[HHC]

Wow.. unreal shots. What a view.

 

[Redroom Studios]

phenomenal photos... I like the way that the CN pops up directly bewteen RBC and Ritz from this angle!

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

I thought that the lobby rocked from the outside (which it does) but it looks even more terrific inside. Fantastic photos and my hat is off to Great Gulf for the sensational job they've done on this building, the rooftop mechanical box is completely forgiven IMO. Let's hope that the pride and quality of materials translates over to X2 and One Bloor.

 

[interchange42]

Did you ask what happened to the design at the top?

Yes, we did, and please forgive me for what will sound like a cop-out, but, it's a long story. A convoluted one too, and I have to admit while we were all ears, we were also all cameras when we shot this last Friday: we were not writing everything down, this was essentially a photo safari. I remember parts of the answer, but if I try to put it all together I will get some of it wrong. Suffice it to say that the current plan was not the first one, and not the preferred one, but one that Great Gulf feels is reasonable after some plans for a rooftop full-floor penthouse did not sell.

In the end this is something that some will never forgive, while for others it does not detract from the building.

Meanwhile, so much else works so well here, that the top barely registers for me now. We are really looking forward to our return when the amenities are finished: there's some really creative stuff going on in there which brings the lobby's aesthetic to the second floor.

42

 

[Sir Novelty Fashion]

Thanks 42. Sign me up for NO FORGIVENESS.

 

[WeirdFishes]

Hey everyone,

I went for my PDI yesterday and it was a great experience. A few interesting notes:
- They are aiming to be registered by December 2010 so they can enter for building of the year, worse case, Jan. 2011
- All amenities will be ready by November (except the pool of course)
- They still have decorating work to do for the lobby, in the next few weeks they will be installing huge chandeliers and final touches (art, plants) to warm the lobby up
- If you have a parking spot and a locker they will be close to each other
- Missing cladding pieces will be installed when they do their first window cleaning
- Each unit goes through an extensive cleaning and paint touch up before move-in
- Balcony undersides will get a second coating in the spring
- The putting green will be properly fenced off and can only be accessed with a fob key
- I was told the lobby cost over $2 million...... They did not cut any corners there!

I took a ton of interior pictures of the halls, etc.

 

[ganjavih]

That design, those views, that lobby... this building rocks. I'm guessing you can't really see the mechanical from most street views.

 

[Solaris]

Oct 1 2010 update

photos that I never got around to posting previously ~

 

[Pascal]

Re: Cobweb Lobby Chandeliers and Awful Art

The original illustration included in the X condo brochure shows light, airy and simple chandeliers thoughtfully considered in sense of scale to compliment the lobby and building design.

Installed this week are a disastrous redesign-- heavy, chunky and imposing, these chandeliers look like space-junk covered in cobwebs.

It’s difficult to comprehend why, after producing an exceptional looking building with an outstanding lobby, Great Gulf would choose such bizarre light fixtures.
Equally peculiar are the paintings installed on the lobby walls this week. Wow.... those are painfully awful.

I hope someone at Great Gulf takes a step back and reconsiders what these new additions are doing to a trophy of a building.

If not Great Gulf, then the Board of Directors of the condo when formed will no doubt have to take care of these errors.

Is Urban Toronto able to find out more about the reasoining behind these new additions?

 

[WeirdFishes]

Re: Cobweb Lobby Chandeliers and Awful Art

The original illustration included in the X condo brochure shows light, airy and simple chandeliers thoughtfully considered in sense of scale to compliment the lobby and building design.

Installed this week are a disastrous redesign-- heavy, chunky and imposing, these chandeliers look like space-junk covered in cobwebs.

I LOVE the chandeliers and the artwork installed, same with all my friends who visited me so far

 

[Solaris]

would there be photos of this addition that anyone can share ?

 

[cruzin4u]

I'm with you. They look great and add warmth + sophistication to the lobby. To each his / her own. At first, I thought the Chandeliers were damaged, but that's just the way they are. They are particularly impressive when driving / walking by the lobby in the evening.

 

[TheProfessor]

I'm not sure how I feel about those light fixtures, but I certainly don't mind the art. As another poster above said, to each his/her own.

 

[Traynor]

I'm with you. They look great and add warmth + sophistication to the lobby. To each his / her own. At first, I thought the Chandeliers were damaged, but that's just the way they are. They are particularly impressive when driving / walking by the lobby in the evening.

But that's the point... First impressions are everything. That's what ends up sticking with a person and that is what passersby and visitors are going to think as well.

On the bright side... Now I know where to buy my decorations for my haunted house next Halloween.

 

[neuhaus]

I have spec'ed a similar chandlier before and it's a really stunning fixture, however the draped nickel chains seem very sparse which exposes the bulbs and frame a little too much (it looks better at night).
It should look something like this:

I like the artwork, but it seems it is the wrong size and proportion for the wall.
Looks like they wanted to center the artwork on the middle of the wall panel which makes it look uncomfortably too close to the corner of the wall. If a quarter of the artwork was lopped off the right side it would look much better.