Toronto Condo and Real Estate Blog

Excerpt from an article by Valerie Hauch - Toronto Star

Buyers know exactly what they’re getting if they buy into the Exclusive Towns on Danforth.

That’s because the Sierra Building Group project, consisting of eight freehold townhomes, is already built. Occupancy at the 1755 Danforth Ave. site can be immediate, says Sierra president Morris Kansun. “In fact, one buyer has already moved in.

Each of the townhomes has an all-brick exterior with pre-cast accents and a finished garage. Standard features include hardwood floors, ceramic tiles, granite countertops, upgraded cabinetry and stainless steel appliances.

There are two models of homes available, the Broadway, which is 1,594 square feet and is priced at $399,000 and the Pinnacle, which is 1,928 square feet and priced at $428,000.

There will be a $70-a-month fee for homeowners for maintenance of the laneway and snow shovelling in winter.

Sierra has been building homes in the GTA, Collingwood and in the United States for more than 20 years.

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Bell Canada’s ‘overbuilt’ complex finds new life as Network Lofts

Excerpt from an article by W.D. Lighthall - Toronto Star

Back in 1971, Bell Canada overdid it. That year, Bell built a combined office building and switching station near the intersection of Islington Ave. and Bloor St. W.

A development team of Finer Space Construction and The Alterra Group will soon start converting the 12-storey former Bell building into a 13-storey loft building called Network Lofts.

The Network Lofts building suits a loft conversion because ceiling heights average 10 1/2 feet and the extra structural strength allows for wide spans between columns and load-bearing concrete walls.”With residential lofts, you have to provide lots of natural light. We will change the character and feel of the place,” says Barnett. “When you have a stretch of window 10 1/2 feet high, it’s almost like being outside.”

The conversion work involves removing the old mechanical and electrical systems and replacing them with systems that meet current building-code standards, as well as the expectations of today’s loft buyers.

The mechanical floor will then be converted into two-storey loft units with ceiling heights open to the 17-foot mark.Located across the street from the Islington subway station and just west of the Kingsway Village, the building sat empty for about a year after Bell moved out and put it up for sale. Barnett says it makes good sense to convert the building from office to residential use.

Network Lofts will offer one and two-bedroom units, with and without dens. Prices start at $159,990 and units range from 573 square feet to more than 1,200 square feet.

Network Lofts features include ceiling heights ranging from 10 feet to 17 feet, polished concrete floors, exposed concrete columns and oversized windows.

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By Sydnia Yu - The Globe and Mail

The line outside the sales office for the new Network Lofts at Bloor and Islington started at 4:30 a.m. By the time the doors opened at 11 a.m. there were about 300 people waiting to get in and an estimated 500 visited the site by the time the doors closed — testament to the strength of the Toronto loft conversion market and the draw of good location and attractive design.

The Alterra Group’s Network Lofts development in West Kingsway is so modern it has its own blog. At NetworkLofts.blogspot.com, it’s explained that the building started life in 1971 as a Bell Canada office and was reborn this year as a loft conversion.

The website, created by the public relations team at Bradley Moseley-Williams, is a fun way for visitors to get up-to-date news on the project, as well as design tips and reviews of local restaurants. It also posts images taken from the 11th-floor model suites of the residential neighbourhood below, with its ravines, many trees and high-end retailers.

The Network Lofts building has 12-storeys plus a new penthouse floor, and a total of 205 units. Move-in dates are scheduled for spring 2007.

It was built originally for hundreds of employees and visitors, and included many elevators, a parking garage, as well as industrial heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems.

While the character of the converted office building will be maintained — from its original thick, industry-standard floors to columns with a radius of nearly 30 inches — it will be modernized inside and out.

The exterior will be replaced with anodized steel and extra-paned, floor-to-ceiling windows to provide more light exposure and soundproofing.

The Network Lofts lobby will have a hip, boutique feel, with rich, classic materials such as dark wood and stone. There will be six elevators, one of which will be designated for the penthouse floor.

The lofts will range in size from one bedroom to two bedrooms and a den. Ceilings will be 10½ feet in standard units and up to 17 feet in two-storey suites on the 8th floor where the building’s mechanical room was originally located.

There will be polished concrete or hardwood floors, and some kitchens will feature open-concept designs conducive to cooking and entertaining.

The maintenance fee is yet to be determined, but it is expected that an industrial heat pump will save money for residents by recirculating air during shoulder seasons, reducing the demand for conventional heating and air conditioning.

There will be a concierge service, fitness centre, party room and underground parking.

The Network Lofts is near the subway and GO Transit, and a short drive from major highways.

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