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Authentic Toronto Hard Loft Conversions
Modern Beach Lofts - 952 Kingston Road
Streamline moderne is a later, stripped-down version of 1920s and '30s art deco that favoured simple horizontal banding over ornate decoration. Buildings done in this style are few and far between in Toronto, since modernism eclipsed the emerging style in the 1940s before it could pick up much steam.
952 Kingston is a unique 24 unit building which marks the first loft conversion project in this area of the city. This property is steep with history beginning life as a movie theatre in the early 1940's. When you look at the upper level of the building you can see the Art Deco influences in stone details and linear motifs.
The residential entrance of the building recalls the sense of the original theatre grand entrance. Upper levels house distinctive curves, glass facades and terraces. The conversion of the 1940 movie theatre into 24 modern art deco loft residences will be the landmark in the upscale north beach neighbourhood. Stainless steel appliances, 10 ft. ceilings and polished concrete floors are some of the many features that 952 Kingston has to offer.
Behind this thoughtful reuse of the Scarboro movie theatre is former chartered accountant turned real estate developer Les Mallins and his company, Streetcar Developments Inc.
But infill development is not without its unique challenges, especially when dealing with purpose-built buildings.During excavation for a parking garage at 952 Kingston Rd., the team found the original, sloped, eight-inch-thick reinforced concrete theatre floor, but, because of the tight site, they couldn't bring in heavy equipment.
So far, the prognosis for 952 Kingston, which the company purchased in 2004, looks pretty good. Set back from the movie theatre's two-storey façade will be a new three-storey addition by architect Charles Gane of Core Architects that takes its design cues from the original.
He took pictures of other streamline moderne buildings and we came up with the concept of the rounded façade with the clean lines that go all the way around the building. There was quite a bit of thought put into trying to both match the old to the new but even within the new, bring streamline elements into it.
Email or phone 416-388-1960 today if this building interests you.
Modern Beach Lofts - 952 Kingston Road