Backstage is a 36-storey tower with a 4-storey podium component occupying much of an irregular and challenging site at the southeast corner of Yonge Street and The Esplanade, adjacent the railway corridor and across from the Metrolinx/GO Transit Bus Terminal. Set directly behind the newly-renovated Sony Centre for the Performing Arts and the under construction L Tower, six levels of underground parking at Backstage will be allocated for use by future L Tower residents, while four levels of above-ground parking will serve Backstage residents. A total 523 parking spots are to be constructed with 373 units for L Tower units and the remaining 150 for Backstage.
The project is also planned to include east and west PATH connections to the St. Lawrence Market and over Yonge street to the GO Terminal and Union Station. Considerable effort has been placed on minimizing the impact of the adjacent railway corridor on the project’s south side with residential units starting 80 ft above the tracks on the 7th floor and extensive soundproofing planned. Construction of the tower will involve a partial excavation of the railway embankment.
Developers Cityzen Urban Lifestyle, Fernbrook Homes and Castlepoint Realty Partners crafted a tech savvy new media strategy to build buzz for Backstage. An online “Name Our Condo” contest was held with public submissions with the winning name awarded $5,000 at Buskerfest last summer. Notable was a Virtual Broker program whereby people who submitted between 10 to 75 referrals from friends won prizes ranging from movie tickets, $500 gift certificates to the Eaton Centre, to an iPad.
Suites at Backstage range in size from 531 sf to 1,137 sf, with one bedroom and den units accounting for 57% of total units. Typical floors 8 to 22 consist of 9 units per floor, and 8 units per floor on floors 23 to 36. |
