If you see a Viking Ship traveling down the street in Etobicoke, it’s not a Nordic invasion; it’s part of the extensive preservation plan going on at One Valhalla Towns & Condos. Edilcan Development Corporation’s highly successful condominium community in Etobicoke is situated on the site of the former Valhalla Inn, which opened in 1963. Sales have been so robust, with 323 suites sold in just six months, that the demolition of the Inn has already begun to make way for construction. To pay tribute to that well-loved landmark, Edilcan is going to incredible lengths to preserve and restore numerous elements of the Inn. These items will be integrated into the first of the three stunning new Page + Steele/ / IBI Architects-designed glass-clad towers that will rise from a one-acre landscaped podium and will surround a grand European-style courtyard.
The George Robb-designed Valhalla Inn building complex is listed on the City of Toronto Inventory of Heritage Properties, and according to those guidelines, numerous artifacts will be salvaged, placed in weather-protected and heated storage, and reinstalled in the new community. Several of the furnishings and interior features such as light fixtures and the carved Viking ship bar were also designed by Robb, which is unusual. The scope of the conservation aspect of this project is huge and involves many stakeholders cooperating to achieve the City’s and Edilcan’s goals. There are a lot of items, and the work to remove, store and reinstall them in accordance with researched documentation is enormous.
In fact, Edilcan is going above and beyond the City’s requirements to preserve the heritage elements, and has enlisted E.R.A. Architects to oversee the preservation work, and Terrasan Environmental Solutions to complete the removals and storage. “It’s all worth the effort,” says Edilcan Vice President G.P. Di Rocco. “The Valhalla Inn was an area icon for a long time, and it’s only fitting that we acknowledge it in a special way by capturing all that it stood for and will continue to stand for.”
The artifacts will be located in the amenity spaces of the first phase of One Valhalla, such as the party room and landscaped rooftop, according to the interior design by Munge Leung. Among the items that are being retained and reused are the exterior wood main entry doors and brass pulls, the interior archway in wood, the Mermaid Lounge metal screen, the garden bronze sculpture, and the massive Nordic bar counter from the Nordic Dining Lounge – which in itself will be a tremendous task to move. Hanging custom light fixtures from the Nordic Dining Lounge will be reused in one of the common spaces, as will two deco-style wood screens and the Mermaid Lounge glass art panels with the mermaid motif.
“The fact that many of these items will be reused in the new residence’s party room is poetic,” says Andrew Pruss of E.R.A. Architects. “The Valhalla Inn was an Etobicoke landmark that was a prominent social site. Many parties and weddings were held over the years. Reusing these items within this context gives them ongoing life. The effort of the developers to salvage, restore and reuse these elements recognizes the heritage value of the site.”
In addition, the three Oasthouse roofs will be rebuilt as an outdoor structure on the podium of Phase 1 and will enhance the landscaping by Schollen and Company. Each artifact will feature a stainless steel plaque identifying its origin as part of the Valhalla Inn. Those items that cannot be salvaged, such as the gates, fences and unique ceilings, will be recreated in the same motif.
One Valhalla is close to Sherway Gardens Shopping, Cloverdale Mall and Loblaws, the Kipling TTC Subway Station, Highway 427, the QEW, downtown Toronto and Pearson International Airport. Residents will have the incredible convenience of being able to hop on the Valhalla Express shuttle bus to go to the subway, airport, grocery store and both shopping malls.
The second tower, Thunderbird, is coming soon, buyers will be able to choose from a selection of one-bedroom and one-bedroom + den suites in sizes from 562 to 756 sq. ft.; plus two-bedroom designs from 853 to 954 sq. ft some with large terraces. There will also be three-storey townhomes at the base of the tower. Prices will start from the low $200’s and go up to the mid $400’s. with parking included. Two Munge Leung-appointed model suites showcase Edilcan’s design panache and the high quality, luxurious finishes available here.
Edilcan is a renowned Toronto developer known for creating exceptional residential and prestige commercial properties that have helped shape the city’s skyline.
The Presentation Centre is located at 1 Valhalla Inn Road in Etobicoke, west off The East Mall, north of Bloor Street West, south of Burnhamthorpe Road. Register NOW to be among the first to explore Thunderbird – call 416-233-5554 or visit www.onevalhalla.com.
