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25 Hanson – From Bungalow to Dream Home

Mark Savel — Mon, 14 May 2012 20:40:12 +0000

What was once a tiny and dark one bedroom bungalow is now a two level, 3 bedrooms with 3.5 bath dream home. 25 Hanson has been transformed into the perfect family house. The stone veneer facade at the front of the home stands out from the others on the street. A granite driveway and cedar porch complete with security cameras are just a few of the executive upgrades waiting for you.

Inside is a completely open main level. Bamboo floors can be found in all other areas of the main level. In the living/dining room there’s an electric fire place, surrounded with a stone facade and two large columns. A Bay window lets the light shine in. Up top are pot lights with set regions set to dimmers for movie nights.

The kitchen has a unique two toned finish. The lower cabinets and drawers have a wood finish to compliment the floors. The above cabinets have a white finish. Both feature a quite close system meaning you’ll never hear a slammed door again! The Countertops are quartz, with a beautiful sparkle finish to them. A breakfast bar was added to maximize the space. Stainless appliances include a built in dishwasher, stove and microwave (with fan) and double door fridge. The sink is extra deep with an industrial faucet. A built in wine rack completes the kitchen!

A walk-out takes you to your private backyard complete with a newly built fence on each side. A large custom built patio allows for tons of entertaining room. Two flower beds were built using the same stone veneer as at the front of the house to tie the two themes together. The custom built shed with cedar doors and window provide ample storage for all your gardening needs.

In order to keep with the open concept theme, the powder room was placed a short flight down the stairs. The laundry room, electrical panel furnace, central vac equipment and water system are all conveniently placed in the lower level. A separate walk out can be found at the front of the house. Another electric fireplace adds to the warmth of the basement. At the rear a fourth bedroom or office with a private 3 piece bathroom is available.

Take a walk up the oak staircase and you’ll find three well appointed bedrooms. Two sky lights were installed to let the light in from the upper level to the lower. At the peak of the hallway, the ceiling height is approx 12 feet. The shared bathroom at the end of the hallway features a Jacuzzi tub and shower system with jets. Porcelain tiles cover the floors and wall. A mosaic tile accent wall carries from the floor to ceiling!

Each bedroom has wiring for phone, cable, and data and each has its own closet. The master has his and hers closets, a large picture window and a separate skylight. The ensuite bath comes complete with a large two person shower. River rocks accent the floors and ceilings and a therapeutic touch to the experience.

You can view all photos of the home in the gallery below:

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For a walkthough of 25 Hanson, check out this video:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Feel free to contact me for your own private tour of 25 Hanson by filling out the form below:

MUST HAVE MONDAY – Last Call At The Gladstone Hotel

Mark Savel — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 17:40:11 +0000

The Gladstone Hotel is known to many as a popular hipster hotspot on Queen west… but look back only 12 years and you get a story of a much different crowd! In keeping with last weeks post on the 2012 HotDoc Film Fest, I wanted to spotlight a documentary about the Hotels transformation. Last Call At The Gladstone Hotel first screened at HotDocs in 2007. While picking up my tickets for this years festival, the title of the film caught my eye. I did a bit of googling and came across this trailer for the film:

Click here to view the embedded video.

The official write up for the film says: “In 2000, developers purchase the crumbling, century-old Gladstone hotel to turn it from skid row flophouse to arts and music hotspot. They think it’s empty… until they meet Marilyn, the chambermaid with a heart of gold; Shirley Ann, the cynical front desk clerk; and a motley crew of residents, including Maryanne, a sweet ex-bag lady who has turned her room into a toxic zone. Staff and residents—some who have been there for over 30 years—worry they’ll be squeezed out during the hotel’s imminent revitalization.

The developers’ plan— a gradual restoration with staff and residents remaining upstairs, while downstairs the bar serves designer drinks to new, affluent clientele—doesn’t work. When experimental film-maker, Christina Zeidler inherits the mess and forms a “business model that includes social change,” the hotel has the last word. City inspectors demand complete rewiring, the boiler blows up leaving the hotel without heat, ceilings leak, walls are crumbling and Zeidler now has to decide what to do.

Shot over five years in a cinema direct style, Last Call at the Gladstone Hotel is an intimate portrait of the effects of urban renewal on the poor—a compelling tale of urban conflict put under the lens of class, money and social consciousness, chronicling a heart breaking clash of cultures between down at the heels hotel residents, artists and developers. More than a story about haves versus have-nots, this film exposes a pattern of displacement repeated in cities worldwide, and reveals the unintentional roles we often play in the process of gentrification.”

The film is available for purchase at the HotDocs box office (783 Bathurst Street) or can be streamed online in the HotDocs Library - http://www.hotdocslibrary.ca/en/detail.cfm?filmId=11105

277 Davenport x 10 condos x 6 floors

Mark Savel — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 04:16:28 +0000

Look along our downtown skyline and you’re guaranteed to see two things – cranes and highrises! It’s beauty to some, but often times sad to me (and no, not because a catastrophic bubble is about to pop). For you see, once you peel back the glass and concrete cladding… they’re all pretty much the same on the inside!

The formula for developing a condo in Toronto these days is pretty straight forward:
1. Buy downtown lot (bonus points if it’s “steps to” anything.)
2. Select from a one of five “starchitects” to design your glass box.
3. Once you have the outside mapped out, start on the interiors. Here you choice is even more limited… there’s roughly 3 to select from. Who you select won’t make much of a difference as they will typically suggest any or all of the following – granite in the kitchens with a modern or European cabinetry (from what I’ve seen, the words are used interchangeably), some form of hybrid hardwood/laminate concoction in the main living areas and a natural stone tile for the bathrooms.
4. Now that you’ve got 3 of the main ingredients in play, you’re going to need choose from one of the 2 big name preconstruction brokers. Both are equally good, it really comes down to who can sell a better story about your project. They’ll suggest a few marketing firms to bring the “vision” to life – actions words and pretty people are a must for all glossy brochures.
5. Hold a few VIP releases to the ever busy real estate community, and voila you’ve sold a condo.

I’ve left a few sub steps such as floorplan design, coming up with a price, and my personal favourite - music selection for flash based/non smartphone loading website… but i’m sure you get the (sarcastic) point i’m trying to make!

I recently stopped into the sales centre of 277 Davenport, expecting the same as usual. What I found was anything but! They used the same formula I described above, but did it soooo well it doesn’t seem wrong at all!

Let’s start with step 1 – Location. As the name signifies, the condo is being built at 277 Davenport Rd. just a few doors down from Chef Massimo Capra’s Mistura and across the street from Brian Gluckstein’s gorgeous courtyard. The development is being built in a tucked away part of Davenport and the sales centre is almost hidden from plain sight. Panning out, you’ll notice that the project is smack in the middle of 3 of the most sought after neighbourhoods in the City – Casa Loma, Annex and Yorkville.

2. They went with Hariri Pontarini Architects, who’s company is no stranger to the area and is definitely among the Cities top “starchitects”. On an international level their work includes the Bahá’í Temple for South America in Chile and closer to home they’ve designed One Bloor East, Shangri-La and B Street Condos (to name a few)… Except at 277 Davenport you aren’t getting a 60 storey glass box! Instead, they went with much more appropriate 6 storey low rise containing only 10 condo units. Now I know as much as the next Realtor that a low rise boutique condo isn’t all that revolutionary or ground breaking but what I particularly like is how it fits in with the other structures in the area. For the most part, the community is made up of older bay and gable Annex homes. 277 Davenport is a bold contrast from these yet it compliments the curvey Davenport road with its angled balconies. It’s progressive mix of concrete and glass use the same elements of many other downtown condos, but arrange in a way that doesn’t over power the buildings design. The outside facade isn’t going to blow your socks off or make your snap your neck while driving by, but yet it’s subtle exterior is exactly what I think the target buyer for the project would want to live in!

3. Pick an interior designer. Now here’s were the project really gets interesting… they followed the steps but changed the ingredients and came up with a refreshing twist! Boychuk + Fuller were hired to create a space that would ultimately make or break the success of the project. To be perfectly honest, I’ve never heard of the team before. Even after several google searches all that I came up with was a hompage that features no more than the companies contact info and a link to email them. Rest assured, what they lack in online presence they make up where it counts the most – designing interiors! Stunning European-style (really, this kitchen actually is as European as it gets) kitchen cabinetry, cantilevered centre islands for seating and top-of-the-line appliances like; Miele gas ranges, refrigerators and dishwashers with Wolf microwave drawers.

Instead of choosing an “Italian sounding” local team (as is often used for condo kitchen spaces), they went with a true and authentic Italian luxury furniture manufacturer, Poliform. The companies roots go back to the 40′s, and have since been creating some of the most sought after designs for all different aspects of the house. If the name Poliform sounds familiar it’s probably from their contributions to prototypes at previous IDS shows in Toronto – the Monk lounge [2010]and the Pod Villa at Templar-Lake on The Mountain [ winner of IDS 2011 best of show].

When I walked into the sales centre, the floors were the first to catch my eyes! I figured they were being reused from the previous tenants of the building. The sales rep told me that these were in fact brand new floors and were made of an engineered hardwood that was created to give the image of an older and authentic look!

Like many other condos, the use of natural stone can be found through out the development… where they differ is in the quality and selection of stone purchasers can choose from!

Three standard finishes are available with a forth containing upgrades. The interweaving pattern seen in the photo above can be done in any of the three flooring selections but comes as an upgrade if done in that design… one i’d definitely take if buying here!

4. The Burnac Group is the company developing the project. When it comes to luxury building, they’re no stranger to the game. Not only have they built several other notable residential projects in the City (Think Madison Ave Lofts and Park Avenue) they also own and operate Royal de Versailles Jewellers in Yorkville! With prices starting from $1.65 million and up to $3.3 million , 277 Davenport isn’t for everyone. I feel as if the development is really geared to a purchaser who’s looking to downsize from their large high-end home. It’s more for someone who still wants to stay in the City but be away from all the pretentiousness of Yorkville. Most importantly, it’s for someone with great taste and who knows quality design when they see it!

The marketing (done by LA Ads) skips all the common fluff seen in other condo campaigns. You won’t find any 6 pack abs or bikini clad woman on any of their pages. Instead you’ll find well written descriptions of the project details, realistic renderings of what the condo will look like, and a great summary of the “it” places near by. It’s simple, straight to the point and very effective. The whole experience from walking into the sales centre to speaking with the sales reps was very low pressure and informative instead of pushy and annoying!

5. No fancy shmancy line-ups here! With only 10 units available, they’re selling on a first-come first-serve basis. And with a project of this caliber, you can still customize the look and feel of the interior space! I’ve included the remaining floorplans below.

In my opinion, 277 Davenport is a prime example of taste trumping luxury. The project is a perfect buy for the down-sizer looking to maintain a stylish resident with out having to settle for the everyday finishes found in many other condos downtown! I currently have prices and floorplans for the remaining units. If you’d like to live at 277 Davenport, fill out the form below

109oz Coming to Ossington Ave

Mark Savel — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 05:07:13 +0000

Hop on the 63 bus, and head down to Ossington for drinks, dinner and condos! The former sleepy street that was once home to factories and commercial business has quickly transformed into a hot bed of action with new bars and restaurants popping up everywhere… and I’m not just selling the hype here, i’m also partaking in it! You’ll often find me at BQM for a burger or hanging out at The Ossington while the Secert Models dj a set to a packed house on a Saturday Night! I’m probably not the first to tell you this but the Ossington neighbourhood is quickly becoming the “it” place to be!

A few years back, Reserve Properties was the first to embrace the strip and bring to it a modern and well appointed development known as Motif! With the success of their first project, they’re back again with a second project at 109 Ossington, the former Mondial Auto Repair shop! According to the press release:

Building on Ossington’s character and dynamic street line, 1090Z offers a contemporary design that reads to the eye as four intimate structures. “We wanted to create a built form that really suited the eclectic rhythm and dimensions of the street,” says Shane Fenton VP of Reserve Properties.

Catering to Ossington’s active pedestrian traffic, new retail on the ground floor will reanimate 150 feet along Ossington’s vibrant north-south corridor.

“Staggering storeys back and forth as you move up the building provides a variety of angles and gives each element its own identity,” says lead architect Roland Rom Colthoff of RAW. “Dark brick, zinc and glass materials used on the façade further enhance texture, while mimicking the memory of the existing lot division.”

Emphasizing the angular façade, balcony enclosures will be punctuated with different colours, co-designed by purchasers, giving them the opportunity to personalize the exterior of their new home.

“With 109OZ we really wanted to capture the essence of the local attitude and diversity of people who live there,” says Dan Menchions of II BY IV Design Associates.

Drawing the Ossington vibe inside, the 109OZ marketing centre is animated with pops of tangerine orange, canary yellow and fuchsia and a monochromatic gradient herringbone pattern on the floor. “The presentation centre is designed to make you feel like you are walking into the actual lobby itself,” adds Menchions.

Capturing the creative culture of the area, a multi-coloured pendant fixture by neighbourhood design darling Castor Design, crafted from recycled fire extinguishers, is surrounded by graphic elements and artwork reminiscent of 60’s and 70’s pop-art movement.

“We know from our recent success with Motif Lofts & Towns on Ossington that this is a very savvy neighbourhood when it comes to design. We wanted to create a project that local residents would appreciate and represents where design is going,” says Shelley Fenton, President of Reserve Properties.

109OZ offers 85 generously sized lofts with open concept layouts. Providing purchasers a flex space for work, dining and entertaining, European styled kitchens feature oversized islands that double as a chef’s table. With private outdoor space off of almost every suite and a second floor amenity terrace that overlooks the main street, purchasers can stay in and still engage with Ossington.

“People from around the city travel to Ossington in order to play. They come here to do their boutique shopping, do dinner at Union or hit up Foxely,” says Johnston. “But now with 109OZ people won’t just be visiting the neighbourhood to enjoy it, they are going to be able to live in it and truly take part in everything by foot, and that’s just good neighbourhood building.”

With only 85 lofts,109Oz will feature one bedroom, one bedroom and dens and 2 bedroom plus dens, all with superb outdoor space. If you’d like to live on the Ossington, please fill out the form below:

Bold Towns Launches with Prices and Floorplans

Mark Savel — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 01:08:51 +0000

The wait is over for The Bold Towns at Broadview and Danforth! Floorplans and prices for the project were just released to the public. In total only 14 towns will be built on the site. The collection is comprised of 6 different configurations. Each town comes with a parking spot (included in the price), a rec-room, a terrace, and 3 bedrooms. The master bedroom makes up the entire 3rd and comes with a walk-in closet and a private ensuite with a separate shower, tub and bathroom!

Preview pricing has homes starting at $809,990. Purchasers are required to put down a 15% deposit on the towns. Move-in date is scheduled for approximately Spring 2013. You can preview the floorplans below:

If you’d like to purchase at Bold Towns, please contact me by filling out the form below!

Photo Updates of River City Phase 1

Mark Savel — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 12:00:35 +0000

During last weeks “peak and enter” at the newly completed Don River Park… I stopped by the River City development to take a few photos of phase one under construction!

The 7 storey River St. building is well underway and already taking shape.

The two storey townhomes line the base of the building along River St.

Here’s a close up of the King St. building… eventually the two will be connected by a bridge!

Interlocking stone was used in the construction of sidewalks and roads for the area!

Looking for more updates from River City? Waterfront Toronto recently relocated one of its web cameras to capture the construction progress of the development! The web camera, which was previously used to capture the construction of Sherbourne Common north, is now on the rooftop of Edge Loft condominiums at 625 Queen Street East. Still images of the site are taken every 15 minutes and can be viewed on Waterfront Toronto’s construction webcam page and on the River City page.

Images are archived and once the project is complete, a two minute time lapse video is created that showcases the transformation of the project from start to finish.

Don River Park – Photo Friday

Mark Savel — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 17:09:44 +0000

One of the most exciting things about being in the business of selling the City is watching how it changes over the years. In 2008 I started focusing on the West Don Land (or River City) part of town. At the time it was no more than a contaminated brown field with a bunch of old industrial buildings. With the announcement of Toronto hosting the Pan Am games in 2015… plans quickly got underway to improve the look of the area.

A new school, daycares, and condos are just a few of the things planned for the area… but before any of this could happen, the City had to deal with a potential flood hazard at the base of the redevelopment. Reshaping the floodplain would not only protect the West Don Lands but also a 99 hectare (245 acre) area, including Toronto’s financial district, from sinking underwater!

The solution they came up with was both practical and useful for the area residents and the overall look of the area! Approximately 400,000 cubic metres of fill is being used to construct the Don River Park. According to WaterFrontToronto’s website: “The centrepiece of the West Don Lands, Don River Park will be a 7.3 hectare (18 acre) active, vibrant and inviting park that will not only serve the local community, but residents from throughout Toronto and visitors from far and wide. Construction of the park, which will occupy the south eastern portion of the neighbourhood and will run along the Don River from King Street to the rail corridor in the south, started in September 2010. When completed, the beautiful green space will invite people to the Don River and offer inspiring experiences along the river’s edge as well as spectacular views of downtown and Lake Ontario.”

I’ve visited the site several times since 2009 and been blown away by it’s progress each time! Shortly before the park opened, I took a self guided tour of the almost completed park! Check out the photos below: