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As UrbanToronto celebrates 20 years, so too is Altree Developments celebrating and reflecting on its own past and future. The 5-year-old company stems from decades of family history in Toronto's urban development, with these deep roots in the industry shaping their present projects and future vision. Among their latest projects is Thirty Six Zorra Condominiums, a new development nestled at 36 Zorra Street in South Etobicoke. A collaboration between Altree Developments and EllisDon Developments, the tower's eye-catching crinkle-cut balcony design comes from Graziani + Corazza Architects.
UrbanToronto recently interviewed Cezil Jondonero, Creative Manager at Altree Developments, to discuss the company, as well as its current and future developments. Thirty Six Zorra, with a total of 459 units spread across 35 storeys, sold a staggering 80% of its units within six weeks back in 2019. Despite the daunting challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the building was delivered to its first occupants on time.
Cezil Jondonero emphasized Altree's corporate values, stemming from their founder, Zev Mandelbaum, also a co-founder of Marlin Spring Developments. "He is a third-generation developer," Jondonero noted, "and his lineage bends over 70 years within the Toronto real estate industry.” With such a rich history and extensive experience, Altree Developments brings a deep understanding of the market dynamics and a unique approach to development that is evident in the success of Thirty Six Zorra.
The building features the contributions of U31 for interior design and NAK Design Strategies for landscape architecture. At ground level, the u-shaped podium's contrasting light precast panels with dark-grey spandrel frame a vision glass and window wall, while on the skyline Thirty Six Zorra is distinguished by an articulated facade, with zig-zagging glass balconies that form the 'crinkle cut' pattern.
Standing at 113.68m, the tower rises along the southern edge of the thriving Queensway neighbourhood, an area that is witnessing a transformation from business commercial-industrial usage to mixed-use through an ever-growing residential investment. Formerly a parking lot, this site has been revitalized into a residential beacon, while a new park is kitty corner to the site, a flagship Cineplex is a short walk away, and more shops than ever are now popping up along the increasingly walkable main street.
Jondonero expressed Altree's goal of “providing a community-like lifestyle with its amenities, but also showing that this pocket of the neighbourhood has all of these wonderful features, and that you don't necessarily need to be in hotspot areas.” She highlighted that the development was one of the earlier projects to launch in the immediate area, with several more developments now on the way on neighbouring blocks. "It really shows that what we believed in five years ago is coming to fruition."
The site notably offers a direct shuttle to Kipling station and Pearson Airport exclusive to residents, offering convenient access to downtown and beyond. Nestled between The Queensway and the Gardiner Expressway, Highway 427 and Mimico GO station are located a 5- and 8-minute drive away, respectively.
The development seeks to cultivate a community, with over 880m² of indoor and outdoor amenities, from a fully-equipped demonstration kitchen, an expansive recreation room with foosball, old-school arcade games, and ping pong, to a rooftop pool enveloped by cabanas, grilling/BBQ areas, and fire pits. The building is also located directly across from Senator Marian Maloney Park, designed by Janet Rosenberg & Studio.
Thirty Six Zorra Condominiums stands as a beacon of design, community-centric living, and visionary development. With its unique features and strategic location, the tower showcases Altree Development's growing vision.
You can learn more about Thirty Six Zorra from our Database file, 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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