Tag Archives: bathurst
New in Toronto real estate: Origami Lofts
Robyn Urback – blogTO
Origami Lofts is a condo development inspired — I think — by little paper cranes. Or, to borrow directly from marketing-speak, it is a “beautiful series of angular folds and sleek cutouts that hide and reveal, soothe and provoke.” I’m not entirely sure how a building serves to “soothe and provoke,” but I think I’ll leave that statement unexamined. A Symmetry project at Bathurst and Queen, Origami will be modest in height, ostentatious with angles, and is already being snatched up by buyers. Maybe low-rise is the way to go? Here’s a closer look at Origami.
SPECS
Address: 202 Bathurst Street
Exterior: Glass, metal cladding
Number of floors: 7
Total number of units: 23 (incl. four 2-storey penthouses)
Type of units: Studio, one-bedroom + den, two-bedroom + den
Unit sizes: 387 – 983 square feet
Ceiling height: 9 feet
Prices from: $229,900
Parking: $35,000
Maintenance: $0.50/sf
Locker: $4,000
Architect: Teeple Architects
Interior design: DK Studio
Expected occupancy: November 2014
THE GOOD
Let the sardines live in their 34th floor, seventh unit, 500-square foot income-drains. With just 23 units, Origami offers a bit of exclusivity in a market saturated with homogenous, cookie-cutter condos. Yeah, I’m taking about you guys. While there are some drawbacks to living in a smaller building (few amenities, most notably), I’d say the benefits far outweigh the limitations. There’s less wear and tear on common spaces and elements, for one, plus greater familiarity with neighbours, better cohesion when something goes wrong, and (generally speaking) less noise. Personally, I’m glad to see that Bathurst and Queen will not be taken over by some giant mega-structure (like some other forlorn intersections we all know) and that developers here have opted for a little architectural ingenuity. Origami looks like it will complement the area without overpowering it.
And speaking of the area, the stretch of Bathurst north of Queen has the good fortune of being just at the cusp of some serious upgrades. Or at the very least, it certainly looks that way. For now, there are a still a few vacant and boarded-up retail spaces nearby, but the west side does have a relatively new Starbucks in its corner (sorry Starbucks-haters, but that’s a good thing if you’re investing in real estate) and a couple new shops that might add to its edge. For now, would-be Origami residents can get in somewhere around $600-$650 per square foot range, which isn’t an outstanding deal, but not a half-bad price either. In fact, it’s probably right where it should be for a condo by two streetcar lines and near endless cafes, shops, and restaurants, but with an immediate vicinity that could use a touch of work.
THE BAD
In an ideal condo-living world, you’d be able to have a concierge/front door security and as few as 23 units in your building. Unfortunately, this is real life (someone should tell Donald Trump) and a person at the door is far too expensive for a building with so few suites. So I understand why Origami is without concierge, but it doesn’t change the fact that Queen and Bathurst can sometimes get quite… animated. And before I’m accosted with accusations of “spoiled little suburban girl” (which is untrue — I’m not little), let me just say that I realize that there are plenty of other residences in the area without anyone guarding the entrance. And that’s fine, both for living and renting. But when it’s time to appraise the value of a condo unit for purchase, security issues — either real or perceived — can certainly affect your overall bottom line. Especially when it comes time for resale; something to keep in mind as an inevitable drawback of purchasing in a low-rise.
Can I ask a serious question? What ever happened to the double-bowl inset sink? Did all of Toronto’s developers get together about five years ago and decide that two basins was a needless frivolity? If so, I’d like to invite them over to do my dishes after cooking for more than two guests. While I must say that the majority of Origami’s suites do look pretty fine — many with plenty of windows, interesting angles, some with semi-ensuite bathrooms and multiple closets — the kitchens, as is often the case, are lacking. These “appliance walls” as I prefer to call them, typically offer little by way of pantry or other cupboard space, never mind counters that would be overwhelmed by the presence of a simple coffeemaker, and the aforementioned sorry single-bowl sinks. What’s a buyer gotta do for a little counter space? (Ante-up for customization, I know.)
THE VERDICT
It is good looking. Invest in a heavy-duty bike lock.
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Contact the Jeffrey Team for more information – 416-388-1960
Laurin & Natalie Jeffrey are Toronto Realtors with Century 21 Regal Realty.
They did not write these articles, they just reproduce them here for people
who are interested in Toronto real estate. They do not work for any builders.
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New condo an example of planning process pitfalls
City building is about having a vision and sticking to it, not giving in
John Sewell – Post City
Did you hear about the development application that the city planners and council turned down because it didn’t meet the city plan?
No, I didn’t think you did. In Toronto, planning doesn’t work that way. Instead, the usual procedure is hardly different from what’s happening at the southeast corner of Bathurst and St. Clair, to use one example. There a developer opened an office in January and started selling condos for a 25-storey tower he wants to build.
Responding to neighbourhood concerns, the councillor called a community meeting a few months later where the developer reported he had sold most of the 324 units. The city planner said she’d been considering an even higher building on the site for the last two years. Her report said the city’s official plan designated the area as a mixed-use, mid-rise area where a building could be no more than 30 metres high or about 10 storeys.
Many at the meeting were pleased to learn that the city would not permit anything more than 10 storeys. A few said they welcomed the condo project since it would allow them to buy into an area they couldn’t otherwise afford. Some said that since other buildings in the block were two, three and four storeys, even a 10-storey building would be too much. The developer said that since there was a 22-storey building on the northwest corner and a building only slightly smaller under construction beside it, he thought 28 storeys made sense.
The planner thanked everyone for their opinions and said she’d report to city council.
But she didn’t report.
Instead, she and the councillor called another community meeting in June to talk about the need to do a study of the block on which the development was proposed and the park across the street. What should happen in this quadrant, the councillor and planner asked? Studies had been done on other parts of St. Clair — those studies allowed very high buildings to the west of Bathurst. A similar study was needed here, they said. People were asked to suggest the improvements that should be made in Hillcrest Park, although residents were warned there was no money in the budget for this. It felt like people were being tricked.
Many residents asked if it was true that the developer had bought more properties on the block and might buy out a small apartment building beside his proposed tower and move the residents — it is occupied by individuals who require social supports — into a better facility. There were no answers. The meeting became very contentious since many residents believed the rationale for the study was to change the city’s plan so the developer was not constrained by the 10-storey height limit.
That’s where the matter stands. It seems the city is looking for the rationale to change the plan so the developer gets what he has asked for.
Many hints have been made that, if the developer can get approval for 28 storeys, then the city can negotiate for money under Section 37 of the Planning Act. For the 22-storey building on the northwest corner, negotiations swept aside the 10-storey limit and produced $1 million, which helped renovate the Artscape Wychwood Barns — a two-storey community facility a few blocks away. The Artscape Barns is a great success, but some residents are unwilling to sell their soul to do something like that again.
Yet it looks like that’s what is happening. Planning in this city seems to be about finding a way to loosen the agreed-upon land-use constraints so developers can have their way. It should be about creating a plan that will make a vibrant city and provide predictability for developers and for the community. Look in any corner of the city and it’s abundantly clear city council doesn’t agree with planning for the future. It only wants to accommodate developers.
Couldn’t we stop this short-sightedness for a minute and focus on strong plans for neighbourhoods?
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Contact the Jeffrey Team for more information – 416-388-1960
Laurin & Natalie Jeffrey are Toronto Realtors with Century 21 Regal Realty.
They did not write these articles, they just reproduce them here for people
who are interested in Toronto real estate. They do not work for any builders.
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Bathurst Quay silos may be next for redevelopment
Kimberly Spice – The Bulletin
A final verdict about what to do with the crumbling Canadian Malting silos and how the surrounding grounds will be developed is still a ways off, but with Build Toronto now at the helm, things should start moving ahead.
The city’s real estate services office appointed Build Toronto to oversee the project and to assess how future development will occur.
“We are working right now and unfortunately we don’t have too much we can disclose but we are working with a number of stakeholders on that site to try and get an understanding for potential use and to get an understanding of the infrastructure there so we are just in our investigative stage,” stated Natalie Pastuszak, stakeholder and communications associate for Build Toronto.
Currently the Toronto Port Authority has a three-year lease to use the lands as a vehicle drop off and pick up area while a pedestrian tunnel is being built connecting the mainland to the island airport, which may bring the neighbourhood some relief from lawless taxi drivers.
The Bathurst Quay Neighbourhood Association (BQNA) is one of the community stakeholders that has received early warning of the project.
“The tunnel has to be finished first, and that’s two years away,” the BQNA’s Tony Makepeace commented in an email. “As well, the thorny issue of the taxi corral has to be sorted out when the land lease expires in three years. So even in the best case scenario there won’t be anything happening soon. My best guess is three years.”
The Canadian Malting silos, located at the south end of Bathurst, became a historical site in 1973. In September 2010 the adjacent buildings on the property were demolished to make way for future development.
Earlier versions of redevelopment plans included the long-awaited acquatics centre and swimming pool for the Harbourfront Community Centre and Waterfront School complex.
Information about Build Toronto can be found at buildtoronto.ca.
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Contact the Jeffrey Team for more information – 416-388-1960
Laurin & Natalie Jeffrey are Toronto Realtors with Century 21 Regal Realty.
They did not write these articles, they just reproduce them here for people
who are interested in Toronto real estate. They do not work for any builders.
—————————————————————————————————–
Incoming search terms
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