In a market that some characterize as verging on saturated developers need to optimize value in order to attract the attention of buyers. The challenge then is how exactly to do that.
What amenities can your project offer that others don’t? Developers in Toronto have been grappling with that issue for several years and have come up with some fairly innovative answers. Some will provide beautifully landscaped greenspaces.
Others, stress the proximity of their projects to schools and medical centers. Others tout the unparalleled luxury of their furnishings. And the list goes on.
Managing partner of Capital Developments Todd Cowan has his own take on the subject. According to Cowan, the 9 to 5 world of our parents and grandparents is a thing of the past. Work schedules are now unpredictable, and people find themselves both working and entertaining more at home. As a result, they want to live in a place that provides both robust technical and lifestyle infrastructure. Cowan believes his company's latest effort - co-developed with Freed and called 150 Redpath - addresses both concerns.
150 Redpath is the second phase of a project begun a few years back with the recently completed 155 Repath. That 34 story tower near the intersection of Yonge and Eglinton proved a substantial success and paved the way for approval of the current project, (which is nearing completion itself), directly across the street. The two towers form a kind of gateway to Midtown with well over 1,000 luxury units between them. But what about those standout amenities?
Well, Cowan points to location for starters. The Yonge and Eglinton area is indeed one of the more vibrant social centers in the GTA. It's an area that is experiencing explosive growth and all the street level advantages that come with it. Including high-end dining, cafes, art galleries and more. But, according to Cowan, the building itself will provide the most obvious amenity. Which he characterizes as an "always on" approach to living.
Examples of this include the 24-hour concierge service as well as an in-house diner that never closes and delivers scrumptious delights to your room or your cabana by the rooftop infinity pool.
Should jousting with other players in the global we-never-close business community stress you out at 3 am you can always head to the gym for a hot-stone massage.
From an aesthetic point of view, 150 Redpath has all the modernist bases covered. The design by Peter Clewes of the architectsAlliance is tastefully minimalist with tall glass windows in the lobby that tie in the surrounding area. There’s an enclosed courtyard with water feature and a compelling yet subdued lobby ambiance created by Johnson Chou. The overall goal is to tie the two projects together into a low key but very real social hub that, as Cowan puts it, “will really feel like a global, jet-set community.”
Cowan is confident his "we never close" approach to contemporary life will provide the traction his projects need to stand apart from the growing number of cookie-cutter condos and make 150 Redpath the place to be.
Freed Developments also developed Grand Park Village condos. For more information, see our homepage.