Its quite common to read about a project on the blog that’ll one day result in a high rise tower dominating over Toronto’s downtown core… and if you’re expecting that in this one, you’ll have to look somewhere else!

I recently attended the launch for Eleven Superior, Mimicos newest condominium project! Truthfully, I don’t have much experience in this part of town and was definitely intrigued to see what Mimico had to offer. The event was a huge success and featured local neighbourhood favourites…such as…french bites (crepes, duck confit, and maple syrup tarts) from Cafe du Lac, locally roasted, fair trade and bird friendly coffee from Birds and Beans, and an Eleven Superior signature sour apple martini by city favourite but local, Chasers Juice.  I know I know…this is supposed to be a real estate blog BUT the food from Cafe du Lac was sooooooooo good!  It’s a Montreal Bistro type-of set up and I highly recommend stopping by if your in the area (They also do a “Bring Your Own Wine” night).

Now back to the Real Estate side of things…

We finally got our first glimpse of what Tableau will look like!  On Thursday, brokers were invited to hear David Wex (of Urban Capital) speak on the unique characteristics that Tableau has planned for future residents!

The play on words of “Tableau”, (French for table) is apparent throughout the marketing of the project!   The features of the condo are broken down in 3 different parts of the Tableau…below, on and above! To add to my previous post of what the condo will offer:

BELOW THE TABLE –  will feature a combination of design powerhouses.  Starting with my favourite part of the project is Shayne Darks “Nova” piece (seen above) that will  shoot through the table and add a dynamic display to the condo.  Below the table will be Claude Cormiers mosaic tiled plaza that will give a “ying and yang” contrast with the green space his firm is also working on across the street from Tableau.  To whisk you to and from your unit will be 4 high speed elevators. The lobby will house a 18′ high marble clad wall on one side with a floor to ceiling windows over looking the public plaza. Residential and commercial lobbies will be designed by Cecconi Simone. The current site of Embassy Night club will be worked into the building…sort of.  The tower and table will sit on top of the existing building with the facade being worked into the design instead of demolished!  Below are a few photos of what the corner currently looks like:

ON THE TABLE  is where you’ll find Tableau’s amenities!  The 5th floor will have 3 private cabanas that residents can rent out for private use.  Each cabana will have a gas bbq, sink, fridge, prep area, dining area, sofas and lounge chairs.  This concept is the first of it’s kind in Toronto and was inspired by a similar idea David Wex saw in a New York loft development.  While hanging on the 5th floor, residents and guests will be able to see Shayne’s installation through the table! The 4th floor amenities below are connected by an open staircase that leads to a party room, lounge areas, fitness, games, yoga and film screening room along with a furnished guest suite!

ABOVE THE TABLE is where you’ll find the suites at Tableau!  We’re talking 9 foot SMOOTH ceilings (I hate popcorn ceilings with a passion), floor to ceiling windows,  Cecconi and Simone designed kitchens AND bathrooms!  The model suite is currently under construction, but i’ll be sure to have an updated post once it’s complete!  Check out more photos below for a better idea of what the building will look like!

What an exciting time to be growing up in the City…before are very eyes, many of the social districts and areas in downtown Toronto are changing!  Take for example, the “Club District”.   The tastes and styles of the party goers who once dominated the area have shifted and because of this many have flocked to different areas such as Queen and King West!  Although the partiers may have left…many of the 20th century warehouses still stand!

Enter: Tableau Condos!

The brains of Urban Capital (Think River City, St. Nicholas and Mondrian for the Ottawa readers), Malibu Investments (think Boutique Condos and LTD) and Alit Developments (think Murano and Water Park City) will be collaborating their experience and skills to transform the Peter and Richmond corner (117 Peter to be exact)!

Where should I start on why I like this project?… let’s say the bottom!

A tableau (French for table) will sit at the base of the building with the residential component above.  For me this is a welcoming change in design as most condos dedicate their base to a boring podium that tends to isolate the building from the environment around it.  The “table” will help preserve the facade of the current building (Embassy Night Club) and give a more airy feel to pedestrians at street level.  The warehouse facade will be worked into the space and will be home to ground level retail and over 25,000 square feet of office space on the two stories above!

Bursting through the Tableau will be vibrant green 90’ high art installation by Shane Dark called “Nova”.  Many may not recognize his name, but if you’ve passed by X Condo (at Jarvis and Charles) recently, you sure to have seen his work!

In total the development will be a 36 storey mixed use building with 415 residential suites and designed by Wallman Architects!  Residents will be welcomed by a 18’ high lobby designed by Cecconi Simone, with terrazzo floors and a marble-clad feature wall on one side, and floor-to-ceiling windows. (pictured below)

The amenities at Tableau will include: a Party Room, Show Kitchen, lounges, a Reading Room, Film Screening Room, Games Room, fully equipped Fitness Centre with yoga studio, a steam room, and Guest Suite.  For those looking to spend at bit more time outdoors there’s an exterior landscaped roof on the “table” that’s includes three private outdoor cabanas, each with gas BBQ, sink, fridge and prep area, dining area, sofas and lounge chairs, that can be rented for private use.

Suites will have approx 9′ smooth ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows with sliding doors to wraparound balconies, with kitchens designed by Cecconi Simone!

And now for the most important part of the project…price! They’ll be releasing roughly 60% of the units in advance to preconstruciton selling Realtors.  Sales will be handled in lottery format (so no lineups or fights like seen at the X2 event) meaning interested purchasers should contact their Realtor for a chance to submit a work sheet.  Prices start from $234,900 and go up to $499,900 for the initial release.  Price increases per floor range from $1,000-$2,000 per floor.  Units range from 405 sf for the Junior 1 beds to 855 sf for a 2 bed and study!

If you’re interested in living at Tableau please contact me for an appointment as soon as possible.  Starting Saturday, October 16, 2010 I’ll be able to submit worksheets and bring clients to see the model unit at the sales centre, but if you’d like to discuss your options before that date, feel free to call or email…I’d love to help! The deadline for worksheets is 5pm on Wednesday, October 20, 2010

A few months ago, I wrote about SYNC lofts by Streetcar Developments and experienced the same results as my 2 Gladstone post…tooooons of interest! In my opinion, Streetcar seems always be one step ahead of others in the mid-rise development business.

With 2 Gladstone they launched a soft loft that’s designed to work with the area instead of over power it. Its design and awesome location (Queen West at Gladstone) helped launch 2 Gladstone with strong sales. For SYNC it was the incorporation of high-tech gadgets that attracted many purchasers.

I was excited earlier in the month when rumours started circulating about a 3rd project (in the past year) launching from them… and even happier today to see it confirmed! Trinity Lofts is the newest project by Streetcar, with a location right in the thick of a few interesting up and coming areas. Located on the North West corner of Trinity and Eastern Avenue, the lofts will border the Distillery District, Downtown East and the West Don Lands!

Very few details are known at this time, but I’ve heard roughly 80 units will be available, spread over 8 floors. From my experience, more and more buyers are expressing interest in the intimate design of a low rise building as opposed to many of the tall towers popping up. It’s this kind of design that Streetcar excels so well in! I haven’t seen any renderings yet, but I’m very curious to see how the lofts merge with the century old architecture that can be found on neighbouring streets.

I’ll be keeping an eye on Trinity Lofts with blog posts as soon as more official info is known! If you’d like to be kept in the loop for the Trinity project, send me an email or give me a call… I’d love to help!

The wait is over!  Plans for Number One Bloor have finally been made public, and I’ve been getting a ton of interest on the development.  I won’t be spending too much time writing about it on SavelBlogs.com but head on over to BloorCondos.com for all the latest on Number One Bloor and other projects in the Bloor and Yonge area.

After last year’s setbacks, Cresford is back on the Merton and Yonge block and pushing full steam ahead to launch their 25 story glass tower in midtown Toronto! Designed by Peter Clews (think Radio City, Mozo, and 18 Yorkville to name a few) the tower will be a welcoming addition to the Davisville area!

MYC will feature units ranging in size from one bedrooms (519 sqf) to 2 bedroom + den (1094 sqf). At the base of the building will be a 5 story podium with slightly larger units, one bedrooms from 592 sqf to 2 bedroom + den at 1256 sqf. MYC will also have a selection of 2 story town homes with 2 bedrooms at minimum that range in size from 930 sqf – 1462 sqf.

With condo’s I’m always asked “which units will offer the best views?” For the downtown projects it’s most often the south for its lake views! Unfortunately there isn’t much lake in midtown Toronto BUT there still is a big advantage to living in a South facing unit at MYC!

Units with South exposures will overlook the Mount Pleasant Cemetery. The cemetery dates back from 1876 and was designed as an arboretum (tree museum in simple terms) for the public to enjoy. The changing of the leaves from season to season not only provides a breathtaking act of nature but also a quite oasis in the heart of Toronto!

My company’s reputation with the builder has resulted in exclusive access to a variety of south facing units that’ll only be available to our Brokerage! There are 4 different plans to choose from, ranging from 1+ den to 2 bedrooms with wrap around balconies.

As with all preconstruction deals…time is of the essence! There are only 28 of these south facing units and they’ll only be held until Thursday March 4th! They’ll be accepting offers on a first come first serve basis, so if you’d like to meet up to discuss details give me a call or send me an email to set up an appointment…I’d love to help!

Here’s a change…some “Streetcar” related news that DOES’NT involve a City Councillor!

Streetcar Developments have released more details on its SYNC Loft project. The 8 story building will house 98 units featuring 9 foot smooth finish ceilings, barn-style doors to bedrooms, contemporary kitchens with stainless steel appliances and modern spa bathrooms… to name a few

…and then there the tech-friendly features! Units will have built-in iPod docking stations that will be connected to prewired surface mounted speakers in the living room, bedroom, and bathroom. The rooftop gym will include a media wall and wireless internet connectivity. There will even be something for the animal lovers out there… a Pet Spa for washing and grooming on the main level!

I’ve been invited to the broker’s preview which also entitles clients to preview pricing! Prices start in the mid $420′s per square foot, with such few units for sale it’s sure to sell out quick. The floor plans are very workable, especially the one beds plus den! Many feature balconies or large terraces (4th and 5th floor units).

Similar to other projects, they’ll be accepting work sheet until this Saturday (February 13th 2010) and signing agreements of purchase and sale on Tuesday (February 16th 2010). Throughout the week I’ll be meeting with interested purchasers and submitting their worksheets. If you’d like to call SYNC home, send me and email or give me a call … I’d love to help!