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Liberty On The Park (Liberty Village, CanAlfa, 15s)

Everything about East Liberty Village stinks, its to bad cause this could have been a pretty good development in an upcoming area. Well maybe in the next boom a good developer can pick up the pieces and start fresh.
 
While I fully admit to a bias, I'll try to put on my neutral cap and say that I disagree that EVERYTHING about East Liberty Village stinks. True enough, Monarch has created 2 monstrosities with a 3rd on the way (ever looked in their lobbies - it looks like the interior design was done by an epileptic 9th place loser of Canada's Next Worst Designer), but I do rather like the design of Bliss and Liberty Towers. No, they aren't red brick (or even finished), but honestly, the King West Condo's were red brick and I HATED that design - too big/bulky.

Liberty Village isn't all old factories - take a look at the inside of Mildred's Temple Kitchen, or many other restaurants that have recently opened, and you'll see that those interiors will match the exteriors of CanAlfa's projects. We do, however, have to wait and see. If the builder cheaps out and the exterior design is lessened, then we could have a problem on our hands. As it is, less than 1/2 of the area has been developed, so much can happen, and will over the next 10 years. Vigilance will be necessary.

Personally, I'd rather a much more modern sensibility take over the East Liberty portion. Trying to replicate the western half will lead to some really bad designs i fear.
 
LOTP sold really really well and CanAlfa has been burning the midnight oil catching up with LVT and Bliss (gone from a massive empty pit on Nov.1, to all 5 stories of parking structure finished and now on the 9th floor for LVT and almost at grade for Bliss in only 9 months!). Since CanAlfa says it's launching it's next phase in the spring of 2010 (although that's been pushed all the way from Spring '08), I can't imagine they won't go ahead with LOTP - it's financing should be much easier to obtain and lending has eased up, it almost sold out, and it's a much smaller project than either LVT or Bliss individually and especially combined. If you're a buyer I'd just chill as you're most likely sitting on a lot of equity.
 
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does anyone know if there was a lot of people backing out in May? any other news?

We canceled our PH unit as the economic viability was extended (for the second time) to December 2010. It was just too far out and there was no guarantee that they wouldn't do another extension further down the road. They offered us the ability to switch to LT however there weren't any units left that really suited our needs. The day we went in to pick up our deposit cheque she pulled our file out of a stack of a dozen or so folders - which I can only assume were other cancellations. How many people actually cancelled, that I cannot answer. CanAlfa was fairly prompt in returning our deposit. The whole process took 4 weeks.

We now are waiting for Market Wharf to start! :)
 
We canceled our PH unit as the economic viability was extended (for the second time) to December 2010. It was just too far out and there was no guarantee that they wouldn't do another extension further down the road. They offered us the ability to switch to LT however there weren't any units left that really suited our needs. The day we went in to pick up our deposit cheque she pulled our file out of a stack of a dozen or so folders - which I can only assume were other cancellations. How many people actually cancelled, that I cannot answer. CanAlfa was fairly prompt in returning our deposit. The whole process took 4 weeks.

We now are waiting for Market Wharf to start! :)

What makes you think that the Market Wharf development will move on any quicker than Liberty on the Park, Sorry to tell you, but you may be going from the frying pan into the fire.
 
Scaled Model

This is what I did on my Thanksgiving Monday ~ ;)

Click to Enlarge


Architectural Roof Feature


Liberty Village Overview
 
I too backed out after the second extension. I love the building and the unit that was picked out but just didn't want to keep waiting as bar1967 mentioned. I'm sure the units there will do well once they get the ball rolling for construction.
 
Everything about East Liberty Village stinks, its to bad cause this could have been a pretty good development in an upcoming area. Well maybe in the next boom a good developer can pick up the pieces and start fresh.

Obviously alot of people like the way it has turned out and will do so even more in the future based on the demand and prices of the housing.

You don't like it. Then don't live there.

I love living here and have already profited and will most likely do so again in the future. :)
 
Obviously alot of people like the way it has turned out and will do so even more in the future based on the demand and prices of the housing.

You don't like it. Then don't live there.

I love living here and have already profited and will most likely do so again in the future. :)

So citybuilding and urbanism are irrelevant since what matters most is who can make the most off of their shoe box? Much of Liberty Village is a sad failure from the way it is left marooned in between two railway lines, to the strip mall, to the mundane, uninspiring architecture...

I could go on but I won't, the point being that even though many people enjoy living there, there are enormous problems with the areas' planning. I don't like it and I don't plan to live there, but I sure as hell am not going to allow these problems to go unvoiced.
 
So citybuilding and urbanism are irrelevant since what matters most is who can make the most off of their shoe box? Much of Liberty Village is a sad failure from the way it is left marooned in between two railway lines, to the strip mall, to the mundane, uninspiring architecture...

I could go on but I won't, the point being that even though many people enjoy living there, there are enormous problems with the areas' planning. I don't like it and I don't plan to live there, but I sure as hell am not going to allow these problems to go unvoiced.

What problems? I don't have any problems with this area. That stripmall has two major things that are very necessary for myself which is the 24 Metro and an LCBO. It also has a decent pub, a pet store that I need along with a variety store and it also contains a dental office which is also convenient.

It has a bus route going through it and although I didn't agree with it at first I have used it quite a few times and find it convenient.

I also love the fact that it is somewhat isolated while still being downtown.

Sure some of the architecture isn't that appeasing to the eyes (I am not a fan of Battery Park, Zip and Vibe) but it doesn't bother me. All the buildings in Liberty Village don't have to be inspiring or beautiful to look at, all they have to do is serve a purpose to which they do.

Voice your opinion all you want. It isn't going to change anything about this area and won't matter anyways.

I suggest you go play Sim City so you can build your own "perfect" city. :p
 
All of the people I know who have lived in Liberty Village for the past few years have no intention of moving and are instead, staying in the Village and just upgrading their units because they love the area. While some of the architecture is uninspiring, the place needs another 7-10 years to be judged. It's probably the best location in the city in terms of convenience for both TTC and car users, has no traffic problems...yet, has all the amenities one needs, plus is super close to the waterfront, the financial core, gallery district and hundreds of bars and restaurants. It would have been nice if they'd saved a few more of the industrial buildings and retrofitted them, but hopefully some of the new condos will work.

I have been a staunch hater of Battery Park, Vibe and Zip, but just the other day at the corner of Atlantic and East Liberty, looking east towards them, I was amazed how much their podiums really do pay tribute to the western end of LV and how good they looked (as long as you avoided looking at the tower portion and all that ugly green of course). Another restaurant is going up in the parking lot south of Dominion, so it and the hideous strip mall will be hidden from view.

As for LOTP, the EV condition being extended all the way to Dec. 2010 is a serious jolt, but not unexpected as CanAlfa is currently busy with LVTowers/Townhomes/Lofts and Bliss and none of those will be registered before 2011.
 
I am a purchaser of a suite at Liberty on the Park. It appears that things are going ahead as planned. The Liberty Towers project is moving quickly and I can see it being completed by Christmas 2010 and I think the Liberty on the Park project will take 18 months which means the June 2012 occupancy date is realistic. I'm sure that some of you will be nervous until the December 2010 economic viability date comes and passes but I personally don't have any concerns at all. I lived in the Battery Park building for a year and can tell all of you that this is an excellent area to live in. Congratulations to all of you.
 

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