The charming west-end neighbourhood of Roncesvalles has something new to brag about. Boasting a strong assemblage of independent shops and restaurants, Roncesvalles is now home to a project by Gairloch Developments and Centrestone Urban Developments Inc. at 383 Sorauren Avenue. The second floor of the building played host to a celebration Friday afternoon, as construction workers and the development team marked the official topping off of the 10-storey condominium.
The venerable firm architectsAlliance designed the building, which rekindles the industrial history of the area with its dark ironspot brick cladding, still to be applied. Promising to fit in seamlessly with its neighbours—including the adjacent warehouse-to-condo conversion Robert Watson Lofts to the south—the black mullion-framed windows punched into the brick facade should yield a rich amalgam of the area's past and its present.
At ground level, two-storey townhouses with landscaped front yards will front onto Sorauren Avenue. Above the glass-clad townhouses, a six-storey deep red brick grid frames some of the 142 units inside the building. A glazed square box with a smaller footprint sits on top, containing two-storey penthouses which offer tremendous views of Downtown Toronto, Lake Ontario, Humber Bay Shores and Mississauga.
Every resident will be able to enjoy these views and get some fresh air via a terrace, balcony or French balcony. The Johnson Chou-appointed interiors will continue the industrial-style theme with exposed concrete ceilings stretching nine feet — rising another foot at the penthouse level — joined by engineered hardwood floors, solid core veneer slab cabinetry, and stainless steel kitchen appliances. Amenities include a guest suite, workout area, and an outdoor kitchen-equipped lounge for barbecuing on a warmer day.
Identified from left to right in the image below are Tyler MacNamara, Rivendell Properties; Bill Gairdner, Gairloch Developments; and Andrew Farncomb, Cairn Merchant Partners, who all joined in on the festivities and toured the building.
From the top of 383 Sorauren, it's easy to see the neighbourhood landmarks and services residents will have access to. The building is within walking distance of Dundas West subway and GO stations, with the Union Pearson Express (which is free for Family Day weekend!) stopping here as well. Streetcar service to the downtown core is provided by the 504 King, 505 Dundas and 506 Carlton routes. With Roncesvalles Avenue and its quirky collection of shops steps away, and Sorauren Park just a few doors to the south, residents within this handsome addition to the neighbourhood will have plenty of recreation options available when they move in this summer.
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Related Companies: | architects—Alliance, Bluescape Construction Management, Gairloch Developments, NAK Design Strategies, Peter McCann Architectural Models Inc. |