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41 River Street, an entirely geothermally-heated and cooled development by Percy Ellis, is quickly approaching completion at the end of November. Located between Toronto's Regent Park neighbourhood and the lower Don Valley, a peek inside one of the suites of the Studio JCI-designed five-storey building is being shared. The environmentally conscious purpose-built rental building boasts 26 suites, ranging from one to three bedroom layouts, with an additional three commercial units.
The suite displayed is one of the three-bedrooms. Unit 306 features a galley kitchen, with warm finishes and large windows that allow for the space to fill with natural light.
Kitchen at 41 River, image courtesy of Percy Ellis
A feature that all of the suites at 41 River will share is the SmartOne wall unit, which can also be utilized from the resident's phone. The SmartOne system controls the HVAC of the unit, and can even be accessed remotely so the resident can adjust the climate of the unit while they are away. The use of the SmartOne system results in 30 to 40% energy cost savings, keeping costs low for the resident.
Several measures have been taken to maximize the environmental friendliness of the building. For example, each unit's utilities will be separately metered for the amount of electricity and water consumed to encourage energy conservation, and there will be no natural gas hookups, as geothermal energy is being used throughout the building—harnessing the heat energy just feet below the ground, and converting it into warm air through the use of geothermal heat pumps. This will result in big savings on energy costs, while benefitting the environment.
Living area at 41 River, image courtesy of Percy Ellis
The units were designed to accommodate young professionals and families. The development is an effort to help create much needed "missing middle" housing in Toronto, a term used to describe a range of multi-unit housing that is compatible in scale with single-family homes, which help meet the growing demand for walkable, urban living. As seen in the images, 306 is a spacious three bedroom suite and can easily accommodate a family.
Bedroom at 41 River, image courtesy of Percy Ellis
The bedrooms of the suites at 41 River are equally cozy and spacious, providing room for more than just a bed.
If wanting to lounge, residents at 41 River are not limited to their units. The building offers many options to relax, including a southwest facing outdoor terrace that offers views of the downtown skyline. Plants are currently being planted on the terrace, which will be full of lush greenery in the coming months.
Downtown view from rooftop terrace at 41 River, image courtesy of Percy Ellis
The building also offers an amenity room which features individual and collaborative workspaces for residents who work from home, but who would like a change of scenery. The amenity room will offer free wifi so that online work can be done with ease. It will include a common room, where residents can watch television on a large screen, or just relax on one of the many comfortable seating options.
Lounge and shared work space of 41 River, image courtesy of Percy Ellis
41 River is conveniently located with direct access to downtown by transit, and is within walking distance of many convenient local amenities including Corktown Common, the Distillery District, and various shops and restaurants on King and Queet streets–to name a few. For locations that are a little further away, Percy Ellis has included the convenience of electric ride share for its residents who do not have their own vehicle, that is free of charge. Vehicles included will be electric cars, bikes, and scooters. There will also be parking available for guests, fitted with electric charging stations.
Bike parking and storage lockers will be included in the basic rental package for all residents, but vehicle parking will only be included in the premium package.This will mean that residents who own their own vehicles and opt into the premium package will see the monthly cost of their space reflected in their monthly rent.
41 River Street in Toronto by Studio JCI for Percy Ellis
Additional information and more images can be found in our Database file for the project, linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Check out the associated Forum thread, or leave a comment below.
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