Menkes unveils children’s spaces at Harbour Plaza Residences

TORONTO (May 17, 2018) – Menkes Development Ltd (Menkes)  is pleased to announce two incredible spaces available to Harbour Plaza families with children, a 700-square-foot indoor playroom, and just in time for summer, a 2,000-square-foot outdoor children’s area.

This first-of-its-kind high rise combination perfectly completes this unique, all-encompassing complex. The Residences’ two soaring towers are part of a spectacular mixed-use development, recently named Best New Built Community by the Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD).

These new additions offer families the option to let the kids safely run around, without ever leaving the building.

According to Nak Design Group, designers of the terrace, the play area- part of the larger 20,000-square-foot terrace - provides the opportunity for both active and passive play. It includes: a sand/water area, cycle track, a rubberized surface for kids to safely run around on, a sitting area for parents to keep watch, and a dining area equipped with BBQs for families to enjoy their meals in the fresh air. Design features of the play area include colourful ‘crayon’ poles which double as lights; a colourful cityscape screen which also provides storage for bikes and play equipment; and a decorative fence to keep children safely contained.

“This project is unique because of the size; the scale of the terrace provided a canvas for us to design something that was multi-functional” said David Pantaleo, NAK Design Group. “The most unique element of our terrace design is the outdoor play space.  With more families moving downtown, and outdoor spaces becoming limited, we felt it was important to design a space for children that was close to home, where they could get outside and burn some energy.”

The outdoor space further complements the building’s indoor playroom. Menkes was one of the first developers to introduce a children’s playroom amenity in 2014 when it launched The Eglinton condominium project (to be occupied next year) in midtown.

“Many people think ‘as soon as I have kids, I’ll have to move to the suburbs,’ but I totally disagree with that, said Jared Menkes, Executive Vice President, High Rise Residential at Menkes. “There are many people in world-class cities raising kids in condos or apartments and we’re thrilled to be able to offer that option in Toronto. Whether you have 600 or 6,000 square feet to live in, you still need to get out of your home and give children the ability to interact with other children,” said Menkes. “From a development standpoint, it’s better than having kids play alone.”

Furnished with bean bag chairs and fun light fixtures made of recycled fire extinguishers, the indoor playroom is the perfect spot for play dates. The space includes a cozy reading nook, climbing structure, and toys for busy tots to bounce on. Interiors designers Danielle Sucher and Kyle Gordon of Danielle Sucher Interiors, two mothers with young children, say they drew inspiration for the design from their own kids.

“We typically spend most of our days designing for grown-ups, but this project offered a fun and unique opportunity to direct our attention towards kids and their personal enjoyment,” said Kyle Gordon, Designer. “Our goal was to create an inviting indoor space for children of all ages to come and play. We divided the space into multiple areas to really encourage and foster exploration and creativity.”

About Harbour Plaza
Harbour Plaza Residences in downtown Toronto’s vibrant South Core Financial District is part of a spectacular two million square foot mixed-use community – a unique integration of live-work-shop- play – set to transform the face of this fast-changing location. Harbour Plaza’s two 70 and 66-storey soaring condominium towers are complemented by fantastic retail options at the podium of the towers, in addition to the One York commercial office tower. 

An iconic landmark on the downtown skyline, Harbour Plaza is graced with soaring architecture by award-winning Peter Clewes of architectsAlliance, incomparable lifestyle amenities impeccably designed by Cecconi Simone to offer the ultimate in vibrant urban living, and a superb collection of modern urban suite designs, all directly connected to the extensive PATH network.

About Menkes
Menkes Developments Ltd. is an award-winning, fully integrated real estate company involved in the construction, ownership and management of office, industrial, retail and residential properties. Founded in 1954, the company is one of the largest private developers in Canada, with a primary focus in the Greater Toronto Area. Menkes is known for its innovative, multi-disciplinary approach, and superior design, and is regarded as one of the most trusted builders in Toronto, with a strong reputation for quality and customer service excellence. Past projects include the Four Seasons Hotel & Residences in Bloor-Yorkville. Every Menkes home is protected by Tarion Warranty Corporation, a comprehensive warranty program in Ontario. For more information about Menkes, please visit menkes.com and follow us @MenkesLife.