

AoD

 

[Hipster Duck]

You're right Alvin. They really set the bar for exterior design. Now that a lot of other developers have recognized the value of architecture in our city, I'm not mourning Context's passing.

While their buildings were always great from the outside, I heard that the condo suites themselves suffered from some quality problems. Is this true?

 

[Edward]

Well maybe we'll get lucky and two "Context" like developers will emerge from the split.

 

[RJR123]

You're right Alvin. They really set the bar for exterior design. Now that a lot of other developers have recognized the value of architecture in our city, I'm not mourning Context's passing.

While their buildings were always great from the outside, I heard that the condo suites themselves suffered from some quality problems. Is this true?

I live in Spire and am very pleased with the quality of the suite. I had a few minor problems (crack in bathroom tile, problem with microvent) but these were fixed in a reasonably quick manner and everything else is fine.
The building did unfortunately have a flood a few months back which freaked a lot of people out, myself included. But since then all is fine.
I'd be curious to hear from other Context-building residents to see if their experience has been positive.

 

[DOWNTOWNTO27]

you guys are mis-informed

Context is not gone, totally wrong information. They are finishing up Spire (where we now live and love it) and the Loretto in the annex. I know a couple of guys over there and they are working on a couple of new sites.

 

[Mike in TO]

I know a few people from Context and they certainly still are active. I had heard one of the financers is no longer involved which may be the reason why they don't appear to be as active any more.

As far as construction quality I have heard of the odd issue and they were ranked last in the J.D. Powers customer satisfaction survey. The survey mostly deals with interior works and after sales service.

Here is the 2006 New Condo Builder Customer Satisfaction Study results:
Overall Satisfaction Index Rating (1,000 point scale)

Tridel 715
Daniels 684
Monarch 624
Pemberton 620
Market Average 588
Kolter 585
Concord Adex 558
Camrost-Felcorp 511
Davies Smith 499
Context 454

Not all GTA condo builders are listed as it is based on the number of occupancies - essentially every new unit was sent a rather large survey and a certain threshold of responses had to be received to be statistically significant.

 

[DOWNTOWNTO27]

Context

The same team and same investors are still in place so says my contact.

 

[billy corgan]

Context is still alive. The company is in negotiations to purchase an apartment complex on Bayview (south of Eglinton) and convert the property to luxury rentals and condos.

 

[unimaginative2]

I think they were also talking about redeveloping the half-round at Bridgepoint Hospital, though that has obviously not come to pass.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

While their buildings were always great from the outside, I heard that the condo suites themselves suffered from some quality problems. Is this true?

Radio City was plagued with problems and long delays in completing deficiencies. They also left the underside of the balconies unpainted which I think was unfortunate.

 

[beaconer]

An excerpt from the Mozo Sept 2006 newsletter:

Floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall windows are one of the great
features of the Mozo's condominium units. The condominium's
budget allows for one exterior window cleaning per
year, which can seem too infrequent when our windows
have accumulated a film of dirt. But a number of factors
make window cleaning at the Mozo a challenge. Increasing
the frequency would involve considerable inconvenience to
particular owners in the building and additional costs that
would be reflected in everyone’s maintenance fees.
The original roof anchor mechanism that was designed for
the rooftop of the Mozo building was never installed by the
developer. The developer instead installed roof anchors on
the terraces of the units on the 14th and 9th floors.
Whenever we do an exterior window cleaning, we must get
access through the units from residents on these floors to
allow workers to inspect the roof-anchors. Once the
anchors pass inspection, the same residents are advised to
allow window cleaning personnel to bring their equipment
through the units to the terraces. For 14th floor residents,
this involves carrying the cleaning equipment up stairs to
the second level. Adding to the complexity and cost of the
cleaning job is the asymmetrical balcony layout on the
building’s west side and Toronto Hydro’s need to install
protective covering over hydro lines along King Street East
at the corner of Sherbourne Street.The window
cleaning process is therefore a costly and
inconvenient one. For these reasons, we continue to budget
for one cleaning per year.

 

[East TO guy]

What happened to Contest?

I don't know what happened to Contest.