With the start of demolition, construction of the highly-anticipated condos at 383 Sorauren Avenue is imminent. The sophisticated midrise building in the Roncesvalles neighbourhood has seen strong sales. Buyers have been eager to buy into the neighbourhood, with its leafy streets and iconic shopping strip.
Demolishing the nondescript warehouses on site will prove neither complex nor time consuming—construction on the new building will begin shortly this summer. Though the hard part is still ahead, 383 Sorauren Avenue is on track to be another fine midrise development in this friendly west end neighbourhood.
Designed by architect Peter Clewes of architectsAlliance, the building is characterized by a sleek glazed façade wrapped in a floating brick frame. The façade recalls the early-20th century warehouses neighbouring the site (now converted into lofts) yet manages to be sleek and modern.
With rich red-brown hues to the brick, the façade will convey warmth. The interiors by Johnson Chou are meant to evoke the area’s industrial past while achieving modern style. Units range from 448 to 1380 square feet. Sales have been brisk.The units will have exposed 9 foot concrete ceilings in all rooms except washrooms, with 10 foot ceilings in penthouse units. The building will have a modern fitness centre, an outdoor three-season lounge with an outdoor kitchen, gas fireplace and propane heaters, and a guest suite.
The neighbourhood is known for its family-friendly side streets with well-maintained homes dating to the early 20th century. Its main drag is a fusion of great Canadian, Polish, Asian and Indian stores and restaurants, bookended by the iconic Revue Cinema to the north. Though a main streetcar route for the 504 King from Dundas West subway station through the Financial District and beyond, life on the intimate Roncesvalles strip seems to move at a relaxed pace that’s quite attractive.
Roncesvalles is a stable neighbourhood which doesn’t present many opportunities for new condos. It has evolved from the heart of the city’s Polish community into a neighbourhood that fuses cultures in a warm and inviting atmosphere. With demolition underway, 383 Sorauren Avenue moves closer to becoming another great part of this wonderfully livable west end neighbourhood.
