Toronto St Lawrence Condos at 158 Front | 91.44m | 26s | Cityzen | a—A

This was in a recent Star article on 10 York Street but is a new 'fact' to me. Any comment? From: http://www.thestar.com/living/reale...n-york-will-link-downtown-with-the-waterfront

The corporation’s mandate is to maximize the value of underutilized real estate previously owned by the city, and in doing so generate new jobs and property tax revenue while reinvesting in the local community.
Previously, residential sites in Build’s portfolio — Cityzen’s development at 154 Front St., for example — were sold off to developers with the agreement that Build would be paid a trailing dividend based on the increased value of the property.
“(Ten York) is the first one we’ve done that is a true joint venture,” says CEO J. Lorne Braithwaite. “We’re sharing risk together as well as the ultimate development and finalization of the project.”
 
taal said:
+1,

I've never really heard anyone describe it as gritty ... that section of downtown is really the most built out in many ways and has nice intermix of new mid rise condos that fit wonderfully with the older buildings / offices. There's quite a bit of retail on King and some on Front and side streets. Also it's so close to the distillery district which seems to get better all the times as there are more and more events

Having said that, it's not a hopping with life area ... and, I don't think it'll ever be ... which is fine in my books. There is some street life granted but it's quieter in general, quite a few families live there btw.

I personally love the built form of the area, and there are many under looked small condos that have been built here in the last 10 years or so.

Regarding the esplande ... that's an amazing area i.e. with the linear park that goes right though. I can see some people calling it slightly gritty though, you get some characters in the area at times, nothing scary at all though.

There is a lot of subsided housing along that stretch but it's mixed in well. Though the interesting part is unlike current design, generally speaking the subsidized buildings are on their own not intermixed with market rate buildings.

Once the area around the distillery get's built out, which this is a part of, this area will really feel complete/
Click to expand...

I think I have different tastes than some here when it comes to things I like about urban centers, but I personally love this entire area. The Crombie Park co-ops are massively successful examples of mixed-income development, and the area is really safe. For about four years I was down there multiple times a week for band rehearsals (that weird building on the north east corner of Lower Sherbourne and the Esplanade? Yeah. It's weird), and was out all the time at night in those parks. Mostly harmless co-op kids enjoying their neighborhood.

And if you want to get chic, there's King two seconds away, and if you want to get somewhat classy there's St. Lawrence Market neighborhood two minutes down the street.

It's one of my favorite neighborhoods in the city; quiet, understated, but very much in the middle of downtown.

And Belissimos! Come on!
 
The buildings around Crombie Park are actually a mixture of subsidised housing (TCHC), market rent housing, co-ops and condominiums. It truly IS a very mixed neighbourhood.
 
Yes it is truly mixed - in fact, it's probably the only dense downtown neighbourhood where I would consider raising a family - schools, playgrounds, a large community centre, and lots of other kids to play with.
 
Demolition is underway - a quick video from yesterday:

[video=youtube;q4n5cpJla2I]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4n5cpJla2I[/video]

Looks like it will be reduced to rubble by the end of the week.
 
Gone

demo-gone.jpg
 
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Though the City has not yet ruled on their revised plans, they have applied for a permit for a surface car park while they go to the OMB. "Good" and "Cityzen" do not go together!
 
He kept talking and I kept waiting for him to actually say something. (I will give him points for acknowledging the importance of materials, in his discussion of a limestone base).
 
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