Saks Fifth Avenue Flagship (Queen & Yonge)

[LNahid2000]

What is the property management for this building? I'm curious what the rental rates are.

Some information is available here. I pay $1020 for a Bachelor. 1br is around $1350 and 2br is around $1750 all utilities included.

http://www.canpages.ca/real-estate/ad/88-bloor-st-e/toronto/ON-for-rent-rentals-1933-1-2

 

[innsertnamehere]

jeezus thats cheap. how fast do they get snatched up?

 

[LNahid2000]

jeezus thats cheap. how fast do they get snatched up?

I got really lucky and signed for my unit 3 months in advance...it was the only one they had in the building at the time.

 

[taal]

Wow that is cheap, why ???

 

[androiduk]

That's not unusual for this area. Go a few blocks south and you can get; Bachelor-$900/1bd-1200/2bd-1600, utilities included.

 

[LNahid2000]

That's not unusual for this area. Go a few blocks south and you can get; Bachelor-$900/1bd-1200/2bd-1600, utilities included.

True. There are many places between Bloor/Carlton/Yonge/Jarvis with rents in that range, but none of them are a 30 second indoor walk to both subway lines. This building is literally on top of Bloor-Yonge station.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Saks shoppers don't take the subway... and I can't seem them interested in the existing concourse. The food court does well - its the only food court in the area and there are a fair number of office buildings, especially to the east.

That being said if the Bay is already almost 342K there is enough hidden square footage (the old movie theatre, the fabricland space etc...) could all be reconfigured to create whatever Richard Baker wants to create. Whatever happens - its something to be excited about!

A suburban elite, like a Rob Ford, probably won't take the subway. Then again, Rob was seen shopping at Wal-Mart.

 

[gabe]

I've noticed most Saks buildings use all the same colours, white/cream and black. I wonder if the Toronto location will look like every other Saks store or will they do something more radical? Since it is the Canadian flagship store.

 

[Peepers]

I've noticed most Saks buildings use all the same colours, white/cream and black. I wonder if the Toronto location will look like every other Saks store or will they do something more radical? Since it is the Canadian flagship store.
]

From the G&M story it sounds like the lower levels will resemble the above examples:

Baker’s real estate savvy taught him a few tricks. In the revamp, only sections of the main floor were redone in white marble, leaving the dull beige in place elsewhere. “Hudson’s Bay is too big to renovate every square inch of it,†he says. “We carve pieces out—we make improvements that make the entire store look renovated. It’s pretty clever.â€

The above also suggests that the renovation of the Bay store might not be as extensive as some believe if some of the current exterior cladding is being retained.

 

[adHominem]

I guess there will be no attempt to save the Bay's important Bloor Street facade?

I'm as preservation-minded as any, and one of the first to jump to the defence of Brutalism and concrete, but I have to say I'm genuinely surprised that anyone would want to preserve this bunker. Good for you, but I suspect you're gonna be lonely...

 

[AndreaPalladio]

Is it even important though? It came sort of late in the vogue for brualism, and isn't really influential in any way that I'm aware of. Brutalism isn't my taste, but there are lots of brutalist buildings I could argue preserving as good examples of their type, even though I don't like them. I can't see anyone arguing that about this hulk though.

 

[Torontovibe]

I guess there will be no attempt to save the Bay's important Bloor Street facade?

God, I hope NOT!

 

[Grimace]

Saks shoppers don't take the subway...

No? I guess I will have to keep shopping at Holts.

 

[interchange42]

I guess there will be no attempt to save the Bay's important Bloor Street facade?

Do tell what aspect of it is important! Do you consider the rather unornamented, only slightly textured wall significant?

Or was that all just sarcasm?

42

 

[W. K. Lis]

Suburban people will not use the subway to get to Saks to shop.

They'll be driving their Cadillac Escalade to shop at Wal-Mart.