My understanding regarding the glass on the office tower is that it is a very high quality curtainwall system (antamex I think?) but with a poor glass/coating selection. It's not really fair to say it's bad quality - it's a material selection fumble. As is the spandrel on the midrises... Not bad quality, but a better colour selection for the panels would have done wonders to help minimize this. aA is generally quite good at this with spandrel on east 55 and st lawrence condos being barely noticeable, but wallman not so much.

I think we need to wait for more finishes to be applied and until I make a final call, but right now I am not really worried about how this will turn out.
Correct.
 
My understanding regarding the glass on the office tower is that it is a very high quality curtainwall system (antamex I think?) but with a poor glass/coating selection. It's not really fair to say it's bad quality - it's a material selection fumble. As is the spandrel on the midrises... Not bad quality, but a better colour selection for the panels would have done wonders to help minimize this. aA is generally quite good at this with spandrel on east 55 and st lawrence condos being barely noticeable, but wallman not so much.

I think we need to wait for more finishes to be applied and until I make a final call, but right now I am not really worried about how this will turn out.
On East55 at least, the spandrel are backpainted IGU's as opposed to backpainted single-panes, so it is ultimately a price/quality issue. Would love to see more of the former but it's a premium few developers are willing to spring for.
 
From https://www.tridel.com/thewellclassic/construction/

Screen Shot 2021-04-21 at 3.40.16 PM.png
 
dont forget the already open Sobeys just across the tracks

Theres no way theres more demand for grocery in this area
And there's also the big new Loblaws at Bathurst and Lake Shore, and the medium medium Loblaws at Queen and Portland. Groceries everywhere!!!

42
 
dont forget the already open Sobeys just across the tracks

Theres no way theres more demand for grocery in this area
And there's also the big new Loblaws at Bathurst and Lake Shore, and the medium medium Loblaws at Queen and Portland. Groceries everywhere!!!

42

Prior to Farm Boy opening; the numbers were very good across those stores.

Queen/Portland does serious business.

That said, with the Farm Boy in place I expect demand and supply are closer to matching up than they were.

But with current growth, (The Well, King and lots more)......there will, 100% be more grocery in the area.

Area needs a No Frills though :)

Chances of that grocer being a discounter.............nearly nil.
 
What happened to the grocery store?

As Mr. 42 and others stated, most of the need has been fulfilled through different buildings around the site (Farm Boy, Loblaw's x2, Sobeys, Longos) but I would like to give a little more insight into the changes to the retail layouts from the original proposal to now (sorry this is a little late).

Riocan originally wanted to (somewhat) replicate the ideas from Empress Walk here, like including a movie theatre and grocery store, albeit in a different format, but the addition of their building partners and the architects hired, the idea for the retail here turned to a direction more often seen in European developments. That also doesn't mention their Queen West build that now houses a full sized Loblaw's was being built around the same time, so the idea for a true grocery store slowly fizzled.

There could technically be a smaller grocer, but there are a few complications with that:

1. The Wellington Market undermines any high end grocer to make good sales on premade options. (that is not to knock the market, I'm very excited for it as it'll be unique for the area and it's one of the most interesting parts of this development. )

2. Shoppers will provide the small amount of necessary items to people that live in the immediate area.

So there is not much of a niche that is left for them to target.

I will express a bit of disappointment to the current leasing strategy, some of the larger spaces have been picked up and either amalgamated into office space, or the sweat and tonic (which took up what was originally to be a higher end market but was then turned into five individual spaces). While it's nice to see it leased, I would've rather had there be more smaller spaces and variety.

The original scheme:
1619046170392.png


The current leases:

Konrad takes two larger format spaces, along with sweat and tonic taking an entire podium. This may create dead zones that could've been avoided by not putting office space in what is presumed to be retail space (to the end user).
1619046350292.png
 
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