Imperial Plaza is the first phase of a master-planned community on St. Clair Avenue West that will include two more towers, townhomes, shops, restaurants and a public courtyard.Amelia Troubridge
Imperial Plaza marks exciting new chapter for beloved neighbourhood
It's been gratifying for developer David Feldman to hear about all the happy folks now living at Imperial Plaza, the retrofitted former Imperial Oil Building at 111 St. Clair Ave. W. The 23-storey tower's marble-lined lobby boasts a new LCBO and a Market by Longo's with Starbucks.
"I've been told stories about people coming down in their PJs to shop," says the CEO and president of Camrost-Felcorp.
His company has breathed new life into one of the country's finest modernist architecture specimens, transforming the limestone, granite and glass structure into a 400-unit luxury condo.
"People living in the building can buy a prepared meal and a bottle of wine and take it back upstairs," says Mr. Feldman. "They don't even need a kitchen. It's all right here."
Imperial Plaza, designed by Onespace Unlimited, is the first phase of a master-planned community that ultimately will include two more towers and 18 townhouses on Foxbar Avenue, the residential street running along the site's southern side. "It's a work in progress," says Mr. Feldman, "and coming along nicely."
The arrival of the retail at Imperial Plaza – which has a dedicated streetcar line in front and free underground parking for shop-bound motorists – has made the complex a new centre for the surrounding neighbourhoods.
"It's brought an urbane lifestyle to Avenue Road and St. Clair," notes Mr. Feldman. "I've got friends who live in the area and they all say it's so convenient. It's been missing here for so long."
A second 26-storey condo tower is under construction on the eastern portion of the Imperial Plaza property in the first phase, while next door work is set to begin on the development's second phase, Blue Diamond. The 28-storey condo, designed by Diamond Schmitt Architects, will incorporate parts of the defunct Deer Park United Church. Blue Diamond's tower will rise behind an open-air, landscaped public courtyard enclosed by the church's original exterior walls from 1913. Mr. Feldman says the plan is for this space to include a restaurant with up to 60 seats and a bar. "It'll have quite the presence along with the courtyard. You'll be able to sit out there in the summer and enjoy the scenery." The project is slated for a fall 2018 delivery.
Residents of Blue Diamond will have full access to Imperial Plaza's 20,000-square-foot amenity floor, the Imperial Club, complete with a fitness centre, indoor pool and whirlpool spa, squash courts, yoga/Pilates studio and a sound-insulated music room. Blue Diamond will offer its own social room as well as guest suites. The building will sit next to the shops at Imperial Plaza.
The Imperial Plaza's 20,000-square-foot amenity space will include an indoor pool and whirlpool spa (above left). SUPPLIED
"So you'll have everything at your fingertips," says Mr. Feldman.
Blue Diamond residences range from 485-square-foot one-bedroom units to 2,000-square-foot-plus two-bedroom-and-den suites. Prices start from the mid-$300,000s. Suites will include laminate plank flooring and a stacked washer/dryer. Kitchens come with stone countertops and integrated appliances, while bathrooms will have white soaker tubs and framed-glass shower enclosures.
All buildings at Imperial Plaza will benefit from the master-planned community's prime position atop the St. Clair Avenue escarpment, which yields some of the city's best panoramic views. (In the 1960s, the Imperial Oil Building's top-floor observation deck, 800 feet above sea level, was Toronto's highest point.) The community borders high-end neighbourhoods Forest Hill and Moore Park, with top schools, hot dining spots, chic and casual shopping, and abundant green spaces. Meanwhile, the subway is just a short stroll or streetcar ride away.
Imperial Plaza's first phase is open and being occupied now, but a selection of move-in ready suites remains available for sale, including larger units up to 1,675 square feet. Designed by The Design Agency, the condos have 10-foot ceilings, laminate plank flooring, stone countertops, and Sub-Zero, Miele and Wolf appliances.
"These are for empty nesters," Mr. Feldman says. "The beauty is that if you buy from us, the builder, we can do some customization for you." (Prices range from $474,900 to $1.62-million.)
Two of Imperial Plaza's five penthouses are also available. Designed and built by Brennan Custom Homes, the top-level suites – some as large as 3,000 square feet and priced from $4-million – will be nothing short of "spectacular," promises Mr. Feldman.
Imperial Plaza has a landscaped courtyard (designed by Janet Rosenberg & Studio) with a fully furnished fireside patio and barbecues. Other building amenities include screening rooms, a media lounge, squash courts, a golf simulator and a multi-purpose games room.
All who pass through Imperial Plaza's painstakingly restored lobby can soak up the charm and grandeur this mid-century beauty has to offer, including the building's original Story of Oil mural, which is prominently displayed on the walls of both the LCBO and Longo's.
"We turned the ground floor into a people's place, rather than a private residential lobby," Mr. Feldman says. "We want the public to fully appreciate it."
This content was produced by The Globe and Mail's advertising department. The Globe's editorial department was not involved in its creation.