Tag Archives: Front Street

This rendering of the curvelinear Trinity Lofts building appears on signage posted on hoarding at the condo construction site on Eastern Avenue

July 1 2011: Looking west toward the Trinity Lofts condo construction site and the skyscrapers of Toronto’s Financial District

Curved condo: The sharp bend in the road where Eastern Avenue meets Front Street is going to get a lot more visually interesting for passing motorists in just a few months’ time. Right now, all that passersby can see is a tall red crane soaring above the middle of a wedge-shaped piece of property on the north side of Eastern Avenue, between Trinity and Erin Streets. Behind the poster-covered wooden hoarding that surrounds the site, work is progressing three levels below grade on the foundation for Trinity Lofts, an eight-storey condo building with a dramatic curvelinear design that will match the bend on Eastern Avenue. As building progresses above street level, likely sometime in late summer, passersby will get to watch the curve take shape.

A project of Streetcar Developments, Trinity Lofts will have 81 loft condos in floorplans ranging from a 535-square-foot 1-bedroom (with prices starting at $329,900) to an 813-square-foot 2-bedroom + den with 101-square foot balcony (starting at $491,900). The building will have two townhomes; TH01 is a 1,697-square-foot 2-bedroom with den and 582-square-foot garden going for $809,900. Occupancy is expected for around this time next summer.

Streetcar certainly picked a great location for this project, one of several small condo complexes it has either already built or is currently constructing in the downtown’s booming Lower Eastside (a July 9 2010 article from the Toronto Star describes the various projects). Located one block south of King Street, the building is just a short streetcar ride from the Financial District, only a two-minute walk from the Distillery District, and within reasonably short walking distance of furniture and grocery stores, including the St Lawrence Market. It’s also just a short walk from the new Don River Park that is being built to the southeast as one of the Lower Eastside developments underway for the 2015 Pan Am Games. Loft owners feeling too lazy to walk anywhere won’t have to go far to find wheels — there’s several car dealerships right across the street and around the corner. And the location should feel extra-safe and secure for anyone except fugitives on the lam: It’s right right across Erin Street from the Toronto’s 51 Division police headquarters.

I’ve walked and cycled past the Trinity Lofts site several times in recent months, but haven’t been able to see what’s happening behind the solid wall of construction hoarding. However, the photo below (a screen shot from the Trinity Lofts project website) shows construction progress as of last month. The others are photos I’ve snapped recently showing the condo location viewed from different perspectives on Eastern Avenue.

Foundation construction progress photo from the Trinity Lofts condo project website

July 1 2011: Eastern Avenue view of the construction site, looking north

July 1 2011: The Trinity Lofts condo building site extends along Eastern Avenue from Erin Street (left) to Trinity Street

July 1 2011: Northeasterly view of the site from Eastern Avenue

April 30 2011: Like most new condos, Trinity Lofts will have street-level retail

Demolition derby: Contractors busy ripping up and tearing down to build The Berczy condos

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Lower Church Street view of The Berczy condo site on March 7 2011: Demolition progress means much of the Flatiron building is now visible across the site…

…compared to February 3 2011, when the old 3-storey buildings on the corner of Church and Front still blocked sight of the Toronto landmark.

Demolition derby: It’s been two months since I first reported on construction progress at The Berczy condominium, a project of Concert Real Estate Corporation.

In my January 13 post, I noted that hoarding had been installed around The Berczy site, and demolition had started on the Church Street building that formerly housed one of The Keg steakhouse restaurants. Since then, demolition crews have been making steady progress clearing the site.

When I passed by in February, they were taking apart the three-storey building that sat on the southwest corner of Church and Front Streets. Last week that building was gone, and for the first time you could see most of Front Street’s famous Gooderham Flatiron Building from the bottom two blocks of Church Street at The Esplanade.

Below are photos showing the demolition activity on February 3 and March 7.

Lower Church Street view of demolition activity on February 3 2011. Only the rooftop of the Gooderham Flatiron Building on Front Street is visible.

Demolition at the south end of The Berczy site on February 3 2011

The middle of The Berczy site, looking west toward the CN Tower.

The CN Tower and Toronto’s Financial District skyscrapers loom to the west

Demolition work behind buildings that will be razed on the south side of Front St.

Top floor being removed from the building on the corner of Church & Front

Crews are busy demolishing the third floor behind the safety netting

The demolition site and the Gooderham Flatiron Building, seen February 3 2011

The Berczy condo construction site viewed from The Esplanade on March 7 2011. Most of the Flatiron Building is now visible from the bottom of Church Street.

Northwest view of The Berczy site and Flatiron Building on March 7 2011.

Two flagmen directing traffic in, out and past The Berczy construction site

The building at the southwest corner of Church & Front Street has been demolished; another is partially dismantled.

Demolition activity at The Berczy condo construction site on March 7 2011

Three backhoes arrange huge piles of debris from the demolished buildings

I’m sure it would have been contrary to the Fire Code and a violation of municipal bylaws, but these woodpiles would have made spectacular Berczy bonfires

The construction crews never block access to the portable toilets!

The crews are creating two huge heaps of brick and wood rubble

One of the buildings along Front Street that’s being torn down

Rêve makes a bold statement at Front & Bathurst

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Rêve King West condo construction progress on January 14 2011

Rêve it up: It’s just 14 stories tall, but because of its dark greyish-black glass facade and red accent trim, not to mention its imposing physical size, the Rêve King West condo wields a commanding presence near the northeast corner of Front Street West and Bathurst Street.

This place looks huge from most perspectives, including from the CN Tower’s observation deck. It completely dominates the block, looming over low-rise office buildings and dwarfing adjacent townhouses as it stretches from Front Street in the front (of course) to Niagara Street in the back.

Thankfully, Rêve now draws attention away from the ugly 9-storey beige condo building right next door at 550 Front that up until now had been the most noticeable structure on the street (unfortunately).

I recall going to a party in a two-storey upper-level suite at 550 around five or six years ago. The only thing I liked about 550 was that this particular unit had a spacious private rooftop terrace with a panoramic view from west to east. Less than half of the complex’s townhouses had been built at that point, so there was an empty lot down below. I can’t recall whether there was a building, parking lot or just an empty space next door, where Rêve is rising. But I do remember the host saying the site was slated for development. When someone asked if a bigger, taller building might go up next door, spoiling his terrace view and privacy, he wasn’t worried. “It’ll never happen,” he insisted.

It almost didn’t. Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide had acquired the site with plans to build its first Toronto hotels bearing the aloft and element brand names. The two hotels would have shared the one building; element is a chain geared to the extended-stay travel market, while aloft is a trendy brand aimed at short-stay visitors. Excavation and foundation building work commenced before the global financial crisis, but in January 2009 construction came to a halt when the hotel project was put on hold.

Midway through the year, Tridel Corporation acquired the site and resumed construction, this time building Rêve, rather than a hotel. Aiming for completion later this year, Rêve will have 305 units, including 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom suites.

I’ll be curious to see what happens with the vacant property next door, the former Harley-Davidson motorcycles downtown location. Will Rêve get a new condo neighbour to its west? Stay tuned.

Below is a Tridel rendering of Rêve, plus some of my photos of the building during various stages of construction.

Tridel artistic rendering of Rêve King West condo building

Rêve King West condos excavation on September 26 2008

Rêve King West condo site viewed March 11 2010 before cranes were installed and construction resumed on the foundation built before Tridel acquired the property

Rêve King West condo site viewed from Bathurst St bridge March 11 2010: Tridel hoarding surrounds the property but the construction crane isn’t yet in place.

CN Tower view of Rêve King West condos location on November 2 2010

CN Tower view of Rêve King West condos on November 2 2010

Rêve King West condos viewed from Victoria Memorial Park on November 23 2010

Window installation on north side of Rêve King West condos November 23 2010

Rêve King West condos viewed from Bathurst St bridge November 23 2010

Rêve King West condos viewed from Bathurst St bridge November 23 2010 Construction progress in just two months: Niagara Street views of Rêve King West condos on November 23 2010 (left) and on January 14 2011