Above Lightbox: Festival Tower, pt.2

Festival Tower sits atop the festival's new Lightbox centre on Reitman Square at King & John — it's the residential portion of the three-way venture between the festival (cinema/galleries/work-spaces/offices), the Reitman family (land), and Daniels (developer/builder).

Although Lightbox opened during the September 2010 film festival, occupancy in Festival Tower began later in November.

[Previous posts about the building: Lightbox developments, Lightbox tour, and Lightbox tour, part 2; also O&B Canteen, Luma, and Malaparte dining spaces.]

The Urban Toronto forum was kind enough to mention our article, Above Lightbox: Festival Tower, and they have also posted snapshots of suite interiors at Festival Tower.

Last fall, we weren't able to see any of the residential amenities — tentatively scheduled for completion this spring — but we recently took a tour of some of the common areas now under construction...

Tower entrance

Tower cinema

Tower pool/fitness room


...and some views...

East

South

West


Night


"What's On Today"

A unique feature of Festival Tower: a flat-screen displaying the day's film schedule at Lightbox (plus opening hours for the gallery, library, studio, lounge and gift shop) — conveniently located by the elevators, on the ground-floor entrance — nice! :-)

See you at the next fest!
@TOfilmfest

PS.
Want to live at Festival Tower? – check http://bit.ly/FestTwrMLS for a list of all the suites currently for sale/rent...

...or, how about living nearby the new Lightbox centre? – look for the Condos on the Market in the Toronto Star – UPDATE: the downtown west area was featured Mar.3/2011.

PPS.
CONTINUED:
Part one of this article, Above Lightbox: Festival Tower.
Part three of this article, Above Lightbox: Festival Tower, pt.3

Friday night at Lightbox MALAPARTE

Malaparte, the 6th-floor event space at Lightbox hosted its first event this past weekend! Named after the Casa Malaparte, in Jean-Luc Godard's film Contempt, it's the final addition by Oliver & Bonacini to Lightbox – after the opening of the O&B Canteen (market café; street-level), and Luma (fine-dining; upstairs, on the 2nd floor).

The interior design is by Anacleto Design (who also did Oliver & Bonacini Café Grill in Blue Mountain) — here's the original computer-rendering (above), and a photograph of the finished space (below).

The dining-space has seating for 200 people — but there's also an adjoining rooftop terrace, and outdoor amphitheatre — see our earlier article: Early peek at Lightbox MALAPARTE for images of the outside space.

Even the entrances to the washrooms are quite stylish...












We're definitely looking forward to more events at Malaparte in the spring, and during the next film festival, this summer! :-)

See you at the next fest...
#TOfilmfest

PS.
O&B Events executive chef Jamie Meireles helms Oliver & Bonacini's Malaparte at Lightbox — see booking info for rates/details.

PPS.
The Toronto Society of Architects will be celebrating architecture & design tonight by recognizing the new Lightbox centre as a 'great space in Toronto.' (Last year, the event was held at the Royal Conservatory of Music — designed by the architects of Lightbox, KPMB.)

Above Lightbox: Festival Tower

The new Lightbox centre officially opened during the 2010 film festival. More than seven years in development (announced in 2003; construction began in 2007), the building is a three-way partnership between:

• the festival — cinema, galleries, work-spaces, and offices;
• the Reitman's — who donated the land for the project;
  
• and Daniels — residential/commercial developer and builder.
  

Some of our previous posts about the building: Lightbox developments, Lightbox tour, and Lightbox tour, part 2 (also O&B Canteen, Luma, and Malaparte dining spaces).



Urban Toronto's coverage on the building: Lightbox took centre-stage, exploration continues inside, and a swing of the exterior — including some articles on the residential component called Festival Tower:

• suites,
• balconies,
• amenities, and
• views.

While we haven't been able to tour the residential amenities yet, we did get a chance to tour a couple finished suites at Festival Tower (occupancy commences next month) — and take quick snapshots of some features and finishes!






See you at the next fest!
#TOfilmfest
TIFF10

PS.

• the elevators inside Festival Tower are quite quick — P5 to 46 at less than one second per floor! ...also, each apartment has it's own heat-pump — residents can switch between heating and cooling year-round...
  
  
• the UrbanToronto.ca forum have posted snapshots of suite interiors at Festival Tower
  
  
• want to live at Festival Tower? – or near the new Lightbox centre? – See Condos on the Market Yonge to Bathurst south of Bloor (UPDATED Nov.5/2010 by Allison Harness at the Toronto Star), for prices & locations of all new residential buildings in the neighbourhood.

PPS.
CONTINUED in part two: Above Lightbox: Festival Tower, pt.2.

Early peek at Lightbox MALAPARTE

Malaparte, the rooftop event dining space at Lightbox, is set to open this December. It will be the third space operated by Oliver & Bonacini, after the opening of both O&B Canteen and Luma.

Here are a couple of snapshots we took of the roof-top during a day tour of Lightbox, and a couple more from Oliver & Bonacini, taken at an evening event during the film-fest:




Also, a snapshot of the interior space, during the evening event, and an image-rendering posted by BizBash.



We anticipate seeing this new space again soon, and look forward to the outdoor film-projection possibilities, next spring (i.e. watching a film under the stars — the space is named after the Casa Malaparte, in Jean-Luc Godard's Contempt).

See you at the next fest!
#TOfilmfest
TIFF10

PS.
Some scenes from Jean-Luc Godard's Contempt, featuring the Casa Malaparte.

Saturday night at Lightbox LUMA

Oliver & Bonacini (of Canoe, Jump, and Auberge du Pommier, among others) will operate three distinct spaces within the film festival's new Lightbox building:

• O&B Canteen, café and ‘grab+go’ – now open to the public
• Luma, fine dining – set to open Sunday, September 12th
• Malaparte, 6th floor/rooftop event space – fall opening
  

While Luma is not officially open to the public yet, we were very fortunate to be invited for a preview, last night.

At both O&B Canteen and Luma, the carefully selected ingredients, attention to presentation, and culinary expertise, make dining a pleasure. But where Canteen offers the remarkable feat of fine-food at take-away prices, Luma upstairs offers fine dining unrestrained by such limitations.

Familiar dishes are artfully presented, perfectly prepared, and certain to please – even common salads are elevated with creativity. Inventive menu items are both surprising and delightful (an ice-cream that tastes like popcorn!) The staff, approachable and accommodating, make the whole experience feel like dinner with friends.

Executive chef Jason Bangerter, and his staff at Luma, are sure to make Lightbox a destination for dining in Toronto — try to catch a movie while you're there, too... ;-)

Pick the best of the fest!
#TOfilmfest

PS. thanks to Jason, Jane, Richard, Julie, Imogen, and Niamh, for making our first visit to Luma so enjoyable!