NOW_SuiteLife 2014-09-25 by NOW Magazine

09/14

The NOW guide to condo living THIS ISSUE DESIGN FINDS TO SAVE SPACE AND SANITY, STORAGE START-UPS TO THE RESCUE, THE GREEN CONDO MOVEMENT AND MORE now suite life//Condo Living • september 2014

HOT

reviews

SuiteLife Life Suite

DOCS film feST The

get ready to chow down!

OKay, maybe nOt liKe elvis presley, frOm the burger and the King (left). but nOrth america's premier dOcumentary fest Offers sOmething tO satisfy every craving, and plenty Of fOOd fOr thOught.

guide

What I Ibought What bought Whitney Pizale

By norMan WiLner, SuSan g. CoLe, gLenn SuMi, John SeMLeY, radheYan SiMonPiLLai, andreW ParKer and JuLia LeConTe

A creative approach A CREATIVE APPROACH toSHOPPING condo shopping TO CONDO AND DESIGN and design Jennifer Williams and Jeremy Lum-Danson

Thursday, april 25 ¿The Manor

(Shawney Cohen, Canada). 78 minutes. Rating: nnnn Apr 25, 9:30 pm, The Bloor Hot Docs Cinema; Apr Photos by DAVID HAWE 12 pm,by TIFF Bell Lightbox By SABRINA MADDEAUX29,Photos DAVID HAWE 1. See cover story and review, page 10.

By SABRINA MADDEAUX

Original condo budget $500,000-$800,000 Unit price $460,000 in 2009, plus $65,000 for renovations Wish list To be within walking distance of the financial district (where Dzierniejko works), an open-concept unit with a great entertaining space, exposed brick and two washrooms. “Our space only had one washroom and no exposed brick when we bought it, but we wrote a condition into the purchase agreement stating that we’d accontinued on page 4 œ

What to do when your fiancé moves home from law school and your CityPlace condo isn’t large enough for the two of you? If you’re Jennifer Williams, owner of Williams Public Relations, you find an open-concept, multi-level space that you can renovate into the perfect home for you and your better half (plus any kids who might come along). Williams and her now husband, Jeremy Lum-Danson, found their homesweet-home in the Portland Park Village condos in the trendy King West neighbourhood. “We both hate to move, so we knew we wanted a place for the long term,” says Williams. The two fell in love with the private rooftop patio and the fact that the space needed an overhaul, “because we would be able to make it our own from top to bottom.” They changed almost everything, ripping up the floors, gutting the kitchen, adding new appliances, repainting all the walls and changing all the light fixtures. “In the bathroom, we removed the standing shower, added two new vanities, new tiles, light fixtures, wallpaper and a new washer and dryer,” says Williams. continued on page 4 œ

Friday, april 26

▲

hat to do when you decide to move in with your boyfriend and have a condo wish list the length of your arm? If you’re Whitney Pizale, owner of W Events, and fiancé Ryan Dzierniejko, you scoop up a space in Imperial Lofts at Adelaide and Sherbourne and start from scratch. Pizale and Dzierniejko gutted the entire unit except for the kitchen and built their dream home. They put in new hardwood floors, added reclaimed brick to enhance the “loft” feel, turned the storage room into a powder room with a hidden closet for laundry and expanded the master bedroom to double its size so they could fit in a bathtub and glass rain shower. “We were able to design the layout exactly how we wanted it,” says Pizale. “Kids weren’t on the horizon for us, so we scrapped the second bedroom in favour of a custom-designed 200-square-foot walk-in closet.” What they ended up with is a chic modern space with great art pieces the two have collected over the years.

¿The Burger and The King

(James Marsh, UK). 56 minutes. Rating: nnnn How could one of the world’s brightest stars die fat and miserable? This film answers that question. From interviews with cooks and friends, we learn that poverty determined Elvis Presley’s eating preferences – fried squirrel, collard greens, chipped beef – and he never grew out of them or out of eating with his hands. He hated restaurants, a fact that reinforced his shut-in status, and used his personal power to make sure he chowed down on whatever he wanted. The doc is more explicit than necessary about the gross food that killed Elvis – how to make chipped beef, for example, or how to skin a squirrel. Call it extreme violent food porn. And the tongue-in-cheek recipes for his faves don’t suit the content. This is one of the saddest movies ever. SGC Apr 26, 11 am, Isabel Bader Theatre. continued on page 4

➼

Bookmark nowtoronto.com/hotdocs for easily accessible show times, new reviews, features and venue information. Full functionality from your desktop, smartphone and tablet. Cover photo by MiChael Watier

Michael hollett EDITOR/PUBLISHER alice Klein EDITOR/CEO paM stephen gEnERaL managER PUBLISHED EvERy THURSDay By now coMMunications inc 189 ChurCh Street, toronto, on., M5B 1Y7 telephone 416-364-1300 e-Mail advertising@nowtoronto.com online nowtoronto.com

2 NOW Life//Condo 2014 now Suite suite life//Condo Living september 2014 hot docs festival guide 2013living NOW •march

PURE PASSION. PURE PLAZA. ONE OF TORONTO’S TOP CONDOMINIUM BUILDERS WITH OVER 3,200 SALES IN THE LAST THREE YEARS.

PLAZA COMMUNITIES:

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MOVE IN NOW King West - Building Now Registered 65, 75, 85 East Liberty St., Toronto Sales Office Located at 125 Western Battery Rd. 647.341.1731 The Tower - Building Now Registered 125 Western Battery Rd., Toronto Sales Office Located at 125 Western Battery Rd. 647.341.1731 York Harbour Club - Occupancy Date April 2014 35 Bastion Street & 38 Grand Magazine Street, Toronto Sales Office Located at 125 Western Battery Rd. 647.341.1731

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Ivory on Adelaide - Occupancy Date End of 2014 400 Adelaide St. East, Toronto Sales Office Located at 125 Western Battery Rd. 647.341.1731 EPIC - Occupancy Date January 2015 48 Abell Street, Toronto Sales Office Located at 1151 Queen Street West 416.516.5848 Edge - Occupancy Date August 2014 2-6 Lisgar Street, Toronto Sales Office Located at 1151 Queen Street West 416.516.5848 Musée - Occupancy Date July 2016 Pre-construction Pricing 525 Adelaide Street West, Toronto Sales Office Located at 125 Western Battery Rd. 647.341.1731

GRAND OPENING 50 at Wellesley Station - Occupancy Date June 2017 50 Wellesley St. East, Toronto Sales Office Located at 50 Wellesley St. East 416.862.0888 1 Yorkville - Occupancy Date January 2018 1 Yorkville Ave., Toronto Sales Office Located at 162 Cumberland St. 416.519.2911

COMING SOON The Met at Vaughan Metropolitan Centre Vaughan across from the NEW TTC Subway Station Adelaide and Widmer Toronto Presentation Centre Hours: Mon–Thurs: 12pm–6pm Fri: Closed Weekends & Holidays: 11am–5pm

Keep updated by following us: Brokers protected. Prices, sizes and specifications subject to change without notice. E.&O.E.

now suite life//Condo Living • september 2014

SuiteLife

What I bought œcontinued from page 2

Her favourite part of the condo? “The master bathroom on the second floor, because I love the contrast of the black and white tile floors with the blue and white striped wallpaper.”

Original condo budget $500-$600 per square foot. Unit price While they’d rather not disclose the exact price, the couple bought their place for over $500,000 in the summer of 2012. Wish list “A functional open-concept layout, unique spaces indoors and outdoors, multi-level and two bedrooms.” It was also important to find a space that’d be great for entertaining. Number of properties seen They looked at about half a dozen spaces. What they got A two-bedroom, twobathroom condo that’s approximately 1,200 square feet inside and 500 square feet outside. What they say about the neighbourhood “We love it. We’re surrounded by great restaurants and have easy access to shopping, groceries…. Really, anything we need is within walking distance. We also like that we’re close to the highway, so we don’t have to sit in too much downtown traffic to get out of the city on weekends.” 3

now suite life//Condo Living • september 2014

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Michael Hollett ................................................................................ Alice Klein ............................................................................................. Susan G. Cole ....................................................................................... Enzo DiMatteo ..........................................................................@e Norm Wilner ....................................................................................@ Glenn Sumi ........................................................................................... Julia LeConte ....................................................................................@ Kate Robertson................................................................................. Follow us on Sarah Parniak .................................................................................... Twitter NOW Ben Spurr ................................................................................................ The outstanding amenities, nearby shops and restaurants in Bloor West Village and, of Jonathan Goldsbie course 399 acres of Toronto’s premier park – put them together and ...................................................................... you’ve got your AdriaSimply Vasil .................................................................................@ec dream home in Toronto’s most desirable neighbourhood. do the math and learn Sabrina Maddeaux ................................................@Sabrin why now it’s easier than ever to make HighPark Condominiums your new home. NOW Promotions ...............................................@NOWTo Suites from PRESENTATION CENTRE: 2150 Bloor St West

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*The HighPark program is only available on selected suites. Parking incentive only available on suites over 535 sq. ft. 5% deposit program available on a limited number of suites. Free maintenance is only available for one year. Limited time offer. Conditions apply. See Sales Representative for full details. Exclusive Listing: CityLife Realty Ltd, Brokerage. Brokers Protected. Prices, speciﬁcations and programs are subject to change without notice. Illustrations are artist concept. E. & O.E

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Follow us on Twitter NOW @nowtoronto Michael Hollett ................................................ @m_hollett Alice Klein ............................................................@aliceklein Susan G. Cole .................................................. @susangcole Enzo DiMatteo ......................................@enzodimatteo Norm Wilner ................................................@normwilner Glenn Sumi ........................................................@glennsumi Julia LeConte ............................................... @julialeconte

2014-09-15 1:59 PM

Kate Robertson ........................................ @katernow Sarah Parniak ..........................................................@s_parns Ben Spurr .................................................................@benspurr Jonathan Goldsbie ......................................... @goldsbie Adria Vasil .............................................@ecoholicnation Sabrina Maddeaux ............@SabrinaMaddeaux NOW Promotions ...........@NOWTorontoPromo

now suite life//Condo Living • september 2014

SuiteLife

New by treNd: green living

A NEW CROP OF CONDOS IS EMPHASIZING ECO-CONSCIOUS FINISHES AND AMENITIES BY SABRINA MADDEAUX

The Kip DisTricT

155 reDpaTh

aqualina aT BaysiDe howarD parK 2

Location Dundas West and Kipling Starting price Low $200,000s Unit styles One-bedroom (from 500 square feet) to two-bedroom suites (from 717 square feet) Green factor An outdoor public square featuring lush greenery links the district’s five towers and serves as a hub for socializing. Kip is built to LEED Gold standards and Toronto Green Standards (TGS), and features in-suite energy recovery ventilation, water-efficient landscaping and high-efficiency heating and cooling plants. The community is close to public transit and also offers electrical outlets for vehicles. Both recycled and regional materials are being used in the buildings’ construction. Sales centre Opening soon; register online.

Location Redpath and Roehampton Starting price $215,900 Unit styles Studio to three-bedroom suites (330 to 1,403 square feet) Green factor Close proximity to public transit and a high walkability score make 155 Redpath a great choice for those who want to go carfree. There’s also a car share program for those one-off trips to Costco and bike parking for every resident. High-efficiency boilers and green roof elements keep energy consumption in check. Sales centre 2239 Yonge, unit 100, 416-9965428 (Monday to Wednesday noon to 6 pm, Thursday noon to 7 pm, Saturday and Sunday noon to 5 pm)

Location Queens Quay East, adjacent to Sherbourne Commons Starting price $331,500 Unit styles One-bedroom to penthouse suites (548 to 3,146 square feet) Green factor Enjoy a rooftop garden available to residents for small-scale urban agriculture. Aqualina is a LEED Platinum candidate, the highest rating within the LEED green certification system. Suites feature Energy Star highefficiency appliances and individual metering of water, heating and cooling systems. Sales centre 261 Queens Quay East, 416-5142710 (Monday to Thursday 11 am to 7 pm, weekends and holidays noon to 6 pm)

(Concert Properties) thekipdistrict.com

(Freed and CD Capital) redpathcondos.com

(Tridel and Hines) tridel.com

(Triumph) howardpark2.com

Location Howard Park and Dundas West Starting price $241,900 Unit styles Studio to three-bedroom-plus-den suites (413 to 1,330 square feet) Green factor The development is inspired by the Mountain by Bjarke Ingels (BIG) in Copenhagen, so there are gardens and greenery all over to offset carbon emissions and make things look scenic. A green roof provides improved insulation, reduces stormwater runoff and re-oxygenates the air. The building also uses geothermal energy that harnesses the heat of the earth to warm and cool units in a clean, sustainable way. Residents enjoy ample covered bike storage, Energy Star appliances and energy-efficient lighting. Bonus: units are constructed using locally sourced finishes from eco-conscious suppliers. Sales centre 60 Howard Park, 416-873- 0989 (Monday to Wednesday noon to 6 pm, Saturday and Sunday noon to 5 pm)

continued on page 8 œ

now suite life//Condo Living • september 2014

Coming Soon Fall 2014

WELCOME TO THE START OF SOMETHING NEW. URBAN STYLE ON THE WESTSIDE

The best is yet to come at Kipling and Dundas, with a new master-planned community that can keep up with you. Steps from the Kipling Subway and close to major highways, you’re well connected to the neighbourhood’s hip bistros, trendy cafes and abundant greenspaces.

CREATE YOUR OWN STORY. SUITES FROM THE LOW $200s. REGISTER NOW

TheKipDistrict.com #KIPDISTRICT Map is not to scale. Prices, availability, design and specifications subject to change without notice. E.&O.E.

now suite life//Condo Living • september 2014

SuiteLife œcontinued from page 6

Minto Westside

(Minto) mintowestside.com Location Bathurst and Front Starting price Low $200,000s Unit styles Studio to three-bedroom units Green factor The building’s currently vacant lot is the site of Farm City, an outdoor market with fresh, local produce and a community garden, a partnership between Minto and the Scadding Court Community Centre. It runs every Monday from 4 to 8 pm at the corner of Bathurst and Niagara until October. Westside’s plans include a 1-acre green courtyard space, rainwater harvesting, bike storage, bird-friendly glazing, Energy Star appliances and more. Sales centre Opening soon; register online.

One of Hive Storages’s units

Storage SaviourS

NEED SOMEWHERE TO STOW AWAY ALL YOUR EXTRA CRAP? LOCAL STARTUPS ARE CHANGING THE GAME BY SABRINA MADDEAUX

duke Condos

(TAS) junctionlife.ca Location Dundas West and Keele Starting price Mid-$200,000s Unit styles Studios to three-bedroom suites (467 to over 1,494 square feet) Green factor The south side of the building features sun-filled terraces that provides unobstructed views, and upper floors have wraparound terraces with panoramic views. TAS builds to LEED standards, and a green roof, in-suite energy recovery ventilators, electrical outlets in parking spaces and terraces lined with planters for home gardening give Duke a green edge. Even the sales centre is built with locally sourced materials. Sales centre 2800 Dundas West, 416-800-7738 (Monday and Tuesday by appointment, Wednesday to Friday 1 to 7 pm, Saturday and Sunday noon to 5 pm)

now suite life//Condo Living • september 2014

The more stuff you accumulate, the smaller condos seem to get. There’s simply never enough room for clothes, kitchen appliances and file folders – let alone seasonal items like skis and holiday ornaments. While some condo buildings sell or rent storage units, many don’t. The city of Toronto doesn’t require them to make storage space available to owners or residents. Even if buildings do offer space, it’s usually with minimal security and no insurance. So what to do with all that stuff? Enter a new class of storage start-up: small businesses that provide off-site storage solutions without you ever having to leave home. Boxit (boxitnow.ca) is a storage-and-delivery service that drops off empty boxes at your home and picks them up once they’re packed. The company holds your goods in a secure storage location and can bring them back within 24 hours notice. The charge is only $7 per month per plastic storage bin. There’s a $15 plus $2 per box fee each time you want your goods returned from storage. The company reasons that renting a 25-square-foot storage locker in Toronto costs an average of $80 a month, but most people are paying for something they’re not fully using. With Boxit, you pay for exactly

the amount of space you use. There’s also the convenience: no need to lug heavy boxes up and down stairs or into elevators, no need to drive anywhere, and insurance is taken care of. Another local start-up, Hive Storage (hivestorage.ca), recently introduced on- demand, 24/7 storage delivery and pickup. Rather than boxes, the company brings “hives,” 6-foot-tall, 4-foot-wide, 2-foot-deep double-door units on wheels that you can order by phone, email or online. Upon delivery, extra shelving or closet rods can be added to the hive to meet your needs, so all your nice dresses don’t get smooshed into a too-tight box for an indefinite period of time. When your hive is picked up, the team provides you with photo documentation of your inventory. Then the hive is sealed using industrial locking clasps and stored in a climate-controlled location monitored by security cameras. Hives go for $60 a month, plus a $30 charge per pickup. If you need access to something in 24 hours or less, Hive offers rush service. With more security, more convenience and cheaper fees, these start-ups could become the new storage norm. 3

14-0652_THE SELBY_NOWSUITELIFE_FP_SEP25.pdf

9/19/14

3:33 PM

Decidedly different. Condominiums at Sherbourne & Bloor. STAY CONNECTED. REGISTER TODAY.

The Selby Condos .com now suite life//Condo Living â&#x20AC;˘ september 2014

SuiteLife

floor plan fix:

Madison Avenue 986-square-foot two-bedroom-plus-den suite plus 130-square-foot balcony

The Residences of 488 UniveRsiTy AvenUe

The Residences of 488 University Avenue (488university.com) is Amexon’s new downtown residence that clocks in at 55 storeys of shimmering glass and steel. Amexon takes its inspiration from the other major avenues of the world, like New York’s Park Avenue and Paris’s Champs-Élysées. Easy access to transit, a sun-and-swim terrace and a huge fitness centre make 488 University an enviable address. This two-bedroom-plus-den suite starting at $678,800 exemplifies the tower’s luxe living spaces with 9-foot-high smooth ceilings and futuristic automation systems to control music, lighting, temperature and more from any mobile device. Here are the apartment’s design positives and some creative ways to deal with a few tricky spaces. Presentation Centre 393 University, 416-252-3000 (Monday to Sunday 10 am to 8 pm)

Take advantage of the long entranceway to greet your guests in style and set the tone for your entire suite. Hang quirky local art, and make sure to pick up a stylish coat rack and antique shoe bench to keep things organized.

The condo’s walls are floor-toceiling glass windows, so you’re going to get a lot of natural light. Take advantage of it and ditch plastic houseplants for unique varieties of the real deal.

Who needs two bathtubs? If you have a cat, place his or her litter box cleverly out of sight (and scent) behind a shower curtain in the second bathroom.

Divide the openconcept living/ dining and kitchen area into two distinct spaces with either a trendy leather sectional or, if you’re big into dinner parties, a reclaimed wood harvest table.

You’re going to have to make do without the luxury of a large walkin closet in the second bedroom, so be sure to equip it with a large Ikea wardrobe. Look for beds that contain drawers or lift up to provide extra storage.

The advantage of 488 University is that you’re in the downtown core; the disadvantage is also that you’re in the downtown core. Add extra privacy to your balcony by lining the edge with tall plants or outdoor space dividers.

now suite life//Condo Living • september 2014

A BOLD STATEMENT WITH AN INTELLIGENT STORY.

Come see our brand new Presentation Centre and Display Suite.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27TH NOON SHARP.

DESIGNFORWARD

*Prices and availability subject to change or be withdrawn without notice and do not include taxes. E&O.E.

ARAGON.CA

ENIGMA ON THE PARK Enigma is more than an iconic building but the combination of purposeful design, urban planning, and sustainable building practices. The 86 loft style condos and townhomes are located right in the heart of the emerging Bloordale

neighbourhood that places you right on the park. Don’t miss an opportunity to be a part of the best in urban design – homes start in the mid $300s. Register today at aragon.ca/enigmalofts. Call or visit: 138 St. Helen’s Ave, 416.516.1551.

? > I J

#ARAGONFORWARD Aragon Properties Ltd.

now suite life//Condo Living • september 2014

SuiteLife

take 10

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR CONDO’S SQUARE FOOTAGE WITH THESE SMALL-SPACE DESIGN FINDS. BY SABRINA MADDEAUX

Gus* Modern Prairie nesting tables ($650, StyleGarage, 938 Queen West, 416-534-4343, stylegarage.com)

Tobi ModBoxes ($99, EQ3)

now suite life//Condo Living • september 2014

Scout Functional coffee table ($799, EQ3, 51 Hanna, 416-533-9090, and other, eq3.com)

Stash storage ottoman ($249, Crate & Barrel, 3401 Dufferin, 416-657-4100, crateandbarrel.ca)

Allure media console ($2,846, Elte, 80 Ronald, 416-785-7885, elte.com)

now suite life//Condo Living â&#x20AC;˘ september 2014

SuiteLife

TAKE 10 Skyler rolling bar ($379, Crate & Barrel)

Turner leather sleeper sofa ($4,824, Pottery Barn, 100 Bloor West, 416-9622276, and others, potterybarn.ca)

Woodland Imports old-look adjustable bar stool ($164.66, AllModern, allmodern.com)

Vintage storage boxes ($12 each, Urban Barn, 275 King East, 416-214-4970, and others, urbanbarn.com)

Patrick Norguet Lilla stool (from $1,105, Klaus, 300 King East, 416-362-3434, klausn.com)

NOW SUITE LIFE//CONDO LIVING â&#x20AC;˘ SEPTEMBER 2014

MOVE IN TO THE JUNCTION IN JUST ONE YEAR – CONSTRUCTION STARTING

Great selection of suites from the mid $300,000's Lofts still remain Premium upgrades throughout _

PRESENTATION CENTRE / 2800 DUNDAS ST WEST Specifications are subject to change without notice. Exclusive broker: Paul Johnston, Unique Urban Homes. Brokers are protected. E. & O.E. Illustrations are artistic impressions.

@tasdesignbuild

www.junctionlife.ca

now suite life//Condo Living • september 2014

UNCOMPROMISING. UNPARALLELED. UNDENIABLY TORONTO’S MOST ICONIC ADDRESS.

PRESENTATION GALLERY NOW OPEN.

The Residences of 488 University Avenue is a trademark of Amexon Development Corporation

now suite life//Condo Living • september 2014

A Commitment to Excellence

488university.com