Since topping out at a height of 147 metres last year in Toronto's Entertainment District, construction has been progressing behind the glass curtain at Lifetime Developments and INK Entertainment's Bisha Hotel and Residences. With the 44-storey Wallman Architects-designed condominium and hotel tower now beginning residential occupancy, we were given a tour through the development this week for a look at some of the building's residences. 

Bisha's podium, image by Jack Landau

Residents at Bisha will enter the building via a lobby on the north side of the ground floor, one of the many interior spaces appointed by Studio Munge principal Alessandro Munge. While still in an unfinished state, the overall aesthetic has begun to take shape for the lobby, which is now staffed by a concierge.

Residential lobby at Bisha, image by Jack Landau

The lobby connects with a mail room featuring a dark, minimalist look with illuminated mailboxes and reflective surfaces.

Mail room at Bisha, image by Jack Landau

In addition to the residential lobby and adjacent hotel lobby, the building's ground floor will offer a bar and lounge space as well as a 24-hour café, both fronting directly onto Blue Jays Way and the development's expanded pedestrian realm. Up on the second floor, a large unfinished space will eventually be home to a casual dining restaurant, placed behind the podium's restored heritage facade, and accessed via a direct elevator entrance from the lobby below.

Above the podium levels, occupancy is now well underway, with residents now moved in as high as the 29th floor of the tower. Only 12 units remain for sale in the building, all part of Bisha's Signature Collection. These luxury suites—found on levels 38 through 42—offer layouts ranging in size from 944 ft² up to 1,363 ft². A view of one of the Signature suites (below) reveals that the interiors are still in a very raw state, with finishes yet to be installed.

Inside one of Bisha's Signature Collection units, image by Jack Landau

In addition to their generous floor plans, the Signature Collection suites' position on the tower's upper floors will provide residents with impressive views of the surrounding cityscape. These same city views will be available to hotel guests and members of the public via a large rooftop restaurant, to be operated by Ink Entertainment. Building residents will be able to access the hotel's amenity offerings once they open their doors this summer.

East view from one of Bisha's Signature Collection units, image by Jack Landau

A view from one of these balconies also provides a close-up take on the vertical copper-coloured accents that run up the length of the tower.

Vertical accents on Bisha, image by Jack Landau

A public art piece for the building's public realm is complete, but yet to be installed on site. The art installation will sit just outside the restored historic facade on Blue Jays Way, immediately adjacent to hotel lobby entrance. 

Location of future public art installation, image by Jack Landau

The hotel will open this summer. In the meantime, you can check out our dataBase file for more information, linked below. Want to share your thoughts about the project? Leave a comment in the space provided at the bottom of this page, or join in the ongoing conversation in our associated Forum thread.