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A new mixed-use complex is rapidly occupying in Toronto’s King West area, just north of the Liberty Village neighbourhood. For the last few months, residents and businesses have been populating First Capital Realty and CAPREIT's King High Line project, a large Kasian and TACT Architecture-designed complex containing a mix of commercial and retail space topped by a rental residential community known as Kings Club.
At the base of the three-tower complex—18, 14, and 12 storeys high—retail spaces facing King Street are quickly filling with new tenants. The doors have already opened for the first of the building’s retail spaces, a Shopper’s Drug Mart near the east end of the complex. Others will be opening within the coming months, with the next space set to be a Winners. Its space was just handed over to the tenant this past Friday, and is expected to open later this month.
Two additional spaces are set to open their doors in early November; a Longo's supermarket and a WeWork co-working space. The latter of the two will occupy a large section of the signature wedge-shaped area at the building's east end. Other retailers on the way include a Canadian Tire on the below-grade concourse level (opening March 2020), and a 24-hour McDonald's location on the complex's Joe Shuster Way frontage, replacing the nearby Dufferin and King location that is set to be redeveloped, and more. The McDonald's space—made up of three combined retail floorplans—will be turned over to the tenant for fit-outs in early December.
Atop the commercial component, the building's CAPREIT-managed Kings Club rental residential component is quickly occupying, now at 39% leased. Residents have moved into 199 units out of 506 total units. Only two of the 42 three-bedroom units remain available, while all bachelor units have been rented out. This leaves a remaining mix of one-bedroom, one-bedroom+den, two-bedroom, and two-bedroom+den layouts. CAPREIT is currently on track for their 18-month projection to have the building entirely leased.
A pair of model suites offer a glimpse into a couple of the possibilities for interior designs, staged with furniture provided by EQ3. These models also show off the standard unit finishes and appliances, including double-door refrigerators in larger suites.
Residents of the rental units already have access to a selection of amenities, including a few on the 12th floor of the east building, offering commanding views of the Toronto skyline. Up on the 12th floor, residents can find a gym with floor-to-ceiling glazing offering views to the north, east, and west, connected to a rooftop swimming pool, opened in mid-June and since closed for the approaching winter.
Just east of the pool, a rooftop lounge space atop the building’s wedge-shaped point faces east towards the Downtown skyline.
Other amenities include a podium-top patio with barbecues and lounge space, a games room offering billiards and foosball tables, a party room, a business centre with conference room, a multipurpose room with a large screen and surround sound, as well as a children's play area and a newly-opened Kids & Co-managed daycare centre.
Due to the block-long configuration of the residential buildings, residents are given multiple access points to get in and out of their respective towers, while the complex's main residential lobby is located at the rear of the building. Unlike the ground-floor lobbies typical of new residential buildings, the main lobby entrance for Kings Club is actually located on the fourth floor, accessible via a vehicle ramp from Joe Shuster Way.
The lobby will also soon be accessible via a coming piece of infrastructure from which the King High Line complex draws its name: named as a nod to the popular elevated park in Manhattan, the King High Line will eventually link the West Queen West and Liberty Village neighbourhoods through a network of bridges and paths over the Kitchener rail corridor. A wide ramp is now in place along the north side of the complex, which will eventually be connected to a fully accessible bridge spanning the rail corridor at a proposed new GO station. The high line will also extend to a new linear park and multi-use path spanning King Street West along the existing rail viaduct.
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 below.
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| Related Companies: | Feature Walters, First Capital, Multiplex, Urban Strategies Inc. |
