4 ways Biblio Lofts is changing condo living

A new developer is challenging Toronto’s typical condo living experience with its debut project. This 30-unit mid-rise brings homeowners closer to the street, where the very essence of city life is within reach. 

Biblio, a seven-storey building about to break ground in Toronto’s Leslieville neighbourhood, is the first project from NVSBLE, a new firm whose team holds a combined 15 years of experience in development and construction. With Biblio, NVSBLE launches its mission to fill a gap in Toronto’s housing market for truly design-driven projects that blend in with their surroundings. 

Here are four ways that Biblio stands out from other condo projects:

Designed to fit the “missing middle”

Aiming to build projects that contribute to the fabric of their neighbourhoods, NVSBLE is committed to making its mark by offering a condo experience that isn’t typical of the Toronto market. That’s why Biblio is designed to fall squarely into the “missing middle”—simple housing that isn’t as small and self-contained as a single-family home or as overwhelmingly large as a typical condo development, all situated in an area where amenities are within walking distance. Biblio respectfully fits in with Leslieville’s pre-existing surroundings at just seven storeys high, contributing to the area’s fabric instead of distracting from it.

Respectful architecture

Biblio is the first boutique condo development from Quadrangle, a firm with a rich portfolio of incredible high-rise condos. In keeping with the desire to fit into the existing neighbourhood, Biblio features a modern design, with a brick façade, brick arches that frame rectangular glass windows and twin building-piercing lightwells. The building is stepped front and back and offers a timeless exterior. “The thing about this neighbourhood is that you can’t contribute to the architectural history and integrity—it’s already beautiful,” says Sina Sooresrafil, NVSBLE’s development director. “So what we’re doing is basically showing appreciation for it.”

Notable interior features

Commute Design, a firm responsible for the interiors of some of the city’s greatest restaurants (like Aloette, Oretta, Byblos and more), was brought on board to configure Biblio’s interiors. The building’s amenities include a linear lobby, a ground-floor gym, a party room, ground-floor retail shopping and a communal rooftop patio. The building’s 30 units—10 one-bedroom plus den and 20 two-bedrooms—also feature nine-foot ceilings (with 10-foot ceilings on the top two floors), gorgeous European kitchens, exposed concrete ceilings, private terraces and balconies, custom designer finishes and hardwood floors.

Historic surroundings

“It’s been a very challenging time for a lot of people,” says NVSBLE’s Sina Sooresrafil. “The last thing we want to show off is anything that’s not obtainable, not mutual and anything that is almost over-shining something that is already there.” Biblio’s exterior design is purposely scaled to blend in with its historic neighbour—the Queen/Saulter branch of the Toronto Public Library, housed in a heritage 1913 post office noted for its impressive frontage of stone columns. Other nearby notable landmarks include the Queen Street Viaduct and the recently revived Broadview Hotel. Located at 759 Queen Street East and bounded by Riverdale, Leslieville and Chinatown, Biblio residents will live in an area where everything is at their doorstep, including shops, bars and entertainment. 

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