Inside the GTA - a look at development in and around Toronto in September 2022

What’s happening Ace Hotel Toronto – the brand’s inaugural home in Canada – opened its doors in late July and is receiving rave reviews for its timeless architecture and red brick facade, which recalls the important role bricks pressed from Don Valley clay played in forming the city’s visual identity.

The 123-room hotel was designed by Toronto firm Shim-Sutcliffe Architects, recipients of numerous awards, including the 2021 Royal Architectural Institute of Canada’s Gold Medal, the nation’s highest honour for architecture. The project was developed in partnership with Zinc Developments and Alterra Group.

Anchoring the building is Alder, a seasonal wood-fired restaurant from critically acclaimed chef Patrick Kriss. Chef Kriss also helms the menus for The Lobby, as well as the hotel’s rooftop bar and lounge, Evangeline, opening later this year. Ace was founded in Belltown, Seattle in 1999, now with locations in Seattle, Portland, New York, Palm Springs, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Kyoto, Brooklyn, Sydney and Toronto. acehotel.com/Toronto

Brightwater brings #PortalsPC immersive art installation to Port Credit

In celebration of the summer season and the power of the arts to connect and build community, the Port Credit West Village Partners (PCWVP) – the consortium, including Kilmer Group, Dream Unlimited, DiamondCorp and FRAM+Slokker, which is behind the 72-acre master-planned Brightwater community – recently unveiled the immersive Port Credit Portals art installation at JC Saddington Park.

The installation comprises five 10-ft.-tall colourful Portals, creating a glowing, immersive art experience along Port Credit’s waterfront.

The Brightwater team has also participated in other initiatives, adding art to the local community, including the LCBO Port Credit Mural Project earlier this summer. Prioritizing and offering a vibrant public realm and experiences for residents and community members is an integral pillar of the Brightwater community, with an updated Main Street, including a Village Square, new park spaces, and multiple promenades, pedestrian and cycling trails, and different art features. experiencebrightwater.ca

Simu Liu unveils new collaboration with developers at 8 Elm

Actor Simu Liu, known for his work on Kim’s Convenience and as Marvel character Shang-Chi, is collaborating on a new condominium community in Toronto called 8 Elm.

The project, located in the heart of downtown Toronto, is a joint project between Capital Developments and Reserve Properties.
Liu is lending his creativity to a team that includes architects IBI Group and interior design firm Cecconi Simone, to deliver a building that blurs the lines between residential living and hospitality, creating a space that looks and feels like a five-star hotel. The actor, who recently released his first memoir, always believed that real estate developers have a responsibility to give back to the cities they build in. Having lived in the same Bay Street apartment for eight years, Lui says he understands the importance of designing and optimizing every square foot of living space so residents can feel happy and relaxed in their homes. 8elm.com

Habitat for Humanity GTA receives surprise donation cheque by mail

Ene Underwood, CEO of Habitat for Humanity GTA, posted an unusual item on LinkedIn recently – Habitat for Humanity GTA received a cheque for $500,000 in the mail.

Underwood’s post, which can also be seen on Medium, reads that last year an “unsuspecting envelope arrived at our Toronto office. Amidst the pile of packages and letters we receive daily, no one thought much of it. The envelope came from an address that belonged to a woman named ‘Muriel Dobbie.’ Inside the envelope was a cheque made out to Habitat for Humanity GTA for half a million dollars,” said Underwood.

Muriel Dobbie was not known to Habitat GTA, but the organization received additional cheques throughout the year from this generous person, totalling $1 million.

According to the Habitat for Humanity website, Muriel Dobbie chose to leave a gift to several charities in her will, and this organization, which helps working families build strength, stability and self-reliance through affordable homeownership, was one of them. habitatgta.ca