Leslieville - The Beach : Development News

A condo development that has been on the books for almost 10 years is showing some signs of life in the east end.

Approved by the city when Leslieville was still mostly a glimmer in some real estate agent's eye, 64 Colgate by Showcase Developments was the first purpose-build live-work development to get the go-ahead from the city.

Most of the residents in the neighbourhood have moved in since the public meetings were held prior to the 2002 approval, so Councillor Paula Fletcher held another one in June to give people concerned about the new construction site an idea of what was going on.

"It's the same developer as the other developments" in the area, Fletcher says, including Natalie Place, adding that when they finally decided to move on the property, they changed the 7-storey façade from the original design. "It was felt to be a little 2002," Fletcher says.

In addition to adding significantly to the area's density, as part of the original OMB decision, part of the building will provide low-cost units.

Writer: Bert Archer
Source: Paula Fletcher

Do you know of a new building going up, a business expanding or being renovated, a park in the works or even a new house being built in the neighbourhood? Please send your development news tips to [email protected].

The Beach's architectural homogeneity is about to be introduced to a new sort of building.

Announced last week, the design for a new mid-rise condo at the corner of Kenilworth and Queen is by Raw. Described as "floating glass enclosures of increasing size, one inside the other," in a press release announcing the launch, the 28-unit building will also feature some rather large balconies -- up to 1,058 square feet -- which Raw director Roland Rom Colthoff says they designed "to feel more like outdoor rooms."

The project's developer is Reserve Properties, the same people behind Bellefair and the Motif Lofts.

Interiors are being done by II by IV. If sales go well, the building may be ready for residents by November, 2013.

Writer: Bert Archer
Source: Riva Finkelstein

Do you know of a new building going up, a business expanding or being renovated, a park in the works or even a new house being built in the neighbourhood? Please send your development news tips to [email protected].

Local independent caf Crema Coffee Co. is on the verge of becoming a bona fide chain.

On June 1, the two-location company is doubling its size, opening a location at Richmond and Spadina and another on the Danforth at Logan.

The Richmond and Spadina location will be the second Crema to be located within a Freshii, but the Danforth space will be a separate shop, the same size and with the same basic design as the original Junction location.

"There's not that much work to do really," says Crema owner Geoff Polci. "It was a cafe already. We're going to use a lot of the existing stuff there. There's already a bar, and shelving. We just need to paint, change up some tile, the floors have already been done, buy table and chairs, hire and train new staff."

The space, formerly Sweet Tooth, has a bigger kitchen than the Junction location, which Polci says they'll be using to expand their Panini menu.

The 800 square foot space will cost about $50,000 to turn into a Crema, Polci figures.

Writer: Bert Archer
Source: Geoff Polci

Do you know of a new building going up, a business expanding or being renovated, a park in the works or even a new house being built in the neighbourhood? Please send your development news tips to [email protected].

Work has begun on the Flatiron Lots, one of two projects built by Lamb Developments in the city's east end.

Managed by 59 Project Management, Flatiron Lofts (11 storeys at 1201 Dundas East), and Work Lofts (12 storeys at 319 Carlaw Avenue), are sister buildings, separated only by a small strip of land.

"They're more in keeping with the old industrial nature of Leslieville," says  59's Philip Marsland. "They're made to look more like warehouse buildings, with red brick and big black windows."

Put in place where a Leather Ranch and an old gas station once stood, respectively, work began on Flatiron in June, and on the Work Lofts last February. Both are on 19-month construction cycles, meaning Work is expected to be completed by August, 2012, and Flatiron by December of the same year.

The first two levels will be commercial and retail space, while the rest of the space � 157 units in Work Lofts and 97 units in Flatiron � will be residential.

Writer: Bert Archer
Source: Philip Marsland

Do you know of a new building going up, a business expanding or being renovated, a park in the works or even a cool new house being built in the neighbourhood? Please send your development news tips to [email protected].

After a year's closure, Jimmie Simpson Recreation Centre and Pool had its official re-opening last week in Leslieville with a whole new lease on life.

Closed since last August, the building had problems with its doors, paint, ceilings, pool, mechanical and electrical infrastructure, its air conditioning and lighting. That's all been fixed now, at a cost of $1 million, with work ending June 19.

"It's a priority centre," says Kelvin Seow, Toronto East York District community recreation manager, of the building at 870 Queen Street East. "The community has missed it. We tried to re-locate as much as we could to Matty Eckler and other local centres, but it's such a big centre, that it was tough."


Writer: Bert Archer
Source: Kelvin Seow

Do you know of a new building going up, a business expanding or being renovated, a park in the works or even a cool new house being built in the neighbourhood? Please send your development news tips to [email protected].

Last week, Paul Raff Studio completed their design of the new lifeguard stands, to be installed on Toronto's swimming beaches over the course of the next year.

After wining the competition last year, the multi-disciplinary Spadina Avenue firm, which includes architects, artists and graphic designers, began work on what ended up being a very complicated project.

"We worked with Parks and Recreation and Urban Planning," says Raff, referring to the to chief city departments involved in the project, "and the police are the ones who deal with staffing the stands � they all have requirements, including some highly detailed signage requirements."

In the end, Raff says, they came up with a design he describes as "not flashy, Frank Gehry-style design," but one that integrated those signage requirements into the design, "just like the 1950s subways stations of Toronto, where the font on the walls is an integral part of the design of the buildings."

Writer: Bert Archer
Source: Paul Raff

Do you know of a new building going up, a business expanding or being renovated, a park in the works or even a cool new house being built in the neighbourhood? Please send your development news tips to [email protected].