Rendering of the terrace at The Britt condominiums, Toronto
The Britt
Location: Downtown Toronto
Builder/developer: Lanterra Developments
Size: 334 to 1,300 square feet
Price: low $300,000s to $1.2-million
Contact: To register, phone 416-926-1669 or visit www.thebrittcondos.com
Lanterra Developments has shown an affinity for collecting prime real estate in the Bloor-Yorkville area to create luxury highrises, such as One Bedford and Murano.
But the developers say their conversion of the Sutton Place Hotel into an upscale condominium will be a personal and professional challenge to recreate the historic landmark into a high rise community where residents can once again wine, dine or recline.
"I love to play Monopoly – and that's Boardwalk," says Lanterra president and CEO Barry Fenton, who spent time at the 45-year-old hotel in his youth and more recently during the Toronto International Film Festival.
"Sutton Place housed numerous movie stars over the years, like Sophie Loren and Michael Jackson … so it has that old history, and it's beautiful and it's an iconic asset in the City of Toronto. We're keeping the iconic asset – not so much in the hotel format – but we're keeping it in a format that returns it to its old style."
On the surface, Alessandro Munge of Munge Leung will refashion the interiors with glamour and elegance reminiscent of British boutique hotels, such as the Connaught and Claridge's.
At its foundations, some grand archways on the first two floors will be kept and the existing 33-storey structure at the corner of Bay and Wellesley streets will be topped up with nine floors and wrapped with a stone, steel and blue glass facade.
"It's fun because you're able to recreate buildings from the seventies but you're building it in the 2012 period," adds Mr. Fenton, who explains that converting the hotel rather than demolishing it will be an eco-friendly way to modernize the building and allow buyers to move in as soon as March, 2016.
New attractions will consist of 20,000 square feet of retail space and private facilities and services, including a two-storey lobby with 24- hour concierge, pet spa and business centre.
Amenities on the second floor will offer two lounges; a party room with a theatre, dining room, bar and kitchen; and a fitness centre with a gym, yoga studio, hot tub and sauna, plus a terrace with cabanas. The ninth floor will feature a more intimate party room and two terraces, including one with an infinity pool and hot tub.
"When someone is purchasing a unit, which may be 800 or 700 square feet, they're buying all the amenity space within the building," adds Mr. Fenton. "And we're planning to have a club atmosphere similar to what they had at the Sutton Place."
Last month, sales began for the collection of 649 suites, which will include studios to two-bedroom plans with 334 to 900 square feet, as well as three bedroom models up to 1,300 square feet.
Standard features will encompass nine- to 10-foot ceilings, Munge Leung kitchens, and hardwood, granite, marble, ceramic and porcelain finishes, along with open dens, sliding bedroom doors and wraparound balconies in some cases.
Units larger than 790 square feet can buy parking for $45,000. However, auto share vehicles and bike storage will be on site, which is steps from high-end retailers, gourmet dining establishments and fine art galleries and museums, in addition to supermarkets and public transit.
"It's the bull's-eye on an archery board," says Mr. Fenton. "It's just two minutes from Yorkville, it's beside the largest park in Canada, which is Queen's Park, and it's five minutes to City Hall and downtown."