Couture | Proposed | ??? st | ??? m | Downtown

[current]

The developer Monarch is starting to advertise the Couture Condos "Coming Soon to Bloor and Jarvis".

This is the web site for the developer and the interior images are not from Couture:
http://www.monarchgroup.net/

This is the web site for Couture:
http://www.taylorwoodrowcanada.com/index.cfm?method=ComingSoon&communityID=255

[isaidso]

The kitchen shot is great. A good floorplan and tasteful. The other shot is soooo tacky! Screams of redneck chic. A window above a fireplace? Mullions gone crazy, and that curtain. Yuck.

[phunky]

Where are you seeing photos of the kitchen?

[isaidso]

Where are you seeing photos of the kitchen?

The first of the two links. The photo that appears toggles back and forth between two interior shots.

[Taller, Better]

"Couture", as in clothing fashion?
Who the heck dreams up these silly names?

[Filip]

^^Well it is close to Yorkville...;)

Condo names are becoming more and more entertaining.. hell, I live by "Beyond the Sea".. That one takes the award imo..

[monkeyronin]

The kitchen shot is great. A good floorplan and tasteful. The other shot is soooo tacky! Screams of redneck chic. A window above a fireplace? Mullions gone crazy, and that curtain. Yuck.

Maybe I've just been looking at too many luxury condos, but that kitchen doesn't strike me as all that impressive. Are you sure its even for this place though? That site just seems to be about the developer, not the building.

[Taller, Better]

^^Well it is close to Yorkville...;)

Condo names are becoming more and more entertaining.. hell, I live by "Beyond the Sea".. That one takes the award imo..

"Beyond the Sea" can never, never be surpassed! It is truly my ultimate favourite!! :lol:

[Filip]

"Beyond the Sea" can never, never be surpassed! It is truly my ultimate favourite!! :lol:

My grandma who can barely speak English laughed when we drove by the sales office.. Well, my family will have a nice view of it when it goes up.. It'll block our view of the CN Tower's spire:(

[phunky]

Maybe I've just been looking at too many luxury condos, but that kitchen doesn't strike me as all that impressive. Are you sure its even for this place though? That site just seems to be about the developer, not the building.
You are right. Those are real pictures of another development, that they are just simply using for their site. The site is for the developer, not the project.

[isaidso]

Maybe I've just been looking at too many luxury condos, but that kitchen doesn't strike me as all that impressive. Are you sure its even for this place though? That site just seems to be about the developer, not the building.

Never said it was an impressive kitchen....I said I like the floorplan and that it was tasteful. You seem to be right about those pics not being for the place advertised. That they chose a tacky living room photo doesn't leave me with much confidence about the overall project.

[Mike in TO]

The first of the two links. The photo that appears toggles back and forth between two interior shots.

The Kitchen is from Explorer on the Etobicoke waterfront and the living room is from a single family home.

The tower will be approximately the same height and number of units as the X Condo project to the south. Sales will open late summer / early fall.

[phunky]

The Kitchen is from Explorer on the Etobicoke waterfront and the living room is from a single family home.

The tower will be approximately the same height and number of units as the X Condo project to the south. Sales will open late summer / early fall.
Do you have a source for your information?

[current]

Could it be the old Bloor Walk Tower 2 site?

http://www.urbandb.com/canada/ontario/toronto/bloor_walk_2/index.html

[Spoonman]

This is very exciting - finally there are two buildings going up (this one and the X Condo) that will effectively block my view of the ugly-as-sin Rogers building.

[Taller, Better]

This is very exciting - finally there are two buildings going up (this one and the X Condo) that will effectively block my view of the ugly-as-sin Rogers building.

LOL! Yeah, it was truly PoMo at its most extreme. And whoever ok'd the massive hideous red ROGERS sign should be flagellated.

[Filip]

LOL! Yeah, it was truly PoMo at its most extreme. And whoever ok'd the massive hideous red ROGERS sign should be flagellated.

You know, the building itself isn't as bad as people think it is.. I'm actually quite fond of it, in its overly PoMoistical manner. It's just that Rogers sign as GOT TO GO! It absolutely ruins any flow the building has. Otherwise, it's quite a castle for Canada's largest telecommunications company. Hopefully, Rogers will soon need to expand into larger digs down in the financial district.. I can't see them operating such huge operations out of that building in the long term.

[valantino]

"I can't see them operating such huge operations out of that building in the long term."

the recently publicized plan was either a new skyscraper by Rogers Centre or Nortel's one million square foot Brampton Campus - guess which one won

[phunky]

the Brampton Campus?

I don't mind the Rogers Building actually. Even though it's PoMo. And I don't like PoMo.

[Mike in TO]

Do you have a source for your information?

Yes

Could it be the old Bloor Walk Tower 2 site?

Yes

[camel_trainer]

You know, the building itself isn't as bad as people think it is.. I'm actually quite fond of it, in its overly PoMoistical manner. It's just that Rogers sign as GOT TO GO! It absolutely ruins any flow the building has.

True. It looks comic book-y. Like the evil lair of the bad guy, a la Dr. Evil. Or the headquarters of The Daily Planet. That sign is too much.

[Filip]

True. It looks comic book-y. Like the evil lair of the bad guy, a la Dr. Evil. Or the headquarters of The Daily Planet. That sign is too much.

Yea! That's what I was alluding too.. One of my friends has this theory that Rogers is this horrible evil company - he had a load of fun when I showed him the HQs..

[phunky]

Rogers is a horrible evil company haha.

[vancouverite/to'er]

ewww...
the two toggling photos on the site ARE redneck chic.
The lights in the living room are the cheapies...
should be halogen potlights(more toronto and less Houston:) )
The kitchen is so so.

[phunky]

ewww...
the two toggling photos on the site ARE redneck chic.
The lights in the living room are the cheapies...
should be halogen potlights(more toronto and less Houston:) )
The kitchen is so so.
Just so you know, as gone over already, those pictures are not of Couture. They are other developments already built.

[The 'Sauga]

Rendering provided by dt toronto geek on UrbanToronto:

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee140/laserboy_TO/couture.jpg

[Taller, Better]

It certainly does not look very interesting in that rendering.

[CrazyCanuck]

It looks like it's going to be extremely thin.

[Skybean]

The design according to that render is very nice. Nice clean lines.. it looks really sharp.

[look@round]

I guess they are out of stupid English name (they used them all already!!), so now they are using French name for condo :nuts: Lumière, Boutique, Couture... My gosh, Couture is probably the stupidest name I've ever heard for a condo... until the name of the next condo to be built of course :lol:
That said, with this rendering, it just looks like another charmless tower to me. No imagination here...

[vancouverite/to'er]

Just so you know, as gone over already, those pictures are not of Couture. They are other developments already built.

my bad... just so you know I don't consistently check the progress of this development.

[dougbennion]

That Rogers building was the Confederation Life building until about 15 years ago, when Confed bankrupted. Well it didn't really, the Feds panicked, but that's a different story. I knew the executive who selected the design for the building. There had been 2 or 3 competing firms. I remember the executive saying 'not everyone will like this design, but I do' ...

[Taller, Better]

I guess they are out of stupid English name (they used them all already!!), so now they are using French name for condo :nuts: Lumière, Boutique, Couture... My gosh, Couture is probably the stupidest name I've ever heard for a condo... until the name of the next condo to be built of course :lol:
That said, with this rendering, it just looks like another charmless tower to me. No imagination here...



agreed. The name sucks the big one.

[ggaleazz]

I like it, but the trick will be in the execution of the building in real life.

[current]

Yesterday I was talking to a broker. He had an Asian client that bought one unit and then his friends ended up buying eight units in Couture. I thought this type of development would not have been on foreign investor's radar. It is not a hotel or in Yorkville or on the railway lands/waterfront. It looks like all condo developments in the downtown area could potentially have some foreign investors.

Couture is going to be 44 storeys the same as it's neighbour X Condominium.

[thryve]

I like this!!!

Bloor + Jarvis is going to be crazy different in a few years!

[Elkhanan1]

http://i17.tinypic.com/8g8dh8h.jpg

Let's hope Couture retains the glass-and-aluminium look once built, unlike Montage and Neo down at CityPlace. If so, it should be quite elegant, except for the lame 'podium,' which ought to be eliminated, allowing the building to soar unimpeded from the sidewalk, save for a simple entrance-marquis. Also, it appears that Couture won't be set back from Jarvis, which means it'll be directly in line with X-condo.

[Taller, Better]

It will be darned good for the neighbourhood.

[Mollywood]

It will be darned good for the neighbourhood.

That whole neighbourhood east of Church and south of Bloor is really in for a big change. From the Gay Village to St. Jamestown, that whole area is moving upscale and growing by leaps and bounds. (hopefully still maintaing it's gay vibe)

[valantino]

^keep in mind tohugh that monarch's rendering always look a thousand times better than the actual buildings ... the glowing mechanical penthouse will end up as some cheap metal grating

[Epi]

Imagine that, a Condo render where the building isn't set in a grass field!!!

Great looking building.

[vancouverite/to'er]

appoximately how close will this be to the X condominums?

[Wrk_InProgress]

appoximately how close will this be to the X condominums?

Someone correct me be, but I believe that the giant shadow box to the left of Couture is "X".

If that's the case, it's "close".

[Spoonman]

Close enough that you can ask a neighbour in the adjacent building to lend you their corkscrew and just toss it over onto your balcony.

[Elkhanan1]

Let's hope Couture retains the glass-and-aluminium look once built, unlike Montage and Neo down at CityPlace. If so, it should be quite elegant...

Don't mean to quote myself but these pic's of Le Cartier (c.1964) in Montreal illustrate what I mean. I'd be pleased if Couture turned out something like this.
http://i18.tinypic.com/6jwnrrc.jpg http://i7.tinypic.com/85digbm.jpg

[Taller, Better]

^^ that is classic International Style detailing (generally for office buildings)... not unlike that used by Mies van der Rohe in the TD tower here in Toronto. If I were to buy into a condo, I would personally only
purchase if I had access to a balcony. It appears Couture will have some balconies. I am curious about these apartments in Le Cartier... can they open their windows at all for fresh air, or is the building sealed for climate control?

[Elkhanan1]

Just looking at the pic's, I'd say that some of Le Cartier's windows might open at the bottom. Do the windows open at 110 Bloor St W (c.1980)? It's another favourite of mine.

http://i1.tinypic.com/8bggtck.jpg

[Taller, Better]

hmmm... a very good question. There may be a small sliding element, to allow about a
6 inch opening. Personally I would never live in a place where I couldn't get a natural breeze coming in.

[CollsGuy]

Have a friend that lives on the ninth floor, they dont open. She smokes and boyfriend doesn't. Time to quit!!!

[Taller, Better]

eeewww... I cannot imagine breathing air all day that has been circulated throughout the building.

[Filip]

Just looking at the pic's, I'd say that some of Le Cartier's windows might open at the bottom. Do the windows open at 110 Bloor St W (c.1980)? It's another favourite of mine.

http://i1.tinypic.com/8bggtck.jpg

Louis Vuitton was there once upon a time? I wonder what was once there where their current truncated Victorian luggage palace sits today.

That's definitely a major favourite of mine. Back in the mid 1990's we were looking at buying a condo there, we found a very large 2 bedroom + family room condo at an amusingly low price. Why we didn't buy it BEATS me. Today, that same condo is surely worth six figures.:(

[current]

Article from the Toronto Star.

Upscale living near trendy Yorkville

Dec 08, 2007 04:30 AM

Urban sophisticates who enjoy shopping at upscale boutiques, good restaurants and a lively nightlife will probably be the kind of people who will buy at Couture, a new tower at the edge of some of the city's trendiest neighbourhoods.

Situated at Bloor and Jarvis Sts., the 44-storey condo will be close to Yorkville's shops and Church Street's clubs and eateries. With the Bloor-Yonge and Sherbourne subway stops close by, getting around won't be a problem, either.

Couture is a partnership between the Monarch Corp. and the Philmor Group, which built Bloor Walk, the first phase of the project.

"This is our tallest building to date," says Monarch spokesperson Linda Mitchell. "It's named Couture to reflect the sophistication of neighbouring Yorkville, but when you stay on Jarvis St., there are different venues and not all the shops are high end. It's a neat area, very eclectic and it will definitely appeal to the urban crowd, mostly young professionals."

Floor-to-ceiling windows in the glass tower designed by Graziani & Corrazza Architects Inc. will take in views of the Toronto skyline, including the CN Tower to the south and Rosedale Valley ravine to the north.

The contemporary lobby and corridors will be created by Mike Niven Interior Design Inc. to reflect "sophistication and panache," says Mitchell, with a touch of glamour.

Amenities include 24-hour concierge, two guest suites, party room with caterer's kitchen and bar, fitness facilities including a pool, fitness room with yoga and cardio areas and his and her saunas and change rooms.

There will be 459 suites, with finishes including laminate flooring, 40-ounce broadloom and individually controlled heating and air conditioning heat pump system. Kitchens come with granite countertops, tile backsplash and stainless-steel kitchen appliances. Bathrooms feature contemporary countertops and choice of porcelain or ceramic tile flooring. From the 22nd floor up, principal rooms will have nine-foot ceilings.

Couture's green features include Energy Star-rated appliances, low VOC, washable and non-yellowing paint, low emission laminate flooring, carbon monoxide detection system designed to minimize the operation of exhaust fans in the parking garage, indoor air quality carpets certified by the Canadian Carpet Institute, low-flow showerheads and lavatory faucets, compact fluorescent lamps and an automated recycling collection system.

Suites range in size from 557 to 977 square feet, priced from the mid-$200,000s to the mid-$500,000s.

To celebrate its 90th anniversary, Monarch is offering 1 per cent off the purchase price at any of its highrise or lowrise communities across the GTA until Dec. 31.

To register for Couture, visit monarchgroup.net.

http://www.thestar.com/living/article/282563

[Taller, Better]

"neighbouring Yorkville"


Hmmm... would be more honest to talk about ..neighbouring Jamestown and neighbouring gay village

[CrazyCanuck]

That is a bit of stretch isn't it. haha.

[valantino]

I'd be pleased if Couture turned out something like this.


Only pleased?!? This is Monarch afterall.

[Mollywood]

"neighbouring Yorkville"


Hmmm... would be more honest to talk about ..neighbouring Jamestown and neighbouring gay village

Definitely more gay village than Yorkville. lol In the old days St. Jamestown was VERY GAY! It was quite the party place too. Lots of my friends loved living there and I as a suburbanite, LOVED to visit them. I still define the gay village from Parliament to Bay st.

[Elkhanan1]

^^Just be glad Monarch's not referring to the area as the Upper East Side à-la-Cresford (see BSN), or East Yorkville, North Cabbagetown, South Rosedale, Far-east Kingsway, Far-north-western Beaches, Lower-east Forrest Hill, etc., etc. Marketers today are absolutely, vomit-inducingly shameless.:puke:

Just one example, I noticed today in the Condo Guide that the model suite/showroom for 'Idea' Condo (think Ikea...) is called, get this, the 'Experience Centre.' I almost threw up my lunch. I mean, who buys this shit?!