{"id":13548,"date":"2023-02-25T14:47:57","date_gmt":"2023-02-25T22:47:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/fitzrovia-breaks-ground-on-new-rental-towers-at-bloor-and-dufferin\/"},"modified":"2023-02-25T14:47:57","modified_gmt":"2023-02-25T22:47:57","slug":"fitzrovia-breaks-ground-on-new-rental-towers-at-bloor-and-dufferin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/fitzrovia-breaks-ground-on-new-rental-towers-at-bloor-and-dufferin\/","title":{"rendered":"Fitzrovia Breaks Ground on New Rental Towers at Bloor and Dufferin"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Developers Fitzrovia<\/a> have been busy since their acquisition of the Bloor & Dufferin<\/a> masterplanned development site with partners Hazelview Investments<\/a> and AIMCo<\/a>. In just under a year, they have developed a comprehensive plan with the help of\u00a0Turner Fleischer Architects<\/a> that will see the construction of three new rental buildings on the eastern half of the site, delivering a total of 889 new rental units. The momentum doesn\u2019t stop there, though; marching forward with the next stages of the project, Fitzrovia hosted a ground breaking ceremony last week, officially marking the start of construction.<\/p>\n

Looking southwest to the Bloor & Dufferin community, image courtesy of Fitzrovia<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe could not be more excited to announce the commencement of construction at this landmark site,\u201d said Adrian Rocca, CEO and Founder of Fitzrovia. \u201cOur focus on building sustainable, long-lasting communities that enrich the lives of our residents and surrounding neighbourhoods is the driving force behind this exciting new development. At its completion, The Marlow, The Quinton, and The Belvoir will feature three new best-in-class luxury rental towers, which will feature the thoughtful integration of the preserved historic Kent School.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Fitzrovia celebrates ground-breaking for The Marlow, The Quinton, and The Belvoir, image courtesy of Fitzrovia<\/span><\/p>\n

The names mentioned by Rocca \u2014 The Marlow, The Quinton, and the Belvoir \u2014 respectively refer to the buildings coming on blocks C, D, and E of the masterplanned site, as indicated below. These three blocks all fronting Dufferin Street, represent Fitzrovia\u2019s share of the development, while the western half of the site will be presided over by Hazelview.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Site Plan of the Bloor & Dufferin development, with blocks labeled A through F, image courtesy of Fitzrovia<\/span><\/p>\n

The buildings vary in height and massing, creating a visually diverse street-wall condition that maintains a coherent style. The tallest tower at 29 storeys, The Marlow<\/a>, occupies the prominent corner of Dufferin and Bloor, its stepped podium extending west along the Bloor Street frontage. The tower\u2019s exterior expression is defined by a pattern of emphasized vertical bays of windows that run the entire height of the tower, while a grid of precast framing separates the individual floors and windows.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Looking southeast across Bloor Street towards The Marlow, (32-storey version shown instead of 29 storeys), image courtesy of Fitzrovia<\/span><\/p>\n

Moving south, The Quinton<\/a> is set to rise from behind the heritage Kent School building, currently being restored on site to plans by heritage specialists Goldsmith Borgal & Company.\u00a0The new building will stand 18 storeys with minimal formal changes or step-backs, putting forward a massing that works within the existing footprint of the classic beaux arts style school building. A two storey reveal of vision glass and spandrel separates the tower from the school building below, creating a formal transition between the two volumes.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Looking west to The Quinton, with retained Kent School building fronting Dufferin Street, image courtesy of Fitzrovia<\/span><\/p>\n

Finally, The Belvoir<\/a> occupies the southeastern corner of the site with a 19-storey tower\u00a0that is defined by a terraced massing that works to create meaningful outdoor spaces while allowing an abundance of light to reach the major arterial street below. The building steps back from the eastern edge a total of five times, reducing the depth of the floor-plate by about half, while a notable step-back from the northern edge of the building at the second level creates a subtle C-shaped arrangement seen from above.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Looking southwest to The Belvoir, with terraced massing, (22-storey version shown instead of 19 storeys), image courtesy of Fitzrovia<\/span><\/p>\n

The buildings will enjoy the benefits of Fitzrovia\u2019s signature amenity program, which will include a commercial-grade gym with a basketball court, known as The Temple, as well as the staple resort-inspired rooftop pool, LIDO, and 10 DEAN caf\u00e9\/bar. Additionally, Fitzrovia will welcome Bloomsbury Academy, an early learning institution offering year-round preschool and kindergarten programs framed around best practices in early childhood education.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis ground-breaking ceremony symbolizes the inauguration of a design concept and philosophy that we believe will set a new standard for luxury rental living in Ontario; an approach to building artistry that will be referenced for decades to come,\u201d said Bahar Joshan Poosh, VP of Design at Fitzrovia. With construction now underway, the three buildings will be brought to life concurrently, with first occupancy targeted for early 2026.\u00a0<\/p>\n

UrbanToronto will continue to follow progress on this development, but in the meantime, you can learn more about it from our Database file, linked below. If you’d like, you can join in on the conversation in the associated Project Forum thread or leave a comment in the space provided on this page.<\/p>\n

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UrbanToronto has a research service,\u00a0UrbanToronto Pro<\/a>, that provides comprehensive data on construction projects in the Greater Toronto Area\u2014from proposal through to completion. We also offer\u00a0Instant\u00a0Reports<\/a>, downloadable snapshots based on location, and a daily subscription newsletter,\u00a0New Development Insider<\/a>, that tracks projects from initial application.<\/p>\n\n\n
Related Companies:\u00a0<\/td>\n\nBousfields<\/a>, Counterpoint Engineering<\/a>, EQ Building Performance Inc.<\/a>, Fitzrovia Real Estate Inc.<\/a>, Gradient Wind Engineers & Scientists<\/a>, Grounded Engineering Inc.<\/a>, Hazelview Investments<\/a>, HGC Engineering Inc<\/a>, IBI Group<\/a>, Janet Rosenberg & Studio<\/a>, Orin Demolition, A Division of Orin Enterprises Inc. <\/a>, STUDIO tla<\/a>, Turner Fleischer Architects<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n