A boutique hotel is in the works as part of the Lansdowne 2.0 project. The Toronto-based developer behind the two 40-storey residential towers proposed as part of the project told OBJ Tuesday that it plans to include condo and apartment rental units, as well as a boutique hotel. Last November, city council approved the $418.8-million […]
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A boutique hotel is in the works as part of the Lansdowne 2.0 project.
The Toronto-based developer behind the two 40-storey residential towers proposed as part of the project told OBJ Tuesday that it plans to include condo and apartment rental units, as well as a boutique hotel.
Last November, city council approved the $418.8-million project to redevelop Lansdowne Park with a new 6,600-seat event centre, new north-side stadium stands, and the two towers. Toronto’s Mirabella Development Corp. bought the air rights for the towers for $65 million.
CEO Julie Di Lorenzo told OBJ that the area lends itself to what her team has in mind.
“(Lansdowne Park and the Glebe) has so much depth of character and history. It’s got an established neighbourhood. It’s got so much history that’s been incredibly well-preserved. It’s not going to be hard to tell a story about a boutique hotel there,” she said, adding that access to Lansdowne’s “best-in-class” amenities, the Rideau Canal and the greenspace in the Glebe attracted Mirabella to the project.
Of the 770 planned units, Di Lorenzo said that approximately 150 will be hotel rooms. And while it’s still early in the project, she said international hotel brand Marriott has shown interest in partnering with Mirabella on a boutique hotel concept.
“(Marriott) has something called Autograph (Collection),” she said. “Autograph allows you to create your own (hotel) brand and that’s why we were really excited about creating a brand within the community that drew from the history of the community. It’s nice to know that people recognize the importance of this site and its premium location.”
The hotel will have a “heritage chic” vibe, Di Lorenzo said, drawing inspiration from the area’s history.
“Of all the sites in Canada, I would say that it’s one of the best sites I’ve come across in 40 years, because it has so many attributes. I think the boutique hotel will be well-served by clients.”
The hotel will have traditional amenities such as a concierge and valet service, security, as well as an exercise facility and health services. Di Lorenzo said Mirabella is debating adding a pool, similar to the one on the 10th floor of the 38-storey Mirabella luxury condo tower in Toronto.
“We may or may not have a pool. It would be really nice to have a pool with the view of the canal and the park, but we’re not sure,” Di Lorenzo said. “We’re also trying to do something a little different in our future projects. Maintenance fees are high in buildings with a lot of amenities. Other than security, valet and concierge services, we would try to reduce maintenance costs for people to have the most value (for them) long-term.”
Di Lorenzo said that there will be “ample parking planned very creatively on site,” adding that the Mirabella team is not concerned about parking issues. “We will not tax the neighbourhood in terms of traffic. Usually, multi-unit residential doesn’t create very much traffic because people, especially in an environment like this, will walk to a lot of the places.”
The two towers will be designed to fit into the neighbourhood, she said.
“We’re going to divide these buildings to ensure that they’re a comfortable massing for the neighbourhood. We know what the neighbourhood is familiar with for that location, and so they won’t be identical. We think it’s a lot more interesting to have them staggered.”
She expects the hotel to appeal to a variety of guests, from business travellers to weekend tourists.
“When people come to boutique hotels, they’re not often businesspeople. They’re sometimes coming (to the hotel) as a choice destination. This is a really nice choice destination to spend a weekend. But if you are coming for business, there’s so much to do that is at your doorstep.”
Mirabella plans to meet the city’s timeline for the project, she said, breaking ground in 2031 and completing the project by 2034.
“We were really delighted to be participating in something that is such a beautiful physical location, but also represents an amazing collaboration between the private and public sectors. So we’re coming in at the easiest point in the project. Everyone else has done all the work, and our clients will be the beneficiaries of this magnificent campus,” Di Lorenzo said.
