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New in Toronto real estate: Volta Lofts

March 21, 2013 New Toronto Condos & Lofts, Toronto Lofts For Sale, Toronto Soft Lofts, West Toronto Real Estate

Robyn Urback – blogTO

Volta Lofts is “loft-inspired” living set to arrive at Annette and Runnymede. This project is modest in scale with fewer than 20 units, with its greatest amenity set outside its front door. Yes, fresh pies and specialties cheeses just steps from its entrance. While this condo will surely appeal to those backing low-rise living and west-end personality, its roomy suites are limited only to those with grandiose pocketbooks to match. Here is a closer look at Volta Lofts.

SPECS

Address: 588 Annette Street
Floors: 5
Total number of units: 19
Ground level retail units: 2
Elevators: 1
Types of units: One bedroom plus den, two bedroom plus den
Unit sizes (in square feet): 812-1,313
Ceiling heights: 9.0′
Prices from (available units): Mid-$500,00′s
Maintenance fees: $0.28
Developer: Terra Firma Homes
Amenities/building features: Computer entry access, rooftop solar panel system
Expected occupancy: 2014

THE GOOD

Annette Street is a little west end gem that’s not typically given the love it deserves. It has a charming almost small-town feel complete with people who actually smile to each other on the sidewalk, offering a nice alternative to the, “Hey buddy; stop leaning on my bike,” that you might find on, say, Richmond Street. Volta Lofts inhabitants will have everything country-chic at their doorstep, including a cheese shop and market food store, a place to pick up fresh pies, a mom & pop pizza shop, an organic butcher shop, and lots more. So, in terms of community, this address is great. Other location perks include proximity to High Park, Bloor West Village and the Junction, along with Runnymede subway station about a 15-minute walk away.

The building itself seems to do its best to not disrupt the delicate ecosystem of Annette. Space for two retail shops means it will offer something to the area beyond a handful of new neighbours, and while I don’t find the architecture to be particularly stunning, Volta Lofts does come off as fairly inoffensive. Now, the suites themselves do deliver in terms of dazzle, outfitted with walk-in closets, spacious terraces (some with a private master suite terrace), kitchen islands with double-basin sinks, and some with washrooms equipped with separate bathtubs and shower stalls. Naturally, however, you get what you pay for, and Volta Lofts is far from a $300,000 shoebox in the sky.

THE BAD

What is this – a kitchen for ants?! Okay, that’s not totally fair (buyers can customize their kitchen packages, after all), but Volta Lofts’ kitchen rendering looks as though developers took a regular-sized kitchen and scaled it down for Fisher Price size. I’d wager it’d be a huge hit for kids. In any case, the big drawback of Volta Lofts floorplans seems to be with its two-bedroom and two-bedroom-plus den units. In short, only one bedroom (the master) gets a window. The other (or others, in the case of an extra bedroom plus den) is typically relegated to a corner of the suite, blocked off from natural light and usually equipped with a simple sliding door. It’s not ideal, to say the least, for a buyer spending upwards of $750,000; at the very minimum, he or she should be guaranteed a window in every bedroom.

The other drawback, of course, is price, with Volta figures sort of steep compared to other properties in the area. If you head a couple blocks north you can find three-bedroom detached homes priced in the $500,000 to $600,00 — options which, notably, come with a little bit of land and freedom from mandatory maintenance fees.

THE VERDICT

Great location. You’ll get more room, sunlight, (and potentially, return on your investment) with a house a few blocks north, but those private terraces and master bathrooms sure are purdy.

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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 in Toronto real estate: 707 Lofts

March 15, 2013 New Toronto Condos & Lofts, Toronto Soft Lofts, West Toronto Real Estate

Robyn Urback – blogTO

707 Lofts is a new Bloorcourt development that will replace a Dovercourt funeral home and a row of adjacent houses. In other words, not for the ghost-fearing condo buyer. Designed with loft living in mind (read: it’s a new structure), this project has seen much community input and developers have eventually settled on a plan of five floors instead of eight. Amenities are minimal and so too is unit square footage, but the location can’t be beat and the price is just about right. Here is a closer look at 707 Lofts.

SPECS

Address: 707 Dovercourt Road
Floors: 5
Total number of units: 77
Elevators: 2
Types of units: Studio, one bedroom, two bedroom, two-plus-den
Unit sizes (in square feet): 384 – 866
Ceiling heights: 9.0′-10.0′
Prices from: Low $300,000′s
Parking: Included
Locker: $4,500
Maintenance fees: $0.49
Developer: Enirox Group
Architect: Tact Architecture
Amenities: Party room, outdoor BBQ area
Expected occupancy: TBD (currently under construction)

THE GOOD

Excellent suite-to-elevator ratio. I’m consistently baffled when it comes to developers who try to get away with two elevators for a 300-unit building. Yes, elevator wells can’t rake in the same type of cash as 20 storeys of studio suites, but you would think some potential buyers would be deterred by the perpetual wait that comes with too few elevators serving too many people. In any case, 707 Lofts clearly won’t have this problem.

Location, naturally, is the big draw for this project. Steps to Bloor and walking distance to both Ossington and Dufferin Stations, this area has a heavy residential presence with plenty of independent restaurants, shops and cafes within a few minutes of the loft site. Dufferin Grove Park is also less than five minutes away, offering potential residents the opportunity the shop its farmers’ market every Thursday afternoon. The five-storey structure will certainly stand out from the semis and detached homes presently blanketing the area, but it shouldn’t be such a stark contract as to upset the family-community vibe. In other words – could be worse? A compelling reason to laud a condo, indeed.

Pricing is, perhaps, a more persuasive point. Maintenance fees are starting off low, and with any luck, they will remain low due to 707 Lofts’ relatively few building amenities. Most suites can be purchased for somewhere in the $550-per-square-foot range, which is probably right where it should be for this address in Bloorcourt Village. However, since many of 707′s units have already been snatched up, you may have to fork over a little more if your floor plan of choice is being offered by a third party.

THE BAD

Believe it or not, Enirox, some one-bedroom units are given 600 square feet of living space. But here, you’ve assigned 609 square feet (and, granted, a 224 square foot terrace) to a two-bedroom unit with one bathroom. That’s almost as bad at the 384 square-foot bachelor, and the collection of one-bedroom condos wherein the unit bedrooms don’t have windows. Poor show.

This project is symptomatic of the developer trap of trying to cram as many units as possible into a single structure (“trap”) resulting in floors of narrow units with little by way of natural light. Some of the smaller one-bedroom layouts also don’t lend themselves to any sort of dining setup, meaning you’ll either have to eat on the couch or over that single under mounted stainless steel sink. If you can spring for one of the two-bed, two-bath, fifth floor suites you’ll be all set, but otherwise, you’re left with slim pickings in terms of livability.

THE VERDICT

Good idea, poor execution. Not for the superstitious.

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Contact the Jeffrey Team for more information – 416-388-1960

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New in Toronto real estate: Origami Lofts

November 19, 2012 Downtown Toronto Real Estate, New Toronto Condos & Lofts, Planning & Development, Toronto Soft 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

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TORONTO REAL ESTATE BLOG

Laurin and Natalie Jeffrey are Toronto real estate agents. We would be happy to help you find your new Toronto home — be it house or condo or loft. We would also be more than pleased to help you sell your current Toronto property.

Century 21 Regal Realty Inc. Brokerage
1332 Queen Street West
Toronto Ontario M6K 1L4
Office Phone: 416−849−5360
Office Fax: 416−849−8987

Laurin Cell: 416−388−1960
Laurin Email: laurin@jeffreyteam.com

Natalie Cell: 416−318−7917
Natalie Email: natalie@jeffreyteam.com

The vast majority of content on this blog is not written by Laurin or Natalie Jeffery. It is written by many different authors, for many different publications and websites.

We re-print these articles here as a collection of Toronto real estate news and information. We aim for this blog to be a one-stop shop for people looking for information on Toronto real estate.

We do not claim any of the information we did not write as our own. We do not work for any publication, nor any builder. We are Registered Real Estate Sales People working for Century 21 Regal Realty Inc. Brokerage.