Lifetime Developments continues to breathe new life into the corners of King and Dufferin with XO2

In the coming months, the corners of King & Dufferin are about to get a major makeover. Just on the boundary between Liberty Village and Parkdale is soon to be home to 700-plus new residential units by Lifetime Developments and Pinedale Properties.

The redevelopment of Toronto’s west end has been vast, especially over the last 20 years. The area was once the site of one of Toronto’s oldest European settlements. The discovery of the King and Dufferin area by Toronto’s artists began in the 1970s – then came the first of many major developments and the spark of massive transformation in the area beginning in the 1990s. Now here we are today, with Liberty Village established as one of the most popular, sought-after communities in the west end of the city; Parkdale, on the eyes and minds of many for its massive potential, high accessibility and current vibrant, eclectic community; and the King and Queen West neighbourhoods, where trendy 20-somethings and families alike seek to call home.

Hot spots in the city

So, what’s next for this neighbourhood? As a family-run business with more than four decades of experience in the building and development space, Lifetime Developments is no stranger to ebbs and flows, recessions, market blips and the ever-changing “hot-spots” of the city. As we move towards the light and reopening of the province in the coming months, Lifetime looks to launch the encore to its incredibly well-received XO Condos project, which launched in 2019.

“Our team is incredibly excited to bring another project to the Liberty Village neighbourhood,” says Brian Brown, principal, Lifetime Developments. “After all these years, beginning with the Liberty Market Building, I feel like we’ve grown up alongside this neighbourhood and gotten to really understand how to deliver thoughtful development plans that reinforce that true community feeling of Liberty Village.”

Coming soon to the Toronto market is XO2 Condos, the second phase of the XO Condos project by Lifetime Developments and Pinedale Properties, launched in 2019. Condo Life readers are among the first to receive preliminary information on this upcoming project. XO2 Condos will feature a total of 410 suites across 17 storeys, located at the northeast corner of King and Dufferin at 1182 King St. W. Committed to building interconnected communities in thriving neighbourhoods, Lifetime Developments brings XO2 to Toronto, together with some of its most trusted partners, including architects Turner Fleischer Architects and interior designer, Tomas Pearce.

Iconic neighbourhoods

The transformation of the four corners has already begun with shovels well into the ground at the XO Condos site, at the southwest corner of King and Dufferin at 1221 King St. W. Construction continues with the approximate occupancy date set for 2022. XO Condos is a 14-storey, 307-unit condo, also in partnership with Turner Fleischer Architects and Tomas Pearce Interior Design. Stunning architecture collides past and future at a bustling intersection where iconic neighbourhoods meet. The location offers immediate access to area amenities and transit by being close to parks, the waterfront, Lamport Stadium and the Exhibition grounds, with direct access to both the King and Dufferin streetcars and only a five-minute walk to the future King-Liberty SmartTrack Station. The project will also offer excellent highway access with proximity to the Gardiner Expressway just a short drive away as you go south on Dufferin.

The design of XO was intentional – honouring the history and community – old meets new with the preservation of the 1906-built Bank of British North America at 1211 King St. W., which is being retained into the base of the development. Currently in use as the project’s sales centre, the two-storey building is technically a separate property and was not addressed in the planning process, though Lifetime has stated their intention to maintain its important corner presence.

“I think keeping this beautiful piece of Toronto’s history and, quite frankly an iconic piece of this corner, was an important part of getting the community on board for this evolution of what this intersection will look like in the coming years,” says Brown. “That’s one of the reasons why we have the ‘X’ in our XO name — because we very much feel like we’re in a unique situation of being located at the crossroads of so many different neighbourhoods, and this intersectionality of old meeting new.”

Evolution and change

The addition of these two new buildings to the neighbourhood also introduces approximately 10,000 sq. ft. of retail space to be integrated into the respective buildings. Lifetime Developments has a reputation for being passionate about supporting local business, notably hospitality and, of course, supporting local arts and culture (also in addition to their reputation of building high-quality developments). As the team has watched the transformation of not only this community, but purchasing trends coming out of the pandemic, their passion and excitement for these projects is unwavering. “Prior to the pandemic, and even more so now, we were seeing signs of increased interest in this neighbourhood – it’s changing, we’re seeing new life, new investment and it’s exciting. We were early in buying into the evolution and change, and we’re really starting to see that pay off now,” says Brown.

What the team at Lifetime was also ahead of the curve on was recognizing that not all families or couples had the desire to move out of the city to acquire more space for their growing family. Over the last 15 months, downtown dwellers flocked even beyond the GTA in search of more space, but Lifetime presents a rare opportunity for suitable family space right in the city. XO offers two-storey units, in addition to one-, two- and three-bedroom options with large outdoor living spaces. Another bonus to these buildings is the proximity to the 20,000-sq.-ft. public park provided by XO Condos, featuring lush urban landscaping with pathways that connect neighbourhoods, a playground that children adore, a splash pad in the summer months, and cosy picnic tables for dining, reading or simply people-watching.

Limited inventory is still available at XO Condos. For more information, visit xocondos.com. More information on the sales launch of XO2 Condos will be announced in the coming months.