A District Loft Perch In The Fashion District
offered at $339,000For those who crave a concrete ‘n cool modern loft in the heart of the city, nothing beats living in District Lofts on Richmond Street West. Completed in 2001 by Context Developments and designed by Architects Alliance, this 14 storey high 148 unit U-shaped twin-tower condominium won numerous awards for its cutting edge styling and urban design. Arranged as two narrow slabs perched atop a base that features retail at grade plus two levels of parking, followed by single level lofts and the exercise and party room amenity spaces, the remaining tower lofts are all two-storey through units with corridors on every second level facing into the courtyard. Featuring rows of cantilevered balconies on both the north and south side, monopitch roofs sloping toward the interior courtyard, and four exterior bridges linking the two slabs as part of the fire exiting system, District Lofts represents a distilled essence in contemporary living.
Located in the central west quadrant of the city centre on the north west corner of Richmond Street West and Spadina Avenue, 388 Richmond Street West – in the heart of the Fashion District (Yes, it’s still filled with loads of fashion!) – is a quick streetcar ride to the financial core or University of Toronto, a short stroll to hip King and Queen West for shopping or delectable dining, and moments to the Gardiner Expressway, providing speedy access to the airport or cottage country. In proximity to the Theatre District, Scotiabank Cinema, Harbourfront, and the Rogers Centre, and around the corner from some of the City’s finest restaurants, this is literally living in the centre of it all.
Dating as far back as the early 1800’s, this area was established by immigrants from numerous places (Jewish, Asian, Portuguese, Irish, Polish and Ukrainian), each throwing down roots in their own enclaves – including Chinatown and Kensington Market to the north – and spreading out geographically from this common beginning point. Centred on the industrialization of the Garment trade, this area is equally parts history and contemporary and features an eclectic mix of working and merchant class houses to the west and high-rise condominiums to east. Today, the Fashion District is a testament to the product of re-invention. The area is home to a number of new lofty condominiums, transforming this area since the 1990s from utilitarian to utopian, where space is coveted, edgy and cool.
Welcome to 388 Richmond Street West, Loft 406.
This fourth floor one bedroom loft of around 700 square feet has the quintessential urbanscape view. Perched with a south exposure, it faces into the top floor and roof garden of a vintage warehouse – 401 Richmond Street West – that is now “a sprawling network of galleries, publishing companies, studio space, offices, and other creativity-inspiring nooks, like a music shop and a book store” with a peek-a-boo view of the twinkling lights of the CN Tower. With its floor-to-ceiling glass windows and juliette balcony and ten foot ceilings, you definitely have that ‘bright lights big city’ vibe!
We love the elongated floor plan that places the washroom and bedroom in its own raised elevation, which then steps down into the sunken entertainment space. The finishes are original – but not hideous – though this place really lends itself to reinvention. It’s the perfect place for a creative spirit to infuse their own personal aesthetic. And with that dreamy south exposure comes an abundance of natural light. For light-lovers, this one is hard to beat!
Want to learn more? Contact Steve@urbaneer.com for more information!
Have you met Queen West yet? If you don’t know this area very well, here’s our Neighbourhood Page on Queen West including our flavour video, the city census data on the area, plus several past blogs on area amenities! And consider checking out our other Neighbourhood Pages!