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Toronto's most historic area is soon to be home to Fitzrovia Real Estate's latest purpose-built rental project. At King and Princess streets in Old Town Toronto, The Grainger and The Sanderson will each have their own unique personality and heritage charm. The Grainger is poised to appeal to down-sizers and young families, while young professionals will be drawn to the offerings of The Sanderson. The buildings will offer an opportunity for all kinds of residents, while opening up new residential possibilities in an area that is currently undersupplied in rental housing.
Located among the shops of the design district, the towers will be close to the financial district, St Lawrence Market, and the Distillery District. The area is home to some of Toronto’s most valued heritage buildings such as St Lawrence Hall, the Flatiron Building, and St James Cathedral, and The Grainger and The Sanderson will contribute to maintaining the character of the Old Town community by incorporating a number of its own heritage buildings – consisting of three- and five-storey red-brick buildings – into its podium.
Within its two Turner Fleischer Architects-designed towers rising to heights of 38 and 40 storeys, the project will become home to 770 units, with The Grainger holding 370, and The Sanderson offering 400. The buildings will feature a range of studios, one-, two- and three-bedroom units. Below its new facades will be the retained portions of four heritage buildings that currently sit on the site, dating back to the 1800s. This includes the Carter, Cummings Company Building at Adelaide and Ontario streets, Nobel’s Tavern on the northeast corner of King and Princess streets, the building known as the Drug Trading Company Warehouse fronting onto Ontario Street, and the Charles Steinle Meat Packing Company building facing King Street.
“This masterplan is a standout illustration of urban design," said Adrian Rocca, CEO and founder of Fitzrovia, "The community will be centred around a spacious public park in the middle of the burgeoning King East office corridor."
The courtyard that currently sits within the U-shaped configuration of heritage buildings will remain, and will become a 5,000 ft² public park. The base of the building that will surround the park will come to house both retail and loft-style office spaces. There will be 20,000 ft² of ground-floor retail space that will likely include food and beverage uses, as well as 50,000 ft² of office space that will feature restored and refurbished brick and beam interiors, carrying the heritage character of the exterior into the interior workspace.
“We are excited to work with Fitzrovia on a precedent setting purpose-built rental community. The Grainger and The Sanderson will be a world-class project taking inspiration from the preserved heritage buildings," said Jamie Phelan, Creative Director at DesignAgency, the design firm heading the interiors of the project. "The design narrative will illuminate the story of those who once worked and walked through the spaces. By pairing historical materiality and detailing with contemporary lines and forms, the spaces will feel warm and inviting for residents of any age and background.”
The design of the new buildings has been drawn from the various historic influences. According to DesignAgency, three main design principles have been crafted to bring inspiration from different aspects of the history of the neighbourhood. Historically Tailored draws inspiration from old-world influences of the building’s history, like Nobel’s Tavern. The design will feature thoughtful details, warm lighting, and traditional styles with modern touches. Charismatic Character is influenced by the Second Empire and Neo-Gothic architecture of the buildings. Geometric and floral patterns will bring a sense of heritage contrasted with modern influences from the local design district. Finally, Ingenious Industry has been inspired by the industrial architecture of the Carter, Cummings Company and Drug Trading Company warehouse buildings, as well as their meatpacking, brewing, and medicinal manufacturing past. These industrial influences will inspire the design of the spaces.
"Our future residents will appreciate hotel-quality hospitality, a wide collection of amenities, and well-appointed finishes and best-in-class design," said Rocca. The Grainger and The Sanderson are poised to include a slew of both indoor and outdoor amenities for its residents to enjoy. Indoor amenities are planned to include lounge and dining areas, a sports lounge, screening rooms, an entertainment kitchen, a bowling alley, commercial grade fitness centre and yoga studio, bike repair shop, a pet spa, and a spa for residents. Outdoor amenities will include resort-style pools, and a gas barbecue and terrace lounge area. The building will also have multiple child friendly options, including a Montessori school, and both indoor and outdoor playrooms. Fitzrovia also offers a number of non-physical perks for its residents, including a mobile app and curated monthly resident events that are complimentary and open for residents to participate in.
In terms of access to transit, the new building will front onto King Street, and therefore will have the King streetcar passing in front of it on a regular basis, and will be not far from the multiple bus routes that run along Sherbourne Street. The site is also just a short walk to both King and Queen subway stations. In the future, the new Corktown Station of the Ontario Line will be located a block east of the development, offering even more transit options to residents.
Demolition work on the property is expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2022, once Fitzrovia receives vacant possession. Shoring and excavation are expected to begin next February or March. Rocca anticipates construction taking 38 months to complete, with occupancy for The Grainger and The Sanderson expected in the third quarter of 2025.
You can learn more from our Database file for the project, linked below. If you'd like, you can join in on the conversation in the associated Project Forum thread, or leave a comment in the space provided on this page.
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