Tag Archives: Davenport Road

Sales starting soon for 9-storey, 38-suite luxury condo development at Davenport & Hazelton

This building illustration appears on promotional signage at the corner site of the proposed 133 Hazelton Residences luxury condo project

Another promotional sign for 133 Hazelton Residences

Launch date approaching: A former high-end office interior design showroom on Davenport Road is being transformed into a sales centre for a high-end luxury condominium development proposed for the Yorkville neighbourhood.

Mizrahi Khalili Developments of Toronto has planned a 9-storey, 38-suite luxury condominium building for the southeast corner of Davenport Road and Hazelton Avenue, the former Yorkville location of plan b office (now situated at 380 King Street East). The 1-storey plan b building at 195 Davenport Road is currently under renovation for a September reincarnation as a condo showroom, while security fencing around the property is draped with signs advertising the exclusive 133 Hazelton Residences project.

According to the developer’s May 16 2011 rezoning application, 133 Hazelton will offer 130 square meters of ground-level retail space with 38 condominium residences on the floors above. The building will rise 31.5 meters (not including the mechanical penthouse), and will have an underground garage with 79 parking spots. Residences will be priced from $1 million to more than $7 million. The building is a design of Page + Steele IBI Group Architects, with interiors by Gluckstein Design.

With its September sales debut, 133 Hazelton will be the second posh condo project launched this year on Hazelton Avenue , a quiet leafy street lined with expensive brick mansions, townhouses, apartments, galleries and shops. Earlier this year, Alterra Group and Zinc Developments opened a sales centre for 36 Hazelton, a 7-storey, 18-suite boutique condo being built on the site of the historic St Basil’s Catholic School. That project was designed by Quadrangle Architects Limited, with interiors by Chapman Design Group Ltd. 36 Hazelton made international headlines in June when the project’s publicity firm announced that Hollywood star Mark Wahlberg had just purchased the 4,600-square-foot penthouse for $12 million. Will 133 Hazelton have similar star-drawing success? Stay tuned.

In the meantime, below are recent photos of the 133 Hazelton project site, along with some pics of the 36 Hazelton property. Additional information and photos of 36 Hazelton are available in my March 26 2011 post.

133 Hazelton Residences development proposal sign

133 Hazelton building illustration from the development proposal sign

133 Hazelton Residences condo development site plan

Google maps image of 195 Davenport Road when it was the showroom for plan b office, before the 133 Hazelton project was announced

July 13 2011: Promotional signage for 133 Hazelton Residences surrounds the condo site at 195 Davenport Road, just blocks from the new Four Seasons Hotel + Private Residences Toronto (left rear).

July 13 2011: Another view of the 133 Hazelton Residences project site at the southeast corner of Davenport Road and Hazelton Avenue

July 17 2011: A view of the site from the north side of Davenport Road

July 13 2011: The former plan b office showroom is being converted into a sales centre for the new condo project

July 17 2011: Looking west along Davenport Road toward the condo site and office/retail buildings at the SW corner of Hazelton Avenue

July 13 2011: Looking southeast along Davenport Road toward the 133 Hazelton Residences location

July 13 2011: Hazelton Avenue view of the condo development site

July 13 2011: Northeasterly view of the site from Hazelton Avenue

July 13 2011: 133 Hazelton’s immediate neighbour to the south, this brown brick office building at 131 Hazelton Avenue, used to be a cosmetic surgery institute

August 14 2011: Promotional signs for 133 Hazelton cover the security fencing around the development site

August 14 2011: Renovation work underway to transform the former showroom at 195 Davenport Road into the condo sales centre

August 14 2011: The developer anticipates a September launch for its new condo showroom, seen here from the west side of Hazelton Avenue

July 13 2011: The 36 Hazelton condo presentation centre on the project development site, the former St Basil’s Catholic School in Yorkville

July 13 2011: A 36 Hazelton building illustration on a billboard outside the presentation centre. Hollywood actor Mark Wahlberg has purchased the 4,600-square-foot penthouse for $12 million.

July 13 2011: Billboard outside the 36 Hazelton development site

July 13 2011: Window and brickwork details on the former St Basil’s School building that will be incorporated into the condo development

July 13 2011 The northeast corner of the St Basil’s School building

April 23 2011: 36 Hazelton Avenue seen prior to the opening of the condominium presentation centre

Mucking around at the Milan condo tower site

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Earth mover in the muck at the Milan condo tower excavation

Church Street view of the Milan condo excavation, looking northeast

Canadian Tire parking lot view of the Milan condo excavation, looking south

Messy mass of muck: At a property on the north end of Church Street, where the road makes a long sweeping curve to the northwest as it approaches Yonge Street, crews spent the entire winter digging out — literally. And they’re nowhere near finished yet. But it isn’t snow they’ve been shovelling; Toronto didn’t get much of the white stuff over the winter. Instead, the workers have been moving muddy brown earth by the truckload as they excavate the site where the Conservatory Group’s 37-storey Milan condominium tower will be built.

Designed by E.I. Richmond Architects Inc., the condo complex will occupy a wedge-shaped parcel of land bordered by the Canadian Tire store to the north and west, Church Street to the south, and the Yonge subway line to the east.

Below is a tower rendering from a billboard outside the Milan condo sales centre, along with another rendering — from the Milan website — suggesting how the condo’s podium rooftop terrace will look. There’s also a series of photos I’ve taken at the Milan site over the past three years, along with recent pics of some of Milan’s neighbours.

This rendering of the Milan condo tower appears on the exterior of the sales centre on Yonge Street. The condo tower will rise from a long podium that will stretch along the north side of Church Street.

Architectural rendering of Milan’s podium rooftop terrace

December 3 2008: Milan condo site viewed from Church Street looking north

December 3 2008: Milan billboard on the condo tower site

December 3 2008: Milan condo location viewed from Church Street looking north. A pay parking lot occupied the site until construction commenced

This notice, seen in September 2008, was posted next to the Milan site on Church Street for several years. If I recall correctly, stiff neighbourhood opposition to the two buildings originally proposed by a developer led city council to approve construction of only one taller tower instead

This sign also stood on Church Street next to the Milan site. My understanding is that, in the early 2000s, developers proposed building a complex of several condo towers and townhouses on the lands occupied by the big Canadian Tire store as well as on the parking area where Milan currently is under construction. However, Canadian Tire ultimately decided to retain and renovate its Yonge Street store instead, and sold off the parking lot property. Now only one tower is being built

December 3 2008: The Milan condo sales office in the two-storey building at left, and the Canadian Tire gas bar at the corner of Yonge & Church

December 3 2008: Milan will rise on the gas depot’s right side

July 25 2010: The parking lot has been closed and fenced off so the site can be prepared for excavation and construction of the condo tower

July 25 2010: Rubble remaining from structures demolished on the condo site. The Canadian Tire store and its parking lot are visible to the north

July 25 2010: Northeast view of demolition activity. A subway train can be seen passing the property (upper middle of the photo) along the Yonge subway line

November 1 2010: Preliminary site excavation work has begun

November 1 2010: Preliminary excavation work at the site’s northeast corner

November 1 2010: Pile driving and excavation equipment at work

November 1 2010: Eastward view toward the Milan site from a new parkette in front of the Lotus condo tower on Davenport Road at Yonge Street

January 9 2011: Eastward view of the Milan condo tower excavation

January 9 2011: Southeasterly view of the Milan condo excavation

January 9 2011: Snow-covered excavation at the west end of the site

March 16 2011: Excavation progress at the southeast corner of the site

March 16 2011: A sea of mud stretches all the way to the west end of the site next to the gas bar on Yonge Street, visible at the top left

March 16 2011: From Church Street, the Milan property slopes toward the TTC subway tracks and Aylmer Avenue in the Rosedale ravine

March 16 2011: The excavation is deepest on the north edge of the site

March 16 2011: The subway tracks run along on the other side of the wall

March 16 2011: Milan site looking northeast toward Rosedale

March 16 2011: Truck ramp from Church Street to the bottom of the pit

March 16 2011: Boots box in a muddy pit

March 16 2011: The ramp from the Church Street construction entrance

March 16 2011: Machines and equipment at the bottom of the ramp

March 16 2011: The deep pit below the Canadian Tire gas station

March 16 2011: The Milan excavation, looking south toward Church Street

March 16 2011: Foundation building machine at the bottom of the pit

March 16 2011: An earth mover in a muddy pool of water in the pit

March 16 2011: The entrance to the subway tunnel leading to the Bloor-Yonge subway station can be seen at the top left corner

March 16 2011: Canadian Tire view toward the Milan location

Milan’s neighbours to the south and east include several condo and apartment buildings, as well as The Bay and CIBC office towers at Yonge & Bloor (rear right)

March 16 2011: Canadian Tire southeast view of the Milan location

The Toronto Reference Library is situated directly across Church Street from Milan; the office towers at Bloor & Yonge are just a short walk south

March 16 2011: Davenport Road view toward the Milan site. The 37-storey condo tower will dominate this view once construction is complete

March 16 2011: One of Milan’s neighbours will be the MTV studios in the historic Masonic Temple building on the corner of Yonge Street and Davenport Road

Milan’s neighbours to the west are the two Four Seasons Toronto hotel and condo towers currently under construction (left), and the Lotus condos (right)

Florian’s classy curves go with the Davenport flow

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The Florian’s long sweeping podium hugs the curve on Davenport Road

Ship shape: When I view The Florian from certain angles, I sometimes feel like I’m looking up at the prow of a tall, grand Cunard ocean liner, like the Queen Mary 2.

That’s the visual impact, on me, of the long, curved podium that draws to a sharp point at the east and west ends of the 25-storey luxury condominium complex currently under construction on Davenport Road, at the northern tip of Bay Street. It won’t be crossing any oceans, but from its berth along the big bend on busy Davenport Road, The Florian will overlook a steady stream of traffic flowing past. Away from the street, The Florian’s crescent-shaped site will be a sea of tranquillity, with lush secluded gardens and landscaped rooftop terraces.

And like a Cunard liner, The Florian will exude class and sophistication: though it’s more than 80% sold, suites are still available at prices ranging from $1 million to more than $3 million.

A project by Diamante Development Corporation, The Florian was designed in a joint venture by Toronto architects Young + Wright / IBI Group Architects and David Pontarini of Hariri Pontarini Architects.

Below is a rendering of the condo entrance, from The Florian website, along with a series of photos I shot recently. More renderings can be viewed at this link on the Hariri Pontarini website.

The podium’s west tip reminds me of a ship’s prow

The Florian condo tower viewed from the northwest tip of Bay Street

Upper floor construction at The Florian on January 29 2011

Safety netting and construction forms protrude from the upper floors

Billboard outside The Florian condo presentation centre

The Florian condo presentation centre on Davenport Road

Looking up at The Florian tower from south side of Davenport Road

South side of The Florian condo tower faces Bay Street

The Florian’s lower levels along Davenport Road

Graceful sweeping curve of the podium on Davenport Road

Looking up the southwest corner of The Florian tower

Brickwork on The Florian facade above Davenport Road

Another view of the west point of The Florian podium

Balconies on The Florian’s southeast corner

Columns at street level on The Florian’s long curved podium

The Florian and the new Four Seasons towers viewed from Davenport Road

Another view of The Florian and Four Seasons Toronto towers

Gracefully curved balconies on The Florian condo south side

The Florian condo podium bends with the curve of Davenport Road

Main entrance to The Florian will be under this point on the east side

Website artistic rendering of The Florian condo entrance

The Florian condo tower viewed from the east on Davenport Road

City Scene: Yorkville’s highrise building boom

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Davenport Road (near Bay Street) view of new towers being built in Yorkville

Growing up: Construction activity is apparent in practically every corner of downtown, and the Yorkville neighbourhood is no exception.

Pedestrians and drivers approaching Bay Street along Davenport Road are greeted by this view of three highrise towers currently under construction: The Florian condo building (left) and the two towers of the new Four Seasons Toronto Hotel and Private Residences.

Meanwhile, just beyond the bend in the road, east of Bay, there’s more construction in progress. Excavation is underway for the Milan condominium tower on Church near Yonge, while in a few years’ time there could be as many as three towers rising right behind The Florian on McMurrich Street.

31-storey copper-toned condo tower aims to draw Yorkville district’s golden glow to Davenport Road

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Artistic rendering of The Yorkville Condominiums, a 31-storey luxury tower proposed for the corner of Davenport Road and McMurrich Street.

More new digs for Dav: The drab two-block stretch of Davenport Road between Yonge and Bay Streets keeps improving, slowly but surely.

At Yonge, the wedge-shaped parcel of land dividing Davenport from Scollard Street brightened up a bit when the Lotus condominium opened in 2008. Sadly, it took more than two years before work finally finished on a new public square in the awkward triangle at the front of the condo highrise. Paving stones, landscaping, lighting and benches weren’t installed until late summer 2010, but the narrow, long parkette instantly became a huge hit with the local pigeon population.

Meanwhile, The Florian luxury condo has been under construction just a short distance away, where Davenport twists to the northwest at its intersection with Bay. Once the location of an Infinity dealership and a Premier fitness club, the elegant 90-suite Florian promises to class up the corner with its gracefully curved brick and glass facade.

Now, Lifetime Developments has proposed a new neighbour for the site immediately east of The Florian, currently the offices of Moriyama and Teshima Architects. Lifetime’s latest venture, The Yorkville Condominiums, will be a 31-storey glass condo tower with six “executive” townhouses at the corner of Davenport and McMurrich Street. The project is being designed by Rudy Wallman of Wallman Architects, who also designed the Victory Condos development on King Street West that I profiled in a post several days ago.

So far, I’m ambivalent about his design for The Yorkville, though I admit the only drawing I’ve seen is the one displayed on its website and marketing materials (and shown at the top of this post). First time I saw it, I loved the building … but the more I look at it, the more I wonder if it’s just the artist’s choice of colours that appeal to me. At times, I think some elements of the tower — particularly the roof, the five floors that angle out from the south face of the tower, and the long rectangular gold stripe of glass down the east wall — are merely bold, attention-seeking design gimmicks that scream “Look at me!” Other times, I think those very same features look cool, and give the tower a distinctive appearance.

Maybe I’ll make up my mind once I see more renderings or models. Most likely, this is a building I’ll have to see in finished form before I can tell if I truly like it or not. Either way, I do think The Yorkville will improve this part of Davenport Road and enhance the neighbourhood, so I’ll be happy to see it go up.

Below are some photos I snapped of the proposed development site recently, along with a pic of the pigeon parkette at Lotus.