From the leafy enclave of MacGregor Park, adjacent to a school field, and nestled between Bloordale, Brockton Village, and the Barrie GO Rail tracks, the future site of Aragon's Enigma on the Park, soon to come to the quiet Bloor and Lansdowne neighbourhood, appears an unlikely place for the arrival of the bold, Quadrangle-designed, mixed-use condo development set to open by the end of 2016. That is to say that until recently, this corner of the Toronto—home mostly to independent shops, a host of low-rise industrial spaces, and side streets lined with modest single-family and semi-detached homes—has kept a relatively low profile amidst a time of rapid intensification and gentrification that has sprung up all across the city… until now. 

Enigma on the Park aerial context shot, image by Michael Muraz

With the arrival of the UP Express—which opened one of its stations at the Bloor GO station just a ten minute walk from Enigma on the Park—and the slow westward creep of new hipster hangouts spilling over from nearby Durfferin/Dovercourt along Bloor, the imminent arrival of the 9-storey, 86-unit, mixed-use condo project will represent the beginning stages of the shift now underway for this oft-overlooked corner of the city. With the added convenience of the nearby Bloor Line (seven minute walk to Lansdowne TTC), along with the local Lansdowne bus route and College and Dundas streetcar routes, some key pockets in this area are prime for redevelopment and densification. 

Enigma on the Park construction site, image by Marcus Mitanis

Enigma on the Park will not only bring new life this west-end neighbourhood, an area that is quickly becoming a refuge for local artists/artisans and galleries, but will bring four floors of commercial office space to the site. With the unique park setting, and use of oversized windows, the creative uses for the commercial portion of the development are many. As for prospective purchasers, there are a wealth of suite options, with some 50 different floor plans, with units ranging from 420 to 1,567 square feet, the price ranging from $231,900 to $999,900.

Enigma on the Park, rendering courtesy of Aragon Properties

Enigma on the Park will offer residents a modest but useful suite of amenities aimed at keeping maintenance fees affordable. The amenities include a rooftop lounge and terrace, fitness centre, dog washing station, common room, along with a beautifully-designed lobby space. The office block, located to the west of the main structure (seen above), will be separated from the residential tower block by a brick-paved courtyard, and from the adjacent rail tracks by a solid, sound-dampening wall that will be hidden from view. The adjacent park and playground will offer residents a pleasant neighbourhood feel, while the nearby shops and restaurants of Bloor, College, and Dundas West, and a close proximity to The Junction, High Park, and the Dufferin Mall, will help make this a desirable locale. 

UrbanToronto will continue to provide updates as construction progresses at the site, keeping readers posted as the structure begins to take shape over the coming months. For more information, check out the dataBase file, or join the discussion on our Forum.