Graywood Developments knows St. Clair Avenue West well, having several years back built a stacked townhouse community on St. Clair at Weston Road.
So when the opportunity arose to acquire the parcel of land that’s now home to the company’s newest condo development, Scoop—a six-storey mid-rise at 1771 St. Clair Ave. W.—they seized it.
“We love that this is an established neighbourhood with a rich history and good adjacent infrastructure,” Graywood’s development director Adidharma Purnomo tells Epoch Times, pointing to the St. Clair streetcar line, which offers fast access to nearby Corso Italia and Wychwood Barns. There’s also an array of independent shops and services lining the main street around Scoop (which itself will have retail at grade), and The Stockyards shopping centre is down the road.
“Our vision is to tie all that together with a development that provides new housing for people who are familiar with the area as well those who’ve yet to discover it,” says Purnomo, whose company has dubbed this stretch West St. Clair West. “It’s a great neighbourhood and we want to bring in new people. That’s the goal.”
Scoop is the first phase of a development that'll ultimately occupy the southern block of St. Clair West reaching almost to Old Weston Road (a Cash Money store stands in the way of it getting to the corner).
Slated to launch in June, Scoop will have 72 units ranging from 520 square feet to 1,200 square feet. Suites will boast modern open-concept layouts, and an abundance of wall space versus your average glass condo. “More glazing isn’t always better,” says Purnomo. “You want wall space to hang pictures, protect you from light, and for privacy. It’s important to have an appropriate balance between the two for these to be livable units.”
Kitchens will have quartz countertops with porcelain tile backsplash, islands in most cases, and stainless steel appliances, including 30-inch range oven. Suites also come with stacked washer-dryer.
Amenities at Scoop include a gym, communal dining area, library, and a dog wash station — which is essential, given the building’s proximity to several parks and green spaces, one of the perks of being located at the edge of an existing neighbourhood. “People who move here will love being in an urban environment, but they also want access to the outdoors,” says Purnomo, noting Scoop will have its own terrace and flower garden, helping cultivate community spirit in the building.
Scoop’s residential entrance will be located off Osler Street, the road that bisects the development site; the next phase also will have its entrance off this street, with townhouses at ground level of both.
While Scoop is six storeys, as per city guidelines, the building will step down to create a harmonious transition to the neighbouring homes; it’s also setback along St. Clair, respecting the pedestrian feel of the street and providing “plenty of light and air for our development and the adjacent residences,” says Purnomo. The aim is to rejuvenate the streetscape by creating a European village-like intimacy. “With Scoop, we’re saying the architecture doesn’t come first. The neighbourhood comes first and the building will fit into that neighbourhood.”
It will also bring 3,400 square feet of retail space along St. Clair, and Purnomo suggests potential tenancies on Scoop’s ground floor could include a cafe, book store or possibly bike shop—independent retailers who “understand the area and want to be there.” Future phases will bring additional retail, including a space large enough to accommodate a pharmacy/drug store.
Purnomo points out Graywood commissioned a retail analysis for Scoop, helping the development team to determine the kind of offerings the area could support. “Instead of shooting in the dark we asked the community what it’s lacking, and we’re honing our design accordingly.”
Ryan Starr is a Toronto-based freelance journalist
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