SOTTO SOTTO HOW A SMALL RESTAURANT BECAME A 'SECOND HOME' FOR A-LISTERS On Christmas night, a still-unexplained fire destroyed the building at 116 Avenue Rd., home to Spuntini restaurant on the top floor an the aptly named Sotto Sotto (Italian for underneath) in the basement.  Many Yorkville residents were tipped off to the three-alarm disaster via the throngs of smoke and screaming sirens. Ninety firefighters worked to put out the blaze, which officials... [read more]

Grammy award-winning artist, songwriter and producer Pharrell Williams is collaborating with developers on a new midtown Toronto condominium project. Westdale Properties and Reserve Properties launched the marketing for their two-tower residential development, called untitled., today during a press event in Yonge-Dundas Square. Williams, who introduced the project via video on the screens across the public square, partnered with the developers on the design and creative elements of the... [read more]

Let's start with the good news since it's the freshest. Toronto apartment rentals saw the slowest rate of price growth in the last two years during the third quarter of this year. Real estate research firm Urbanation, which tracks prices for purpose-built apartments in the region, released new data today that found the average price for a Greater Toronto Area rental apartment was "essentially unchanged" between July and August when compared to the April to May... [read more]

Just in time for it's 30th birthday, the InterContinental Yorkville has completed a $12-million renovation of their 212 rooms. The most glamorous of all is the 2,400 square-foot Royal Suite, which boasts an opulent marble double shower and south-facing views over the ROM and the CN Tower. Here's a look around the sprawling suite, which goes for $2,500 a night. InterContinental chose the Atlanta design firm Sims Patrick Studio to oversee the makeover. The firm took... [read more]

With due respect to the politicians, economists, pundits, journalists, builders, realtors, empty-nesters, first-time buyers, and others who have opined on the fragility of the condo market and whay they perceive will be the cause of its imminent crash... They've got it wrong. But, also a bit right. Let me explain. This market, despite its solid fundamentals, is at a higher degree of risk today than any time in its recent past. If we don't recognize that risk and do something... [read more]