I think opening up the current elevators to the office floors would be a lot of work. Even if the condo board were to buy back the offices, I think they would keep it as office space? You would have to convert the offices to condos, create the lobby, make holes in the concrete core for the elevators, and then also program and add buttons to the existing elevators to stop at floor 2. The 2nd floor is also accessible in a separate lobby. When you enter the foyer of the building, left is “offices” right is “residential” the 2nd floor is accessible through stairs or its own elevator. The second floor was originally built as office space so I don’t think they want to compromise that. Offices are considered separate from 25 with its own address (35). It wouldn’t make sense for two different lobbies for both residential purposes. One having 5 elevators that stop at every floor, and one having a single elevator stopping just at level 2, and P1, with some stairs. Residents who would live on floor two probably would like to access through the new lobby, but would also not have access to P2 and P3, and no concierge. However, if they do take the tower elevators, then they can access P2 and P3, and the amenities. Elevator lobby would be strange for the second floor. The only floor with 6 elevators. And one random elevator that is very limited with floors.
I think the current layout is fine. Residential lobby on the right (25 The Esplanade), with 5 elevators, stopping from P2/P3, skipping P1 and floor 2, and going all the way up to floor 33. On the left, offices (35 The Esplanade). Elevator leading only to P1, lobby, and floor 2. Some stairs if you don’t wanna take an elevator. It’s separated.
When you take the ramp down to P2, there are still a couple parking spots right before you hit the gate, that are publicly accessible. My guess is that we could add another gate at the same spot as P2, but on P1. Add it a little bit after the elevator lobby for 35 The Esplanade, and the offices have some public spaces, and we have a little bit of private spaces on P1 too. Although accessibility won’t be great, the security is better.
If 45 were to dig another floor, I don’t even know how it’s possible to dig another floor for us. That would be unfair! They have 4 parking levels while we have very limited 3 parking levels.
This is definitely an interesting development.
Okay. Silver Hotel Group owns the whole parking lot. As well as the Novotel hotel, retail and office of 25 The Esplanade (35 The Esplanade) of course, the residential part of 25 The Esplanade (floors 3-33, including residential lobby) are owned by MTCC 850. However, the parking is run by different companies, like Impark, or now, TargetPark. The condo board has nothing to do with the garage. The only thing they have is a contract with Silver Hotel Group to reserve P2 and P3 behind a gate for residents of 25 The Esplanade. The maintenance of the garage has some finger pointing. Residents of 25 The Esplanade have often complained about the condition of the garage, but the condo board can’t do anything about it, they’ve forwarded the complaints to Silver Hotel Group and Impark (the parking operator at the time) and Impark had argued that they do not own the parking, and just run it, they said that Silver Hotel Group is responsible with the condition of the parking. Silver Hotel Group just said the same thing, they said Impark should be the ones to maintain it, since they’re running it. The contract to reserve 244 spots for 25 The Esplanade has been breached from time to time, thanks to TargetPark and how they want to make an extra buck. When the P1 level is at capacity, they often open P2 and P3 to the public, and anyone can park there. This is only done for a period of time, and not all the time. Somebody who parked behind the gate after being redirected by TargetPark, came back to the parking lot only to find their car behind a gate, locked. Lol. This parking lot is… interesting. I don’t understand why Avro (the developer of 25/35/45) didn’t just separate the parking? Why does it have to be shared under 25/35/45? Why did they retain ownership of the whole thing.