Category Archives: Annex neighbourhood

Landscaping and exterior finishing touches underway at One Bedford & James Cooper Mansion Condos

One Bedford condos front entrance

April 1 2011: The Bedford Road entrance courtyard to the One Bedford Condos building is now being completed.

 

James Cooper Mansion Condos

April 2 2011: Landscaping work is underway outside the Linden Street townhouses at the James Cooper Mansion Condos complex

 

Yard work: With winter (hopefully) over at long last, two newly-occupied downtown condo buildings are now getting their landscaping and exterior finishing touches. Work is progressing on the Bedford Road courtyard entrance to the One Bedford Condos on Bloor Street, while landscaping and other outdoor property work is underway at the James Cooper Mansion Condos on Sherbourne Street. Below are some recent pics showing what’s been happening at street level outside both condo buildings over the past several weeks.

 

One Bedford Condos

March 24 2011: South side of the One Bedford tower viewed from Bloor Street

 

One Bedford Condos

March 24 2011: The One Bedford Condo tower’s signature rooftop design

 

One Bedford Condos

March 24 2011: One Bedford Condos upper south floors

 

One Bedford Condos

April 1 2011: One Bedford Condos penthouse level and upper south floors

 

One Bedford Condos

March 24 2011: One Bedford Condos southeast view from Bloor Street

 

One Bedford Condos

March 24 2011: Work orders pasted to the windows of upper east side suites

 

One Bedford Condos

March 24 2011: Glass and steel entrance canopy in the courtyard off Bedford Road

 

One Bedford Condos

March 24 2011: One Bedford Condos main entrance off Bedford Road

 

One Bedford condos

April 1 2011: Landscaping underway in the Bedford Road courtyard

 

One Bedford condos

April 1 2011: Landscaping underway in the Bedford Road courtyard

 

One Bedford condos

April 1 2011: The brick facade of the studio of noted Toronto architect John Lyle (1872 – 1945) has been incorporated into the courtyard off Bedford Road.

 

One Bedford condos

April 1 2011: Landscaping in progress south of the Lyle Studio facade

 

One Bedford condos

April 1 2011: The striking Bedford Road entrance canopy

 

One Bedford condos

April 1 2011: Landscaping in progress under the glass and steel canopy

 

James Cooper Mansion Condos

February 16 2011: James Cooper Mansion tower viewed from Sherbourne Street

 

James Cooper Mansion Condos

February 16 2011: James Cooper Mansion Condos viewed from Sherbourne St.

 

James Cooper Mansion condos

February 16 2011: The north side of the James Cooper Mansion condo complex. The exterior construction elevator has since been removed from the tower.

 

James Cooper Mansion Condos

February 16 2011: James Cooper Mansion Condos south side along Linden Street

 

James Cooper Mansion Condos

February 16 2011: James Cooper Mansion Condos south side walkway


James Cooper Mansion Condos

February 16 2011: James Cooper Mansion Condos entrance

 

James Cooper Mansion Condos

February 16 2011: James Cooper Mansion entrance at 28 Linden Street

 

James Cooper Mansion Condos

February 16 2011: James Cooper Mansion entrance at 28 Linden Street

 

James Cooper Mansion Condos

February 16 2011: Landscaping work still has yet to start outside the James Cooper Mansion Condos townhouses along Linden Street

 

James Cooper Mansion Condos

February 16 2011: Some of the James Cooper Mansion townhouses

 

James Cooper Mansion Condos

February 16 2011: James Cooper Mansion viewed from Linden Street

 

James Cooper Mansion Condos

April 2 2011: Landscaping work well underway outside the townhouses

 

James Cooper Mansion Condos

April 2 2011: Southeast corner awaits landscaping

 

James Cooper Mansion condos

April 2 2011: Walkway along the Linden Street side of the property

 

James Cooper Mansion Condos

April 2 2011: Southeast corner of the James Cooper Mansion Condos property

James Cooper Mansion Condos

April 2 2011: One of Eldon Garnet’s “Inversion” sculptures, part of the public art installation at James Cooper Mansion.

 

James Cooper Mansion Condos

April 2 2011: The north side of the property awaits finishing touches

 

7-storey luxury condo coming to East Annex street

Architectural rendering of 10 to 14 Prince Arthur Avenue condo

From the Hariri Pontarini Architects website, a rendering of the terraced condo building to be built at 10 to 14 Prince Arthur Avenue

 

Legal battles resolved: I don’t think W.C. Fields had condo development in mind when he cautioned: “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” But people who saw great real estate potential in two prime East Annex properties seem to have heeded his sage advice. And despite more than a decade of rigorous and strong opposition, they’ve finally succeeded at winning approval to redevelop the site into condos. The lands in question are located near the edge of Toronto’s tony Yorkville district: 10 Prince Arthur Avenue, a 2-storey historic house that has sat vacant for more than two decades, and 14 Prince Arthur Avenue, a 4-storey office building with an Indian fine dining restaurant occupying the ground floor.

From 1998 to 2008, various applications to expand, alter and redevelop the adjacent properties were unsuccessful, for reasons outlined in detail in an April 23 2009 city planning department report. But in early 2008 a developer tried yet again, proposing a 19-storey mixed-use building for the site. City staff and area residents strongly the scale and other important elements of the building proposal, so the developer went back to the drawing boards and modified its plans. It returned with a new proposal for a 9-storey mixed-use building that would retain the historic house, but require demolition of the office and restaurant next door. Area residents and the city still objected with numerous planning concerns, while the Toronto Preservation Board recommended that the City refuse the developer’s application for non-compliance with East Annex Heritage Conservation District Plan guidelines. The developer appealed to the Ontario Municipal Board, but the dispute settled during mediation in February of this year.

The end result is that the developer, Castlepoint, will be permitted to build a seven-storey structure with significant setbacks from the street and neighbouring properties. The luxury condo complex, designed by Hariri Pontarini Architects of Toronto, will incorporate the historic house at 10 Prince Arthur. “The listed structure will be kept intact, the exterior restored, and moved southward towards the road. This move will enhance the normalcy of a street that has been fractured by the variety of built forms. The large treed terraces raking the North side of the nine-storey building eases the transition between the traditional three-storey residential fabric to the North, and the high-rise buildings of Bloor Street and Avenue Road to the South and East,” the Hariri Pontarini website explains. Though legal battles over the properties have finally been resolved, there’s no word yet on when Castlepoint plans to commence construction.

Meanwhile, changes could be coming to the heritage building directly across the street at 17 Prince Arthur Avenue. According to Ward 20 Councillor Adam Vaughan’s website, developers want to build a 4-storey addition to the rear of the structure, currently used as commercial office space. “The building owners would also like to preserve and enhance the grass boulevard and trees in front of the building and add a pedestrian walkway to the west of the building, which would connect the Green P parking lot to the south with Prince Arthur Avenue.  The four storey addition would be made of clear glass and zinc siding. A concern is that the addition would be visible just above the roofline. The developer and architect have met with representatives of the Annex Residents Association for initial community feedback on the design of the building and how concerns, such as the one above, might be addressed. A mechanical penthouse would be built at the rear and east side of the building. The architect proposed that it be clad in brick that matches the brick of the original building,” Councillor Vaughan’s website reports. No word yet on when an official application for that project will be presented to city planners. Below are recent photos of the two development sites and their immediate neighbours on Prince Arthur Avenue.

 

10-14 Prince Arthur Avenue condo development notice

Development sign posted on hoarding outside 10 Prince Arthur Avenue

 

8 Prince Arthur Avenue and 10 Prince Arthur Avenue

January 9 2011: 10 Prince Arthur Avenue, left, and 8 Prince Arthur Avenue. Number 8 is a city-listed historic house, currently used as offices.

 

14 Prince Arthur Avenue

January 9 2011: Formerly an apartment building, 14 Prince Arthur Avenue was converted into office space some years ago. The ground floor is occupied by an Indian fine dining restaurant, The Host.

 

A photo of 8 10 and 14 Prince Arthur Avenue

March 24 2011: Looking northwest toward 8, 10 and 14 Prince Arthur Avenue. The highrise apartment building in the background is 20 Prince Arthur Avenue.

 

10-14 Prince Arthur Avenue

March 24 2011: The boarded-up historic house at 10 Prince Arthur Avenue, right, has been vacant for 20 years. It will be restored and incorporated into the new condo building, but will be relocated closer to the city sidewalk.

 

10-14 Prince Arthur Avenue

March 24 2011: Northeast view of 14, 10 and 8 Prince Arthur Avenue. The brick building to their rear is The Prince Arthur at 38 Avenue Road, a 24-storey luxury condo tower on the western edge of Yorkville.

 

10 Prince Arthur Avenue

March 24 2011: A view of 10 and 8 Prince Arthur Avenue

 

10 Prince Arthur Avenue

March 24 2011: Another view of 10 and 8 Prince Arthur Avenue

 

14 Prince Arthur Avenue

March 24 2011: Direct north view of 14 Prince Arthur Avenue

 

14 Prince Arthur Avenue

March 24 2011: Northeast view toward 14, 10 and 8 Prince Arthur Avenue

 

14 Prince Arthur Avenue

March 24 2011: On the left is an above-ground parking lot and entrance to the underground garage for the apartment building at 20 Prince Arthur Avenue

 

20 Prince Arthur Avenue

April 1 2011: This 22-storey apartment building at 20 Prince Arthur Avenue is a listed historic property. Designed by architect Uno Prii, the Neo-Expressionist building was constructed in 1965.

 

20 Prince Arthur Avenue

April 1 2011: Another view of the sweeping curves on the 20 Prince Arthur Avenue apartment building designed by architect Uno Prii

 

20 Prince Arthur Avenue

April 1 2011: Looking east from the front lawn outside 20 Prince Arthur Avenue

 

20 Prince Arthur Avenue

April 1 2011: Looking east from the city sidewalk outside 20 Prince Arthur Avenue

 

20 Prince Arthur Avenue

April 1 2011: West view toward the 10-14 Prince Arthur Avenue development site

 

21 Prince Arthur Avenue

April 1 2011: East view from the city sidewalk outside 21 Prince Arthur Avenue. The tall building at the end of the block, on the right, is the Park Hyatt Toronto Hotel at the southeast corner of Avenue Road and Prince Arthur Avenue.

 

10-14 Prince Arthur Avenue

April 1 2011: Southeast views toward 10-14 Prince Arthur Avenue

 

21-23 Prince Arthur Avenue

April 1 2011: 21-23 Prince Arthur Avenue. The Women’s Art Association of Canada has offices and a gallery in number 23.

 

21-23 Prince Arthur Avenue

April 1 2011: 21-23 Prince Arthur Avenue. The tower visible to the rear right is the new One Bedford luxury condominium at on Bloor Street.

 

17 Prince Arthur Avenue Museum House condos and 21 Prince Arthur Avenue

April 1 2011: 17 Prince Arthur Avenue, left, the Museum House on Bloor condo tower on Bloor Street, center, and 21 Prince Arthur Avenue, right.

 

17 Prince Arthur Avenue

April 1 2011: A developer is planning to build a four-storey addition to the rear of the stately brick heritage house at 17 Prince Arthur Avenue, right.

 

15 Prince Arthur Avenue

April 1 2011: This building at 15 Prince Arthur Avenue is home to the Toronto offices for Brendan Wood International

 

9 and 11 Prince Arthur Avenue

April 1 2011: 9 and 11 Prince Arthur Avenue. Number 11 is occupied by Barristers Chambers, offices for a number of lawyers including prominent civil litigation specialist Clayton Ruby of Ruby & Shiller Barristers.


One Bedford condo tower becomes new landmark establishing Annex end of Bloor Street’s mink mile

One Bedford condos

One Bedford condo tower viewed from Bloor Street January 9 2011


Varsity views: I remember the huge kerfuffle that erupted when plans for the 32-storey One Bedford at Bloor condo building were announced about six or seven years ago. Many people thought the tower was too big and too tall for the Annex neighbourhood, even though it would sit on Bloor Street at the southeast corner of Bedford Road, overlooking the University of Toronto campus to the south.

Watching One Bedford go up the past couple of years during occasional walks through the Annex, I’ve never thought the condo complex felt out of place. And now that the building is nearly finished, and partly occupied, I think the highrise fits into the area quite handsomely.  But while it’s a nice-looking addition to the Bloor streetscape, I’m sure it will be a catalyst for a drastic change in the character and atmosphere of the entire block.

With its limestone-clad podium, One Bedford certainly classes up a corner formerly occupied by some rather dumpy-looking low-rise buildings that housed several fast-food restaurants, including a busy Swiss Chalet location. One Bedford condosHowever, shops and reasonably-priced eateries catering to the area’s huge University of Toronto student population probably can’t afford the rents at One Bedford.

Two more upscale condo projects on the same block — Museum House, currently under construction, and Exhibit Residences, now in the pre-sale marketing stage — will probably push out even more student-oriented businesses.

A Bank of Montreal branch opened in part of One Bedford’s street level retail space three months ago, and I won’t be surprised if  high-end designer shops eventually lease out the remainder, extending Bloor Street’s famous “mink mile” upscale shopping district west to Bedford Road.

Perhaps the transformation was inevitable, since this stretch of Bloor Street has developed into an important culture corridor boasting such attractions as the Royal Conservatory of Music, the Royal Ontario Museum, the Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art, and the Bata Shoe Museum.

One change I’ve noticed already is that the Bloor-Bedford intersection feels windier with the tower on the corner. Every time I’ve walked on the southern stretch of Bedford Road in the last year, either on the east side right next to the condo tower, or on the west between Bloor and the St. George subway station entrance, I have felt like I was walking through a wind tunnel. I don’t recall being blasted by such strong gusts on Bedford before the condo was built. But I suppose it’s possible all my Annex visits just happened to be on breezy days.

A project of Lanterra Developments, One Bedford was designed by Bruce Kuwabara of Toronto’s Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg Architects, with Page + Steele as architect of record. The artistic rendering (above) is from the One Bedford website.

Below are some of my One Bedford photos; you’ll find more in the One Bedford album on the Photo Sets page of the blog.

 

One Bedford Condos

CN Tower view of One Bedford condo building (left) on November 2 2010


One Bedford condos

One Bedford viewed from corner of Bloor and Devonshire Place November 1 2010


One Bedford condos

Upper floors of One Bedford condo tower viewed November 1 2010


One Bedford condos

One Bedford streetscape along Bloor viewed on November 1 2010


One Bedford condos

One Bedford condos Bloor Street podium viewed November 1 2010


One Bedford condos

One Bedford condos viewed from Hoskin Avenue on November 1 2010


One Bedford condos

Looking up at the tower from Bedford Road


One Bedford Condos

Ongoing construction work in main entrance courtyard off Bedford Road


One Bedford condos

Fireplace and building nameplate on an exterior courtyard wall


One Bedford Condos

Northwest corner wing above Bedford Road


One Bedford Condos

Condo facade integrates the studio of Toronto architect John Lyle (1872 – 1945)


One Bedford condos

One Bedford podium viewed from the west along Bloor Street on January 9 2011


One Bedford condos

Interior design work orders taped to the windows of a tower suite


One Bedford condos

Main entrance courtyard (still under construction) viewed from Bedford Road


One Bedford condos

North side of One Bedford complex viewed from Bedford Road on January 9 2011


One Bedford condos

North side of tower viewed from Bedford Road near Prince Arthur Avenue


One Bedford condos

One Bedford viewed from corner of Bedford Road and Prince Arthur Avenue


One Bedford condos

Upper floors of One Bedford condo tower viewed from Prince Arthur Avenue


One Bedford condos

CN Tower view of One Bedford (upper right) overlooking the University of Toronto


One Bedford Condos

CN Tower view of Museum House (right) under construction near One Bedford



Varsity Stadium

Residents in south-facing suites at One Bedford will enjoy a great view of sports events at the University of Toronto’s Varsity Stadium directly across the street