St. Regis moves in on city’s skyline
Former Trump Tower condos to be offered as Astor Collection
American tastemaker John Jacob Astor IV, the wealthiest passenger on the Titanic and founder of the five-star St. Regis hotel in New York City, perished in 1912 when the ship struck an iceberg and sank in the North Atlantic.
Astor’s style-setting legacy, and hotel standards, live on and are coming to Toronto in a way that will join the city skyline.
His St. Regis brand will illuminate the former Trump International Hotel and Tower Toronto at 325 Bay St. — currently operating as the Adelaide Hotel.
The 65-storey hotel and residence will be rechristened St. Regis Toronto after an extensive renovation for a new look, new amenities and a new vibe.
It will be the first St. Regis Hotel in Canada.
Seventy-four residential condominium suites, known as the St. Regis Residences Toronto, were to be offered for sale starting Sept. 28.
The units, from 1,200 square feet up to 12,000 square feet, are priced from $1.6 million to $23 million.
JFC Capital acquired the Trump Tower’s 211 hotel units, 74 condos and amenity space this past March.
In the previous 10 years, the Trump hotel had been plagued by construction delays, lawsuits, loan defaults and protests from people unhappy with the new American president.
Donald Trump’s company never owned the Toronto tower, but licensed out the name and managed the property. JCF bought out the Trump management contracts this past June and sold the hotel to InnVest Hotels, one of Canada’s largest hotel portfolio holders.
The hotel will be operated by Marriott International under its St. Regis brand, known for luxury, impeccable service and innovation.
JCF retained ownership of the residential condo suites. (There are 118 condo residences in all; 42 had been sold before the JCF acquisition and one has been sold since).
“This was a unique opportunity,” says Jay Wolf of JCF Capital about the Trump Tower acquisition.
“It was an exceptional asset in the heart of the third largest real estate market in North America. That type of opportunity doesn’t come around every day.”
Tim Terceira, general manager of the St. Regis Residences Toronto and the Adelaide Hotel, says condo residents will enjoy the privileges of being connected to a five-star hotel and will have a dedicated director of residences.
“Our job is to make sure this is the best investment in their lifestyle they’ve ever made,” says Terceira. “The service will be gracious, intuitive and prestigious.”
A personal butler will assist residents with everything from arranging theatre tickets to organizing their daily itinerary. A private chauffeured car will be available. They’ll have access to the hotel’s amenities and services, including restaurant, bar, fitness centre, spa and room service, with preferred pricing.
The original hotel staff — including housekeepers and front office workers — has been retained. The restaurant, bar and spa, that had been contracted to third-party operators, will now be operated and controlled by the hotel management.
“From a service perspective, this hotel is already a four- or five-star and the staff understands luxury,” says Terceira.
“What we will be doing is bringing the culture of the St. Regis, its processes and rituals.”
Those rituals include Afternoon Tea, Midnight Supper and Sunset Sabrage, where a ceremonial sabre is used to open champagne bottles.
The hotel lobby, amenity spaces, bar and restaurant will be refurbished before the hotel is rebranded as the St. Regis and are still in the planning stage. However, the residential condo suites in the Astor Collection have been updated and two model suites created by Toronto interior Ann Johnston.
“I’ve created transitional spaces that are more refined, not as theatrical, as they were,” says Johnston. “We also want to appeal to a new generation of multinational luxury travellers.”
She’s opted for contemporary furnishings and neutral palettes that mix textures, with a few punches of jewel-toned hues. Light fixtures and countertops have been replaced and hardwood floors have been refinished to a modern, warm grey tone.
The condo suites feature coffered ceilings in foyer and principal rooms, hardwood flooring and wainscotting, electric fireplaces, Downsview kitch- en cabinetry, Miele appliances and recessed halogen lighting.
“There has been a lot of interest in the suites, and the original developer did a clever job of designing a building on a tight lot,” says Kate Hay of JCF Capital.
“It’s a prime location in the financial district . . . There are a lot of condos for sale in the luxury space, but what’s different with these is you don’t have to buy off plans and are able to walk through the actual suites.”
Buyers of the Astor Collection suites — named for John Jacob Astor IV — will receive a furniture package from Elte, initiation and membership in the private National Club and two years of free valet parking for two cars. They will also enjoy a favoured St. Regis ritual by attending a polo match in an international destination.
“Toronto, like most major metro- politan markets, tends to have a very sophisticated clientele that appreciate and demand this level of services,” Wolf says. “One of the things I find really compelling is the story of the St. Regis brand and it has an impact on everything we do. It’s steeped in tradition and quiet luxury, and is the perfect brand for this building.”