Heritage homes worked into base of St. James Town project
Three heritage homes are being worked into the base of new 53-storey tower coming to St . James Town
The 53- storey Burke Condos tower has a bit of history in it. Not only is it named after the Victorian architect Edmund Burke, it’s going to house a portion of his first solo build, the Queen Anne- style Anson Jones House, which still occupies the project’s downtown site at Sherbourne and Howard streets. Concert Properties is repurposing the abandoned heritage home, built in 1894, along with two others on the site, for commercial and retail uses that will cater to residents and fuel the revitalization of the surrounding St. James Town neighbourhood.
In addition to its preservation efforts at Burke, the Vancouver- based developer has already incorporated three striking Victorian façades into its Jazz condo building at Church and Shuter streets, restored the mid- century modern podium of its 88 Scott tower, and reinstalled the heritage limestone façade of the office and retail complex at 20 Wellington Street East, which is also home to the Burke Condos sales centre.
Now in pre- construction, the site is a short walk east of Edmund Burke’s most famous project: The Bloor Viaduct, a truss arch bridge designed to facilitate public transit.
“Toronto is such a tran
sit-oriented city, so we’re taking advantage of that with a project that is less than a block south of the Sherbourne subway station,” says Colleen Anderson, Concert Properties’ senior vice-president of sales and marketing. “With all the transit expansion and improvement going on, and with the neighbourhood in the midst of rapid revitalization, there’s so much future upside here.”
Home to the largest highrise community in Canada, St. James Town is the focus of municipal initiatives to create new pedestrian and cycling networks — Sherbourne has had dedicated bike lanes since 2013 — as well as public spaces such as the neighbouring St. James Town West Park. Like the Anson Jones House, several historic buildings in the neighbourhood have been incorporated into new structures. The empire-style James Cooper House, for instance, is home to many of the condo amenities in Tridel Corp.’s 32- storey James Cooper Mansion.
There’s no shortage of gentrification nearby. Just north, Rosedale Ravine marks the southern end of affluent Rosedale and provides a verdant access point for the walking and cycling trails of the Don Valley. To the west are Yorkville’s boutiques and eateries, eastward is Danforth’s Greektown, and to the south are the leafy streets and vintage shops of Cabbagetown.
No wonder Concert applied for a zoning variance to reduce the number of parking spaces from 323 to 180, and reduce approved minimums for amenity space. “Our analysis of parking and amenity needs was really influenced by how well connected the property is to shopping, dining and different neighbourhoods, parks and trails,” Anderson says.
The building’s 21,000 square feet of amenities are about “quality not quantity,” she adds. Spanning three floors, they include a chef ’s kitchen, private dining room, fireside terrace, a lounge and party room; the 27th floor is devoted to a fitness centre along with co- working and meeting spaces.
The Burke’s 501 units, meanwhile, will be connected to the revamped heritage homes via a bench- lined landscaped pathway designed by IBI Group, the architectural firm helming the project. Ranging from 436- square- f oot j unior one- bedrooms to three bedrooms plus den that max out at 2,091 square feet. Nine Penthouse Collection residences will offer upgraded features and finishes including a Miele appliance package with wine fridge.
With an average suite size of more than 700 square feet, and with two- and three-bedroom units comprising almost half of the total, Concert is aiming to “hit the sweet spot in terms of value per square foot,” Anderson says. “From couples to families to retirees, we expect our residents to be a diverse group that values everything Toronto has to offer.”
Prices start at $ 569,000. For more information, visit the presentation centre 20 Wellington St. E., Unit 3, or www.burkebyconcert.com.