Recently branded as St. Lawrence Condos at 158 Front, Cityzen and Fernbrook's 26-storey condominium will replace a surface parking lot with a pair of architectsAlliance-designed towers. Spanning from Frederick Street to Sherbourne, the site is part of the recently established St. Lawrence Heritage Conservation District (HCD), joining a part of the city recognized for its distinct architectural typology of historic warehouses.
St. Lawrence Condos at 158 Front, image courtesy of Cityzen / Fernbrook
Reflecting the industrial warehouse aesthetic that surrounds the site, the project's massing begins as a podium of stacked boxes, splitting to form the two lighter towers above, each of which rise 12 storeys beyond the podium. According to aA's Peter Clewes, this massing strategy attempts to minimize the impact of high-rise built form on the historic neighbourhood, breaking up the volumes into smaller elements so as not to overwhelm the historic streetscape below.
A closer look at the lower levels, image courtesy of Cityzen / Fernbrook
Inside, the condominium—featuring approximately 400 suites—boasts an uncommonly configured amenity space, which will be spread out across 10 levels. In eschewing the horizontal amenity corridors typical of modern condos, the vertical space allows for a number of double-height ceilings, with floor-to-ceiling windows providing open views from each space.
Cross-section of the amenity space, image courtesy of Cityzen / Fernbrook
The amenities will include a library, games room, theatre, party space, yoga studio, and lounge, as well as meeting rooms, which particularly cater to home-based businesses. Notably, the project's fully equipped gym will be housed in a double-height space, with windows overlooking the city outside.
The party room, image courtesy of Cityzen / Fernbrook
Appointed by Movement Haus, the gym—which is designed to cater to a variety of ages and fitness regimes—is designed with quality of space in mind. While condo gyms are sometimes windowless, low-slung spaces with fluorescent lights, the exercise facilities at St. Lawrence Condos are meant to be a centrepiece of the project.
The gym, image courtesy of Cityzen / Fernbrook
Above the 10-storey amenity complex, a rooftop pool and lounge /cabana area will top the podium levels. Tucked in between the two towers, the outdoor space will overlook the lakefront to the south.
The pool area, image courtesy of Cityzen / Fernbrook
We will keep you updated as the project continues to develop, with a new sales centre now under construction just west of the site. In the meantime, check out our associated dataBase file for more information, including additional renderings. Want to share your thoughts on the project? Leave a comment at the bottom of this page, or join the discussion in our associated Forum thread.