Wednesday morning, representatives from Graywood Developments and the Alterra Group gathered on the site of their new condominium development in Toronto's Leslieville neighbourhood to celebrate the start of construction for the project known as Wonder. Designed by Diamond Schmitt Architects, the project will rise 8 storeys at Eastern Avenue and Logan, incorporating sections of the heritage Brown’s Breads and Weston Bakery building on site.

Ground breaking for Wonder, image courtesy of Graywood/Alterra

Yesterday's ground breaking marks the official start of construction for the new development, though the site has been active since demolition commenced back in March. Guests and project principals gathered on an already cleared section of the site. The ceremonial photo op—with steel beams and rubble scattered about—serves as a sign that work here is well underway.

A statement issued by Graywood President and CEO Stephen Price touches on the area's importance to an area of the city where former industrial and underutilized lands are repurposed to meet the housing and employment demands of a growing city. “Wonder isn’t just a nod to the history of this building, but a testament to its future. It’s an optimistic word that encourages you to imagine all the possibilities. When you look at the near-term future of Leslieville, the new transit that is planned, the promise of the Unilever site, the new automotive innovation hub and Netflix Studios that are coming, you foresee a community that is poised to rival any other in the city and the country."

Meanwhile, while demolition is in full swing for sections of the existing factory, steel supports are being installed for the heritage facades set to be preserved and incorporated into the base of the project. With many of the project's units already spoken for, the Wonder presentation centre has closed, though a selection of suites are still available, with sales by appointment only.

Additional information and images can be found in our database file for the project, linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Check out the associated Forum thread, or leave a comment in the field provided at the bottom of this page.

* * *

UrbanToronto has a new way you can track projects through the planning process on a daily basis. Sign up for a free trial of our New Development Insider here.