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Star of Downtown, The (Willowfield/Norstar, 12s, Kirkor) COMPLETE

People, people, people...

I've been watching this forum for months now and I have to get a few things off my chest.

First: The architecture. From both the renderings and the work that has been completed to date, the design is NOT THAT BAD. In fact it is just fine. Not an architectural marvel of the New World, but not a bad looking building. If you don't like Art Deco, fine. Some do, some don't. But compared to EVERYTHING currently in the neighbourhood, it is a gem. St. Jamestown is an architectural disgrace. Even when it was built, it was ugly. The Star of Downtown, despite a terrible name and a joke of a marketing campaign does a lot to improve this area. I think, if critics are being honest, what they resent is the gentrification of the neibourhood that this development represents. No, the government did not turn this formerly vacant lot into affordable housing. Should they have? Probably. Is that the fault of this developer? No.

Second: The stucco. I'm in the contruction business and calling this stucco is not really accurate. It is an architectural coating which is applied over rigid insulation and bonded in place with wire lathe. It is a VERY durable finish and if you look around, you will see that it is used extensively not only in Toronto, but around the world. It is considered at least as durable and preformed concrete panels (what most new condo buildings are clad in) and much easier and less expensive to maintain than brick in the long run. This is a TOTALLY differnent creature than the stucco you think of that coat Spanish-Style homes. It is not plaster-based, it is an engineered concrete veneer. I have lived in a building for ten years that is clad in exactly the same way and only last year (22 years after the building was built) was the first building envelope maintenance required. AND, it was completed quickly by the contractor and was inexpensive. Finally, for those environmentalists out there, this type of cladding provides significant insulative value over both brick and precast concrete.

Those are the two issues that bug me the most, off the top of my head.
 
Seen it all, thanks for the information on the 'stucco.' Very informative. I am not a fan of the material (I think brick ages much better aesthetically) but I am glad to hear that it is not as impractical and 'cheap' as we all thought.
 
Seen it all said:
Second: The stucco. I'm in the contruction business and calling this stucco is not really accurate. It is an architectural coating which is applied over rigid insulation and bonded in place with wire lathe. It is a VERY durable finish and if you look around, you will see that it is used extensively not only in Toronto, but around the world. It is considered at least as durable and preformed concrete panels (what most new condo buildings are clad in) and much easier and less expensive to maintain than brick in the long run. This is a TOTALLY differnent creature than the stucco you think of that coat Spanish-Style homes. It is not plaster-based, it is an engineered concrete veneer. I have lived in a building for ten years that is clad in exactly the same way and only last year (22 years after the building was built) was the first building envelope maintenance required. AND, it was completed quickly by the contractor and was inexpensive. Finally, for those environmentalists out there, this type of cladding provides significant insulative value over both brick and precast concrete.
Click to expand...

Are you talking about EIFS?

Well, just to let you know that for whatever its durability virtues, the "extensive usage" of EIFS around Toronto is a mixed blessing, particularly when it's used to architecturally Botox older brick commercial blocks and residences. Basically, we're talking about a post-Y2K equivalent to vulgar fake-stone and siding claddings...
 
Seen it all said:
I've been watching this forum for months now and I have to get a few things off my chest.

First: The architecture. From both the renderings and the work that has been completed to date, the design is NOT THAT BAD. In fact it is just fine. Not an architectural marvel of the New World, but not a bad looking building. If you don't like Art Deco, fine. Some do, some don't. But compared to EVERYTHING currently in the neighbourhood, it is a gem. St. Jamestown is an architectural disgrace. Even when it was built, it was ugly. The Star of Downtown, despite a terrible name and a joke of a marketing campaign does a lot to improve this area. I think, if critics are being honest, what they resent is the gentrification of the neibourhood that this development represents. No, the government did not turn this formerly vacant lot into affordable housing. Should they have? Probably. Is that the fault of this developer? No.

Second: The stucco. I'm in the contruction business and calling this stucco is not really accurate. It is an architectural coating which is applied over rigid insulation and bonded in place with wire lathe. It is a VERY durable finish and if you look around, you will see that it is used extensively not only in Toronto, but around the world. It is considered at least as durable and preformed concrete panels (what most new condo buildings are clad in) and much easier and less expensive to maintain than brick in the long run. This is a TOTALLY differnent creature than the stucco you think of that coat Spanish-Style homes. It is not plaster-based, it is an engineered concrete veneer. I have lived in a building for ten years that is clad in exactly the same way and only last year (22 years after the building was built) was the first building envelope maintenance required. AND, it was completed quickly by the contractor and was inexpensive. Finally, for those environmentalists out there, this type of cladding provides significant insulative value over both brick and precast concrete.

Those are the two issues that bug me the most, off the top of my head.
Click to expand...

They are applying a product called Durex to the building.

http://www.durabond.com/Products/

I love Art Deco, so I really like the look of the building. If I could just get this builder to do the right thing by us I would be happy. In an e-mail they expained how they legally screwed us out of a functional balcony, it might be legal but it's not right.


Gentian, I have no idea about setting up Rogers, my partner handles all of those things. He could not find the original paperwork last night. I think you will have to wait for the PDI. They set up the services very quickly. I see the Rogers vans here often.

P.S. Another fire alarm this morning at 8:45.
 
Rogers Free Service

Gentian said:
Ok, this is a very frustrating situation. Rogers and Bell both say that they don't service the building (yet). Could anyone who has moved in confirm this to be the case? Essentially telco/cableco type services? The customer service reps I've been getting haven't seemed particularly sure of themselves, so I would like to double check...
Click to expand...

The regular CSRs at Rogers don't know about the 1 year of Free service offer. You would need to call 1-866-902-9534; this is a special department that handles this offer. Just give them the name and address of the building and they will set it up for you over the phone
 
Mot said:
If I could just get this builder to do the right thing by us I would be happy. In an e-mail they expained how they legally screwed us out of a functional balcony, it might be legal but it's not right.
Click to expand...


If at all possible, could you provide an example of how they argued their way out of a balcony? It would be very educational.


Sorry to hear that your problems continue.
 
urbandreamer said:
^Just curious: Do you work for Willowfield Homes?

Otherwise, I still disagree with what you're saying. Garbage remains garbage.
Click to expand...

If I worked for Willowfield Homes, this project would have been run far, far more efficiently. While the company I run does not deal with projects as big as a high rise development, my people communicate with our clients daily and meet face-to-face with our suppliers and subs on a regular basis. Everybody knows what everybody else is doing and thinking. Willowfield doesn't seem to do any of this. Then again, neither does any developer I have ever dealt with.

As for the eloquently put "garbage remains garbage" comment, in the face of such a beautifully written turn-of-phrase, perhaps I should reconsider my position. Wait a minute, here's a thought, though. Maybe we're talking about aesthetics here. And maybe aesthetics involves making judgements; judgements based upon one's own experiences and perceptions and informed by the culture in which one lives. Perhaps these experiences and perceptions are individual and incomparable to others' experiences and perceptions. Ultimately, judgements derived from them cannot be absolute in their "rightness" or "wrongness". Maybe, just maybe, no thoughtful argument can conclude that something, whether it be a building, a painting or even a choreographed movement can be aesthetically devoid of value...devoid of value in the way that garbage may be said to be devoid of value (after all, if it had value, it would not be disgarded). You can like it; you can dislike it. But you can't honestly argue that it has no aesthetic value.
 
I personally like the exterior of the building but the interior so far has been a big disappoinment. I've worked for several developers and I know the process of a new home, this one is by far the worse I've ever encountered. I understand a unit is not going to be 100% completed but my unit is not even 40% completed.

During my PDI I was told by the CSR that we're not suppose to point out any drywall deficiencies or any cosmetic deficiencies but that's just a way for the developer to protect themselves from Tarion and to screw the homeowners.

I just want to warn all of you when doing your inspection to make sure to note all deficienies on your PDI because if the developer doesn't fix the deficiencies on your 30 day item, Tarion will be on their side and you'll be living with holes in your wall.

I've worked for a bad developer before and seen many homeowners lose because certain items weren't noted on the PDI. Even if the CSR tells you whatever you put on your 30 day, they will fix it, don't believe that crap. He told me that he'll get things done within 48 hours. Within 2 weeks of my PDI, the only thing done in my unit was my countertop. If he can lie about fixing my deficiencies in 48 hours, he's definately going to lie about fixing all the items on the 30 day form.

Just a friendly tip.
 
Is it possible to just buy a concrete shell then do all the interior work yourself? That's more my style of thinking.... Like what if I want a 1000 sq ft bathroom and kitchen (I do) or built in bookshelves lining all the walls (I do)?

For example, if you want a funky but cheap bathroom sink what do you do? You go to a yard sale and buy a huge stainless steel bowl for $1, drill a hole in the bottom of it and there you go: a gorgeous bathroom bowl-shaped sink!:) Then you splurge and buy a bathtub like this one: http://images.google.ca/imgres?imgu...um=1&hl=en&rls=HPIB,HPIB:2005-48,HPIB:en&sa=N

So am I dreaming or onto something here?
 
Hydrogen said:
If at all possible, could you provide an example of how they argued their way out of a balcony? It would be very educational.


Sorry to hear that your problems continue.
Click to expand...

Here is the legal response we got.

"We would refer to section 43 of the Agreement of Purchase and Sale where the vendor is entitled to change, vary or modify the plans and specification pertaining to the unit from the plans and specifications existing at the time of that the Purchaser entered into the Agreeement"....
 
8thfloor said:
I personally like the exterior of the building but the interior so far has been a big disappoinment. I've worked for several developers and I know the process of a new home, this one is by far the worse I've ever encountered. I understand a unit is not going to be 100% completed but my unit is not even 40% completed.

During my PDI I was told by the CSR that we're not suppose to point out any drywall deficiencies or any cosmetic deficiencies but that's just a way for the developer to protect themselves from Tarion and to screw the homeowners.

I just want to warn all of you when doing your inspection to make sure to note all deficienies on your PDI because if the developer doesn't fix the deficiencies on your 30 day item, Tarion will be on their side and you'll be living with holes in your wall.

I've worked for a bad developer before and seen many homeowners lose because certain items weren't noted on the PDI. Even if the CSR tells you whatever you put on your 30 day, they will fix it, don't believe that crap. He told me that he'll get things done within 48 hours. Within 2 weeks of my PDI, the only thing done in my unit was my countertop. If he can lie about fixing my deficiencies in 48 hours, he's definately going to lie about fixing all the items on the 30 day form.

Just a friendly tip.
Click to expand...



We brought our camera and took video of the entire unit during the PDI, it keeps them honest.

We don't have a single wall that is true in this place.

They most certainly do not do anything on the 30 day list unless you hound them, we got our bathroom cabinet doors today because I called the vendor myself.
 
The right thing to do would have been to put the full balcony on the east side like the unit next to ours

It wouldn't have been so bad had we not been completely lied to by sales. I know I am being naive, but I believe in honesty. We learned a hard and valuable lesson with this purchase.

Now add the lies to the disaster this place has been to live in and you get sour grapes.
 
windows?

hi everyone,

i just found this forum today - it was pretty crazy reading from the beginning through to now... sheesh.

i'm on the 2nd floor and am slowly moving in. where is this saturday meeting - i'd like to go.

does anyone know what's happening with the condo board? i'd like to get involved. do we sort that out ourselves?
 
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