khris
Senior Member
Why was the PATH not extended to this building?
Toronto Living Shangri-La Toronto | 214.57m | 66s | Westbank | James Cheng
gabe
Senior Member
The features and finishes are also on par with any new 5 star condo/hotel in NYC, Chicago, Vancouver etc.. As is the contemporary decor.
Not everyone wants to live like Donald Trump
AndreaPalladio
Senior Member
There's no practical connection. You'd have to tunnel south all the way to King and University. There isn't an underground connection at the DBRS building east across University.
junctionist
Senior Member
That may be on the gaudy side, but there's a lot of design and detail to that interior on a level absent in the Shangri-La suite. That's not a slight to modern minimalist design, but in the unit you posted, the walls are covered in what looks like natural stone rather than dull diamond pattern wallpaper and the ceiling is artful rather than just plain white plaster like in a studio unit.
TheKingEast
Senior Member
Disagree. That Shangrila suite looked very plain. I mean. The baseboards looked like the flimsy cheap kind you find at home depot and were like 2 inches high.
It just all looks very ordinary to me.
Looks no better than a penthouse suite in a nice building.
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steveve
Senior Member
^ I agree that many of the exteriors for these 'luxury suites' do look slightly disappointing and underwhelming. Obviously the renders and marketing over emphasize how the end-unit actually looks, but I think much of it has to do with the type of furnishings used. Me personally, I think marble flooring makes any unit look considerably nicer and larger than it actually is. Hardwood flooring is iffy these days, and can look 'flimsy'.
At the end of the day, it really is up to the buyer/resident to decide how they want their suite to look. They can pick out whatever furniture or finishings they'd like, because all the developer really does want to do is get away with the bare minimum.
At the end of the day, it really is up to the buyer/resident to decide how they want their suite to look. They can pick out whatever furniture or finishings they'd like, because all the developer really does want to do is get away with the bare minimum.
metroTO
Active Member
The end users/buyers of these luxury condos often have higher standards and more specific tastes, for better or worse, and developers can never satisfy their every needs and wants when there are hundreds of units they have to construct. So these units are often blank canvases for these buyers as many will do more customization and remodeling. In New York many apartments are stripped down and everything painted stark white when put up for sale so that it doesn't distract potential buyers and shows off its potential.
The Shangri-La is probably the more modern and contemporary condo out of 4S, Ritz and Trump, so having the interiors dripping with heavy trim and moldings like at those buildings may not be appropriate, but I noticed other interior details in those photos above which doesn't seem fitting for a very upscale luxury condo. This includes not hiding or disguising those ugly grey metal electrical panels in the bedrooms, sliding doors that really should be pocket doors that disappear into the wall and eliminates that funny shallow bulkhead track above, electrical switches and outlets that should be ganged together, and odd slight bump-outs or recesses in walls that should be flat. If I can notice these details I'm sure many of these buyers would notice them too.
The Shangri-La is probably the more modern and contemporary condo out of 4S, Ritz and Trump, so having the interiors dripping with heavy trim and moldings like at those buildings may not be appropriate, but I noticed other interior details in those photos above which doesn't seem fitting for a very upscale luxury condo. This includes not hiding or disguising those ugly grey metal electrical panels in the bedrooms, sliding doors that really should be pocket doors that disappear into the wall and eliminates that funny shallow bulkhead track above, electrical switches and outlets that should be ganged together, and odd slight bump-outs or recesses in walls that should be flat. If I can notice these details I'm sure many of these buyers would notice them too.
TheKingEast
Senior Member
The bolded is what I was touching on. Obviously the builder's going to select generic finishes that appeals to the average buyer....but that grey electrical panel in the bedroom. This is a $1M condo. Couldn't it have been hidden or at least white? I've seen crappy starter condos that did a better job of handling this. The ugly bulkheads and sliding doors. I mean, I'm being picky, but again, this is a "high end" building.
4 Seasons is superior. Now it may have cost more..but they got it right over there.
It's just well designed and just looks more finished. I don't even like this style. I'm more of a modern guy myself.
junctionist
Senior Member
Even with multi-million penthouses, it doesn't matter what these suites look like when newly built. The owners will inevitably improve them over time with renovations. The high cost of these condos is simply a reflection of the high square footage and desirability of a penthouse suite rather than the quality of the interiors. Even millionaires might not have the money to get all the marble floors they want when they buy the condo. It comes with time.
dt_toronto_geek
Superstar
I never get flat panels over a fireplace, the heat is bad for them plus that height can't be good for the neck. On electrical panels, I believe code says they have to be in an open and accessible area now, they can't be hidden away in closets or cupboard areas anymore - that's what I was told when I did the inspection on one of my condos in the late 90's.
argus
Active Member
If I had a few million to drop on a place like that I'd put aside a nice stack of cash to refinish it from top to bottom. It doesn't take long to rip out drywall and flimsy baseboard.
Bayer
Senior Member
What makes it worse is that no one bothers creating panels that look good; design doesn't matter here for such things. I remember one I saw in a hotel room in Rome that was actually modern and attractive.
dt_toronto_geek
Superstar
True. In one of my places it was located on the main wall right inside the entrance foyer, and it was crooked to boot. I hung a print in front of it.
Youranthony1
Active Member
and the interiors for Trump are superior to this.
AHK
Senior Member
My understanding of the code requirement (unless more recent changes have superseded it) - there has to be a minimum of three feet of clear space in front of the surface of the electrical panel, for the electrician to be able to work on it safely and without being cramped. Any location which allows for the minimum of three feet of clear space (and meets any other applicable code requirements) should be acceptable.