Here's what the new market space at Toronto's old Honest Ed's site will look like
The former site of Toronto's shuttered landmark discount store, Honest Ed's, is currently being transformed into the Mirvish Village community, and the latest renderings for one of its integral pieces have been released.
Named for its proprietor, Ed Mirvish, Honest Ed's stood at the corner of Bloor Street West and Markham Street for over 60 years, and eventually, along with its surrounding area, became a haven for artists, boutiques, restaurants, and housing galleries.
While Toronto bid farewell to the venerable discount retailer at the end of 2016, developer Westbank Corp's enormous complex and community hub is sweeping in to replace it with over 200,000 square feet of creative workspace and retail, a public park, and multiple gathering spaces.
One of its key elements, known as The Kitchen, will be an expansive marketplace home to 14 food vendors, a bar and event space, as well as outdoor festivals and year-round live music performances.
Along with all of the prepared food options, a collection of vendors will also offer "anything you can find in a kitchen" — hence the space's name — including artisan olive oil, cheeses, knives, dishes, and cookware.
The Lounge on The Kitchen's mezzanine will overlook the market, and provide a VIP table service throughout the day and night, with a rotating menu from the vendors below.
The performance venue at the centre of The Kitchen will also hold performances both small and large, with concerts on occasion and outdoor performances in the summer.
Along with The Kitchen, 24 heritage buildings will be preserved across the site. Markham Street will be restored and relandscaped as a pedestrian-first, tree-lined thoroughfare with restaurants, boutiques, patios, and public seating, adjacent to the new public park.
Mirvish Village will compromise 900 rental suites, 40 per cent of which will offer rents at or below 30 per cent of the median Toronto household income, and over 40 per cent will be family-sized units.
According to Henriquez Partners Architects, the anticipated completion for Mirvish Village is summer 2024.
Westbank
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