[Bibi L]

Avro originally sold the parking spots with the condo units. I don’t have the exact details but there was a dispute about the ground water I believe and the developer bought all the parking spots back from the condo owners after a few years. Then the developer created a new agreement with mttc850 and rented the parking out through Yorke parking, then Impark and now Target.

It looks like the new P3 level will be about 1 m lower than existing based on the site plan application files.
Hopefully they don’t create any ground water issues during construction.

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And when I thought I knew everything about this building…
That’s interesting. So all of the parking spots were originally sold with the units? And the condo board owned them, then sold them back to Avro Group (the developer) shortly after? Why would they do that? What would ground water have to do with that? When reading through my late 80s welcome book from Avro Group welcoming the new residents to our new homes themselves I don’t recall them talking much about the parking, and how they own it. I remember them saying “your neighbours to the east, Novotel Toronto Centre” and something about future retail and office space. And how they owned the spaces. Though I could be forgetting something.

 

[mburrrrr]

And when I thought I knew everything about this building…
That’s interesting. So all of the parking spots were originally sold with the units? And the condo board owned them, then sold them back to Avro Group (the developer) shortly after? Why would they do that? What would ground water have to do with that? When reading through my late 80s welcome book from Avro Group welcoming the new residents to our new homes themselves I don’t recall them talking much about the parking, and how they own it. I remember them saying “your neighbours to the east, Novotel Toronto Centre” and something about future retail and office space. And how they owned the spaces. Though I could be forgetting something.

And I thought I knew Apple Maps.
Yes. All (assuming 244) parking spots were sold with the 571 units. I believe they were all sold at the time.
Assuming nice new parking spots didn’t look good with ground water leaking thought the walls and they were concerned about the life cycle cost?
I should research this a little more with some of the original owners in the building.

 

[Bibi L]

And I thought I knew Apple Maps.
Yes. All (assuming 244) parking spots were sold with the 571 units. I believe they were all sold at the time.
Assuming nice new parking spots didn’t look good with ground water leaking thought the walls and they were concerned about the life cycle cost?
I should research this a little more with some of the original owners in the building.

I’m reading through the Avro Group book from the 80s. Hopefully there’s more info I haven’t learned about. Already learned something, the Cafe Nicole was originally a Cafe Le Arcades.

Some pages:


DEAR RESIDENT:

THIS MANUAL HAS BEEN PREPARED TO FACILITATE THE TRANSITION TO YOUR NEW HOME AND FOR SOME, NEW NEIGHBORHOOD.

WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE THE TIME TO REVIEW THIS PRIOR TO YOUR MOVE IN. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT THE MANAGEMENT OFFICE AT (number) IF WE MAY BE OF ANY FURTHER ASSISTANCE.

INCLUDED YOU WILL FIND INFORMATION ABOUT BUILDING FACILITIES, MECHANICAL SYSTEMS, STAFFING, MANAGEMENT, AND VARIOUS POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TO NAME BUT A FEW SUBJECTS.

THESE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AND WE WILL ADVISE YOU IF THIS IS THE CASE. IN ADDITION, ONCE YOU ELECT YOUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS THEY WILL DETERMINE THE MANNER IN WHICH THE CONDOMINIUM WILL BE OPERATED.

WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU CONSULT YOUR SOLICITOR FOR CLARIFICATION OF MATTERS PERTAINING TO THE CONDOMINIUM ACT, THE DECLARATION OF THE ESPLANADE AND OTHER MATTERS RELATED TO YOUR CONDOMINIUM UNIT.

THIS MANUAL SHOULD BE KEPT FOR YOUR FUTURE REFERENCE AND THAT OF YOUR GUESTS, AND POTENTIAL FUTURE OWNERS OR OCCUPANTS OF YOUR SUITE.

ON BEHALF OF THE AVRO GROUP WE WISH YOU " WELCOME" TO YOUR NEW HOME!


SINCERELY,

THE AVRO GROUP


Other page:


NOVOTEL HOTEL (TORONTO CENTRE)

Immediately next to the Esplanade Condominium is Canada's third Novotel Hotel, a touch of Europe in the heart of downtown.

For your wining and dining pleasure, the hotel restaurant, Cafe les Arcades, is open from 6:00 a.m. to midnight and offers a comfortable ambience and culinary delights of both European style and North American cuisine. Enjoy a weekly Sunday Brunch, or spend a relaxing evening at the hotel's Bar where wine, french cuisine and finger foods are the focus for the discerning palate.

Conference and banquet facilities are available and consist of three specially designed and fuly equipped meeting rooms for 10 to 110 guests. Featuring state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment. The Champagne Ballroom offers banquet facilities for up to 190 guests with a breezy outdoor terrace and meeting facilities for up to 240 guests.

For your out of town guests, there are 266 comfortable, reasonably priced rooms, including eight Mini Suites and two Deluxe Suites. Every Novotel room is thoughtfully furnished with unexpected accoutrements like a hairdryer, remote control television with cable and pay channels, even a bathroom telephone and radio/TV speaker.

 

[Bibi L]

@mburrrrr
BINGO! Found something very important. I’m reading the book from Avro Group welcoming new residents from the 80s when the building opened.


AUTOMOBILE CONTROL

The parking garage located beneath the building is not part of the Condominium Corporation. The Board of Directors and the Condominium Management do not have any involvement in the control of vehicles parked there.

Residents who experience difficulties associated with the parking garage located beneath the Condominium should refer their concerns to either the attendant in the booth located at the top of the entrance ramp (number) or to Canada Auto Parks at (number).

The Condominium should however exercise some measures to control vehicles both in front of the building and in the loading dock area.

These areas are crucial for access and the provision of emergency services i.e. fire fighters, ambulance attendants etc.

The Department of Public Works cautions that if clear access is not provided for garbage collection their employees will not be able to wait until access can be provided.

Failure to have a regular garbage pick up from the City will result in costly emergency pick ups by private collectors.

Every effort with your co-operation will be made by your security personnel to ensure that the area is clear of vehicles on collection days.

Illegally parked vehicles in these areas may be tagged and or towed at the owner's expense.


Some other information from other pages:


THE AVRO GROUP

With over 35 years experience in the real estate development industry, The Avro Group is proud to be involved in 25 The Esplanade. We hope that you will enjoy your new home, its architecture, amenities and superb location.

This project is one of several currently underway or recently completed by The Avro Group. Novotel Toronto Centre, your neighbor to the east, was completed and opened in 1987. In North York, "City Centre", complete with a public library, hotel, subway stop, offices, fine restaurants and over 80 stores, serves as the focal point for the community and establishes the benchmark for further development. As a joint venture partner in the condominiums at King’s Landing, Avro is a participant in the strengthening of the true spirit of our harbourfront.

In the past, the principals of Avro have been responsible for the development, construction and management for much ot Toronto's current apartment housing stock, most of which was constructed in the 60's and 70's.

In the late 1970's, the focus moved away from apartment development. With their extensive expertise in residential construction, the principals of Avro started to build residential co-op housing for the city under contract, and developed the areas only freehold townhouses. Forty four acres of housing in the St. Lawrence area of Toronto was built during the period to 1980. Specific projects in this area include Crombie Park and Wordsworth Co-op. This area now stands as the prime example of downtown residential development. It is expected that the recently announced "St. Lawrence Square" scheme will incorporate many of the concepts and innovations first developed at earlier projects.

Current projects on Avro's horizon include a mixed use development on the Marine Terminal 27 site, at the foot of Yonge Street and the development of industrial commercial buildings on a 100 acre site in the Town of Vaughan.


THE AVRO GROUP CONTINUED ...

The Avro Group is continuing its involvement in residential development with commercial real estate as a complimentary activity.

Following completion of 25 The Esplanade by Avro Construction Inc., the property management will be performed by another Avro Group company on your behalf. The property manager, maintenance personnel, and others are also proud to be part of this project and look forward to continued association with 25 The Esplanade in the future.


RETAIL FACILITIES

The retail facilities at the Esplanade do not form part of the Condominium Corporation.

Located on the ground floor we anticipate that they will include a gourmet green grocer, a restaurant, dry cleaning depot and various other facilities as space permits.

Access to the retail facilities will be from the street only. In order to ensure security there will be no access from the Condominium lobby.

Further information will be forwarded to residents upon completion of the stores.


@mburrrrr I think you’ll enjoy this part…


WINDOW CLEANING

Exterior window cleaning will be performed by contract cleaners approximately three times per year.

Residents will be provided with advance notice as to when their suite windows will be cleaned. This is to allow you an opportunity to protect your privacy by closing blinds the night before. It also give you time to remove the screens so that the windows behind them can be cleaned.

Please inspect your windows the same day that they have been cleaned. Advise the Management Office the following business day if you feel that an inadequate job was done or if you think your windows were missed.

We will inspect your windows to ascertain the quality of work being performed and in fact whether they have been over-looked.

Unfortunately, in the event that there was inclement weather immediately following the cleaning of your windows we may be unable to verify the quality of work.

 

[1Ć0]

I believe they have every intention of building this currently, for good or bad.

Silver Hotel has no intent to build this anytime soon. They just renovated the Novotel last summer and they don't really have the experience to build a massive residential condo

And Republic doesn't really have a track record of construction, so I doubt they'll do it. They would also have to buy out the site from Silver, for which I am not sure there is a lot of appetite from investors to put up money for an 800 unit project with a hotel component during a dead condo market

 

[Bibi L]

Silver Hotel has no intent to build this anytime soon. They just renovated the Novotel last summer and they don't really have the experience to build a massive residential condo

And Republic doesn't really have a track record of construction, so I doubt they'll do it. They would also have to buy out the site from Silver, for which I am not sure there is a lot of appetite from investors to put up money for an 800 unit project with a hotel component during a dead condo market

The city renovated the hotel after they leased it from Silver Hotel Group to use it as a homeless shelter. Not sure what Silver Hotel Group is thinking about this proposal. Currently, they own the whole hotel and parking. Would Silver Hotel Group continue to own the hotel portion of the new development? Will they continue to own the parking lot under 45 The Esplanade and possibly 25 The Esplanade after they are severed? I don’t think so. Silver Hotel Group would have to sell this complex which is probably profiting them a lot. Will they also continue to own retail and office spaces at 25/35 The Esplanade?

From the resubmissions it does seem like Republic Developments want to build this. The Novotel is currently doing well as a hotel. So I think Silver and Novotel are happy with where it currently is.

 

[ProjectEnd]

Republic is not building this as that's not their decision to make. They execute on behalf of the owner, Silver, and Silver, currently, doesn't want to move on it.

 

[Bibi L]

Republic is not building this as that's not their decision to make. They execute on behalf of the owner, Silver, and Silver, currently, doesn't want to move on it.

Yes, Silver is the owner and it’s in their hands if they want the development to continue. Republic is the developer, which will actually develop the building.

 

[mburrrrr]

Silver Hotel has no intent to build this anytime soon. They just renovated the Novotel last summer and they don't really have the experience to build a massive residential condo

And Republic doesn't really have a track record of construction, so I doubt they'll do it. They would also have to buy out the site from Silver, for which I am not sure there is a lot of appetite from investors to put up money for an 800 unit project with a hotel component during a dead condo market

I wonder when the lease ends with Novotel? Are these long or short term arrangements?

The new owners replaced the roof, painted the metal roof, replaced the boilers (chiller?) and the cooling tower that I could see. Then Covid hit and the city upgraded the whole interior of the hotel for them last year.
There is still a lot of good life in this hotel.

 

[Bibi L]

I wonder when the lease ends with Novotel? Are these long or short term arrangements?

The new owners replaced the roof, painted the metal roof, replaced the boilers (chiller?) and the cooling tower that I could see. Then Covid hit and the city upgraded the whole interior of the hotel for them last year.
There is still a lot of good life in this hotel.

Ever since the hotel opened in 1987, it was always a Novotel. I don’t think the lease will end with Novotel any time soon, judging how they have always been running the hotel since it opened.

 

[ProjectEnd]

Yes, Silver is the owner and it’s in their hands if they want the development to continue. Republic is the developer, which will actually develop the building.

Yes, sort of. Republic is the Development Manager who is contracted by Silver for a fee to entitle their land. When they are ready to move on the project, they will bring Republic back in on a limited % fee and scope basis, as well as a Construction Manager (Ellis Don, PCL, Reliance, Bluescape, Etc.) who will actually build the building for them.

 

[Bibi L]

This is how the site currently looks like and how it will look like. And how views from sorrounding buildings will be affected. Thanks to steveve’s 3D model on Precondo’s website.
First, current site.

How it will look like.

@mburrrrr this will be your future view if it starts construction. East view of 25 The Esplanade.

 

[Bibi L]

Going back to the history of the parking lot, were the units for 25 really sold with the parking lot and then bought back by Avro?

In their welcome book from when the building finished, they mention this:
“The parking garage located beneath the building is not part of the Condominium Corporation. The Board of Directors and the Condominium Management do not have any involvement in the control of vehicles parked there.”

If the units were sold with the parking lots, the condo board would have owned the parking. But they clearly state that the garage is not part of the condo board, as it still is today.

 

[mburrrrr]

Going back to the history of the parking lot, were the units for 25 really sold with the parking lot and then bought back by Avro?

In their welcome book from when the building finished, they mention this:
“The parking garage located beneath the building is not part of the Condominium Corporation. The Board of Directors and the Condominium Management do not have any involvement in the control of vehicles parked there.”

If the units were sold with the parking lots, the condo board would have owned the parking. But they clearly state that the garage is not part of the condo board, as it still is today.

Hmmm. It does seem I have this wrong. It was hearsay from an original owner. I will dig further to see where I went wrong.