The Ideal Loft On Hip College Street
Located on College Street just west of Bathurst in hip Little Italy, this lofty condominium is in the best location for a dynamic urban life. It's totally transit friendly, located right on the 506 streetcar line serving College Street and a short stroll to the Bathurst Street subway station. Some of the city's very best restaurants dot Harbord Street to the north of the property, funky Kensington Market is located to the east, groovin’ Dundas Street West with its cool hangs is at the bottom of the block south, and hip College Street is on your doorstep. For those who celebrate an urban walking life, this centre-of-it-all location boasts access to all the cultural amenities Toronto has to offer. And for Nesters who prefer to cultivate a cocooning domestic life, College Street has a 24-hour Metro grocer, a selection of butchers, bakers, and delis, plus it’s an easy stroll to the fresh produce of Kensington Market.
Is summer your season? College Street, once regaled as one of the country’s Top 5 hippest neighbourhoods, has numerous sidewalk cafes including Kalendar Cafe, Cafe Diplomatico, Bar Italia, Caplansky’s and Sicilian Ice Cream. It’s only steps from Grace Restaurant with its charming courtyard, and at Clinton Street are Langolina’s, Giancarlo’s, Bar Italia and Sotto Voce - all stellar restaurants with patios. If you’re a movie buff, on the north side of College Street just west of Clinton is the Royal repertory cinema, which was recently renovated and has an upgraded projection system used for movie editing purposes during the day and as a repertory cinema in the evenings. And if you’re an 8ball sharp shooter like I am, fun Andy Pool Hall is directly across the street! How fantastic is that?
301 Markham Street, named Ideal Lofts after the site’s predecessor - The Ideal Restaurant Supply Store - was developed by Context Developments and completed in 2001. Designed by the award-winning architectural firm Architects Alliance, this nine storey tall building contains ground level retail, three levels of underground parking and 68 soft lofts ranging from around 550 square feet one-level suites to 1800 square foot two storey penthouses. Thoughtfully designed in a contemporary style using concrete, red brick, and expansive floor-to-ceiling fenestration, this minimal modern condominium offers open airy living and, for a lucky few, expansive ‘how lucky am I!” terraces.
Loft 511 is a stylish well-proportioned cube of around 710 square feet (per a previous listing). From the well-designed front foyer with double closet and stacking laundry, the unit unfolds into an open concept L-shaped entertainment space. The efficient galley kitchen spanning one wall provides the opportunity for a substantial dining table like the one currently in residence or, if your passion is preparing culinary creations, there is ample room to add your own custom chef’s island with seating. This extremely versatile space can easily be tailored to suit. Isn’t that brilliant?
The living room, featuring a $10,000 custom built-in maple wall unit with filing cabinets, blanket box and floating shelves, spans the breadth of the suite in front of two massive floor-to-ceiling sliding doors. This clean-lined entertainment space walks out onto a rare-to-find 8x19 foot sundrenched terrace perched over the neighbourhood’s collection of vintage houses. Unlike other aspects in the building, this premium south-facing exposure has an expansive Sky-City-Lake vista. For lovers of light you’ll be thrilled with the abundance of natural light, plus it’s astonishing to realize how private this suite is when seated in the living room.
Are you a fan of outdoor living? Face it, although we Torontonians grumble about our bleak gritty winters, our Northern Hemisphere location still provides six full months of temperate weather with the sun setting as late as 9pm! With a terrace this generous you can enjoy Spring fresh breezes curled up with your book on a lounger, fire up your barbecue on sizzling Summer eves, or dine alfresco while admiring the colourful changing Autumn leaves which blanket the neighbourhood below. While the value of this ‘152 square foot outdoor room’ is not definitively quantifiable, the quality of life benefit is undeniably priceless!
The sleeping sanctuary, with its double closet and wall of bookshelves, is tucked away at the rear of the suite. Currently open concept, one could reconfigure the layout to create a more private zone for domestic bliss. The over-sized four-piece washroom is discreetly located off the bedroom. Having ample space for additional storage, the clever frosted window provides natural light while retaining privacy.
Efficiently designed with a flexible layout and nine foot ceilings, this smart lofty condominium with spectacular terrace includes one car deeded parking space with double bike racks and a separately deeded locker having dimensions of 2’ in width, 6' in depth, and 6' in height. Note the parking space is currently rented on a month-to-month basis for $125 per month, occupied for the past five years to the same tenant without any increase. Vacant possession of the parking space can be provided by request. Occupancy can be anywhere from thirty to ninety days.
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