KING Toronto condo project all the buzz — and with good reason
When a new condominium project promises to transform one of Toronto’s hottest neighbourhoods, people take notice.
It’s no wonder, then, that KING Toronto — Westbank and Allied Properties’ proposed King Street West mixed-use development — has been getting buzz since its initial release in October. Between its design by a celebrated Danish architect and the dynamic mix of condo, retail and restaurant space being planned, the developers expect the site to make its mark on the community around it — and help bring on the next iteration of the already evolving Entertainment District.
“It’s where all of the action is in Toronto,” says Michael Braun, marketing and sales director with Vancouverbased Westbank, developer of the nearby Shangri-La Hotel, at University and Adelaide. “There’s been a shift in Toronto from Yorkville to the King Street area — you notice it during the film festival. Most of the parties and the action are now at the
Soho House and Shangri-La, and the TIFF Bell Lightbox is down there — whereas 10 to 15 years ago it would have all been in Yorkville.”
At KING Toronto, Westbank and Allied plan to build on that evolution. Designed by Copenhagenand New York-based architectural firm Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), the King West and Brant Street building — still in pre-construction — will incorporate 600 feet of King frontage, as well as a courtyard dedicated to public retail and dining space. Inspired by Montreal’s Habitat 67 site, the architecture mimics the peaks and valleys of a mountain range, with contemporary glass blocks juxtaposed against a series of integrated heritage buildings. When completed, the project will combine 463 condominium suites and approximately 50,000 square feet of retail, all centred around the public courtyard.
“You’re going to have one of Toronto’s great public spaces,” Braun says. “We wanted to try to bring to King Street some of that Yorkville retail experience, with a mix of some of the higherend brands, but also that feeling of weaving in among different buildings — heritage buildings and shops.”
Toronto-based landscape architecture firm Public Work has been brought on to integrate greenery onto every level, creating a living element to the building, with 370 individual garden terraces throughout. The courtyard will also incorporate greenery and public art, including a secret garden and a “cloud-maker” feature that collects rainwater and adds a light fog to the courtyard during the summer months.
Braun sees the site becoming the new go-to meeting space for people living and working in the Entertainment District. “There will be a mix of everything, with different restaurants and a whole bunch of stores. You’ve probably got 25 to 30 different businesses in there,” he adds. “For a lot of people, I think, this will become the courtyard where you go for a drink, or pass through, or hang out.”
KING Toronto isn’t just for the public, though. Rising 15 storeys, it promises a unique experience for residents as well, with 400 individual floor plans to choose from. While the site’s first release of condo units is now sold out, the developers will be bringing the next release to the market in March, with suites ranging from 500 to 4,000 square feet and prices starting in the mid $700,000s. Occupancy is scheduled for 2023.
So far, the developer adds, the building has been appealing largely to end users planning to one day live there — but not necessarily the same young professionals that currently drive the rest of the King West market. Here, the buyers have been slightly more sophisticated and design-savvy — and often older.
“It’s a lot of people coming out of their houses and they didn’t want to consider condo living before, but this is really interesting to them. We’ve got a ton of architects and designers, as well,” Braun says. “We’re getting people who really appreciate the design … it just kind of speaks to them.”
And while the developer expects the site will become a design landmark in the local neighbourhood — and within Toronto itself — he also sees it impacting the community in other ways as well. The area, currently known largely for its selection of restaurants and nightspots, will see a new range of retail and dining offerings, as well as a planned grocery store. That, combined with the onslaught of older buyers, will result in what Braun imagines to be a more grown-up version of King West.
“I think it will take things in that Entertainment District from a young persononly neighbourhood to be a little more broader,” he says.
The sales office for KING Toronto is located at 529 King St. W., Toronto and open daily from noon to 5 p.m. Call 416-597-2593 or visit kingtoronto.com for information.