Annex Terraces & Muze Condo Towns (Bernard & Spadina, 3 +6s, Quadrangle)

[luxome]

Someone spraypainted "nice view" on the top floor. They're rentals... that's interesting. You don't see new buildings built as rentals very often.

ya, i noticed too. What does that mean? Are they not selling to individuals? or are they only selling to investors who will rent them out? (don't know how that works). Can someone please enlighten me, thanks in advance.

 

[junctionist]

The city should insist on ground floor retail for all buildings on major streets, in the central core.

They don't have a bad track record on that. This, for instance, isn't a major street since this is Spadina north of Bloor, a quieter, more residential stretch.

 

[urbandreamer]

10 March 2009 photo update

glazing details: decent if conservative so far....

 

[urban dweller]

74 Spadina Rd.

Yeah, I found that conversion disconcertingly drastic when I first came about it--though perhaps, it's a kind of overwrought aesthetic model for what might be forthcoming should Mayor Miller's Tower Renewal Project come to pass...

I know a few people that live in 74 Spadina Rd. I read an exaggerated article written about the conversion and renovation process that never mentioned how amazing it was that a small group of owners including 2 architects managed to turn around that building into what it is now. I disagree with the above comments about overwrought aesthetic. Take a look at my pictures before it was renovated and after. I think the end result is in keeping with the 50's style and rejuvenated this old tired apartment tower. Toronto needs more renovations like this.

 

[urbandreamer]

17 May 2009 photo update

Looking very brown here, but in reality, it looks quite decent:

 

[Filip]

I very rarely venture into this nabe, but today I had to go to the Serbian consulate (cursed military service) and enjoyed it very much up there. Quaint place; the condo in question looks wonderful and creates a perfect streetwall.

 

[urbandreamer]

9 August 2009 photo update

Perfect for brownies?

The Annex now sells cardboard homes?

 

[The Condo Observer]

Website is no good...perhaps they took it down?

 

[simply Dan]

This is another indication that Toronto is really starting to grow up and use urban space more wisely. This little project is perfect for the area and I look forward to seeing more buildings like this get constructed in empty or underused space throughout the city.

 

[urbandreamer]

29 November 2009 photo update

The townies are rubbish, red brick, sorry no photos this time of them. I hate the use of lattice here.

 

[ponyboy]

I like this project exterior, but haven't seen the inside yet. Any ideas of rental rates? I agree that the wooden lattice dividers are bad. It is just about the cheapest yellow pine board the contractor could find. Not sure anyone would do anything social outside in these front courtyards because of the noise from Spadina.

 

[interchange42]

Several years later, and everything is growing in, while marketing names have grown out. The Annex Terraces rentals are now simply 88 Spadina, while the Muse Condo Towns are simply addresses on Walmer.

The former development site includes half of a semi-detached house on Walmer, currently a rental which the owners would prefer to not have to worry about.

If you look at that map on the Development Proposal sign, you'll see just how much land 100 Spadina (the Uno Prii-designed apartment tower here) took up on this huge plot of land. Amazing what we used to accept in terms of surface parking, and tower-in-the-park in otherwise urban areas. Bizarre.

42

 

[junctionist]

I'm generally not a fan of towers-in-the-park design, but it can work well when building apartment and condo buildings on leafy low-rise side streets. The many apartment buildings along the residential streets in the Annex tend to fit in well among the opulent heritage homes. Their setbacks combine with the green space to not overwhelm the streetscape.