North York City Centre - Willowdale : Development News

This Saturday, Tridel will be launching its next project, an uncharacteristically mid-rise 9-storey building called Blythwood at Huntington at Bayview and Lawrence.

With 120 suites, "it's definitely a high-end luxury building," says Tridel spokesman Samson Fung.

The suites will range from 900 square feet up to just under 3,000 and will cost from the mid-$500s to about $2.5 million.

According to Fung, the building will follow previous Tridel projects in going for LEED certification Fung says they're fairly confident they'll get at least silver, "but we're going to go for gold."

Designed by Kirkor Architects, the building is the first of two that will ultimately make up what Tridel is calling the Huntington community. The other will be named Sherwood at Huntington.

Fung says that, depending on sales, construction will probably begin next year, with an occupancy goal of early 2013.

Writer: Bert Archer
Source: Samson Fung


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Concord Adex isn't the only developer creating new 21st-century neighbourhoods in this city. The El-Ad Group, a North American developer with Israeli roots, is near completion on new rental buildings, replacements for old ones they recently demolished at Sheppard and Don Mills that are the first stage in a multiphase development that Netanel Ben-Or, El-Ad's vice president of development, says will transform the area.

"You won't recognize this area five or six years from now," he says. "We're making new neighbourhoods, that's our philosophy, this is what we believe in. So people in the future, when you ask where they live, they will say they live in Emerald City, not at Sheppard and Don Mills."
El-Ad made its name in North America several years ago when they bought Manhattan's famed Plaza Hotel and converted parts of it into ultra-high-end condos.

In addition to the 400,000 square feet of rental properties they're finishing up now, the project will ultimately include 2 million square feet of condo space, all with prices from the low $200s to about $500,000, with a large portion of family-oriented 3-bedroom units in the 1,100 to 1,200 square foot range.

"I see the competition as a good thing," Ben-Or says of the nearby Concord Adex and Daniels developments. "Definitely good for the buyer, and good for us. This whole Sheppard corridor is going to change."

Construction on the first of what will be either 6 or 7 towers will begin in August, and the whole project is scheduled for a 2016 completion.

Writer: Bert Archer
Source: Netanel Ben-Or

A new developer is building its first residential project, auspiciously designed by three-time Governor General's Award-winning architect Stephen Teeple, across the street from Bayview Village Park.

Teeple, best known in Toronto for his Graduate House (1999) on the northeast corner of Harbord and Spadina (on which he collaborated with Morphosis), is introducing his characteristic linearity into a part of town developer Symmetry's vice president describes as architecturally neglected.

"Most developers tend to play it safe and go with brick and stucco," says Sayf Hassan. "We have so many of the same -- it's not even architecture, it's pseudo-architecture, Victorian and Georgian homes -- up here, you do need variety."

The Linea townhouses, only two of the 11 of which remain unsold (and priced at $999,000), will have limestone cladding, zinc roofs, wood panelling around the windows, and each will be equipped with a private elevator.

Hassan says he has his eye on his second residential project, which he says he'll be announcing in about a month, once the current $4-$4.5-million project has begun construction.

"We're always on the lookout for great infill projects," he says, "because I think that's the way development is going."

Writer: Bert Archer
Source: Symmetry, Sayf Hassan

There's no doubt that Toronto is in the middle of another one of its big-thinking phases. The last one, which spanned the 60s and 70s, bequeathed us things like St James Town, Alexandra Park, and scores of slab buildings reaching out to the airport and beyond. Projects like the Lawrence Heights revitalization, whose draft plan was announced last week by Mayor Miller and Toronto Community Housing (TCH), will determine whether this phase's legacy, which also includes CityPlace, the Regent Park reconstruction and Concord Adex's planned $2-billion Park Place development of 42 acres along Sheppard between Bessarion and Leslie stations, leaves the city a better place or not.

The plan, which aims to begin demolition of the 1,208 social housing units in the 100-acre area by next year, will add between 4,300 and 4,800 market-price units, in addition to replacing the demolished social housing units. All of the approximately 3,500 people who currently lives in one of those units will have the right to live in the new community, with their moving costs covered by TCH.

As with most of the city's newdevelopments, Lawrence Heights will be a green project.

"Revitalization is about much more than just replacing housing that is in poor repair," says Keiko Nakamura, CEO of Toronto Community Housing, in a press release. "We're using the opportunity to incorporate green technology into new buildings and work with partners to improve parks, schools and transit and increase local jobs, training and community services. It will also mean the community has access to shops and services."
 
Writer: Bert Archer

Source: TorontoCommunity Housing

A project that could be the thing that tips Yonge and Sheppard from being part of the periphery to a true GTA hub is set to begin construction this week. The two-tower Hullmark Centre, by Kirkor architects and Tridel will have direct access to the subway, and has signed Whole Foods as its retail anchor.

There will be offices on the first 18 floors of the pedestal, with a total of 684 suites in the two towers above, 95 per cent of which are sold, according to Tridel spokesman Samson Fung.

"We wanted a real landmark community to be put there," says Fung. "We hope this will be part of the transformation of that whole Yonge and Sheppard corner."

The project is to be built on the southeast corner of the intersection, on the site of 1950s-era Grand Union grocery store, a building which became a Steinberg's, then a Dominion, and finally a Metro.

Fung points out that the intersection is at the geographical centre of the GTA, and with access to both the subway and highway systems, he sees a great future for the area, where Tridel already has more than half a dozen buildings.

Writer: Bert Archer

Source: Tridel

On January 13, EllisDon Corp announced that, in conjunction with its subtrades and suppliers, it was donating $1.7 million in labour, materials and services toward the construction of the Wellspring Centre addition to the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre.

The Wellspring Centre, a cancer support facility at Sunnybrook's Bayview campus, is being almost quintupled in size, from 2,400 to 11,000 square feet, gaining a large lecture room, four group support rooms, a teaching kitchen and a large activity room in the process.

EllisDon president and CEO Geoff Smith said in a statement, "It has been terrific to see the enthusiasm with which EllisDon people, as well as many of our industry partners, have embraced this outstanding cause, both in terms of personal effort and hard cash. And the Wellspring team has been terrific to work with. We are extremely happy to be involved."

Lynda Morrison, the CEO of Wellspring, adds in same release, "We are quite simply overwhelmed by the incredible generosity and enthusiasm with which the people at EllisDon and their industry partners have embraced this expansion project. They are truly building a lasting legacy of support and comfort for the many thousands of men, women and children living with cancer who turn to Wellspring each year, and we are grateful beyond words."

Writer: Bert Archer

Source: EllisDon