Item: Cinema Tower
Rating: 5
Author: Kenan Yousef

Cinema Tower

The Cinema Tower Condos was likely named for its extremely close proximity to Toronto&rsquo;s acclaimed TIFF Bell Lightbox &mdash; the two buildings back onto one another. Thankfully for culture addicts, 21 Widmer is situated in the <a href="https://strata.ca/toronto/downtown/king-west">King West neighbourhood</a> and surrounded by entertainment venues galore, including the 14-screen Scotiabank Theatre and the Princess of Wales Theatre.Daniels Corporation and Kirkor Architects evidently understood the need to prioritize density when building the Cinema Tower Condos, resulting in a building that&rsquo;s 440 units large. Soaring to 43 storeys tall, the high-rise, glass and steel clad edifice with rounded balconies was completed in 2013.The six-storey podium at 21 Widmer houses retail businesses on the lowest level and the exclusive &ldquo;Club Cinematheque&rdquo; on the highest. In the latter, residents have access to a gym with a multi-use sports court, as well as a sauna, movie theatre, rooftop terrace with barbecues, games room, meeting room, and party room. A concierge and security guard are onsite to ensure the building functions smoothly, while visitor parking and guest suites make life easier for guests of residents.And to top it all off, environmentally conscious buyers will feel like they&rsquo;ve done their part when purchasing a home at the Cinema Tower. Not only is rainwater harvested in the building, but there are also separate garbage chutes to promote recycling. Even the parking garage encourages green commutes, thanks to its rideshare program and bike parking.

The Daniels Corporation

Larlyn Property Management

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How can life ever be boring when living in the middle of the Entertainment District of Canada&rsquo;s biggest metropolis? Even without leaving the immediate area, residents can find new things to do all the time.The Rogers Centre and the Scotiabank Arena take less than 10 and 20 minutes to reach by foot, respectively. At both of these venues, sports fans can cheer on their favourite teams, while music buffs can go crazy at some of the city&rsquo;s biggest concerts. While residents may not visit the CN Tower or Ripley&rsquo;s Aquarium regularly, the close proximity to these <a href="https://strata.ca/toronto/downtown">downtown Toronto</a> attractions comes in handy when out-of-towners come to visit.Gathering groceries is hardly a chore when living at 21 Widmer, thanks to the Independent City Market that&rsquo;s a 3-minute walk away from home. Alternatively, residents can walk 6 minutes to the corner of King and Spadina, where they can stock up at both Fresh &amp; Wild Food Market and the LCBO across the street.

Unfortunately for prospective buyers who are sold on the building, some of the original buyers aren&rsquo;t going anywhere any time soon &mdash; a handful of individuals were able to purchase rent-to-own units back in 2013. On the other hand, with over 400 suites, <a href="https://strata.ca/toronto/condos-for-sale">Toronto condos for sale</a> in the Cinema Tower are bound to make rather frequent appearances on the market.The enormous quantity of units also makes for a good amount of variety in terms of size and layout. Suites begin at around 400 and reach to approximately 1,500 square feet, and floor plans vary from studios to three bedroom homes. As a result, the building is filled with living spaces suitable for single professionals and child-free couples, as well as budding families.The interiors at 21 Widmer are elegant yet unfussy. Hardwood and ceramic floors can be found throughout the building, complemented by 9-foot ceilings. The bathrooms are especially impressive spaces, with their spacious bathtubs, low-flow sinks, and dual flush toilets.

Getting around the city is a breeze with an address like 21 Widmer, regardless of one&rsquo;s preferred method of transportation. In less than 2 minutes, residents can walk to a streetcar stop on King Street at John, from which one can head east or west at any hour of the day. Travelers heading north and south via public transit can either walk to Spadina to the west or University to the east, with the former offering connections onto streetcars and the latter onto subway trains.Drivers, on the other hand, are equally well positioned when living at the Cinema Tower Condos. Adelaide and Richmond are both nearby one-way streets that allow cars to bypass more congested major roads. Spadina can be used to reach the Gardiner Expressway in a matter of minutes, while University can be used to drive as far north as the 401.

Built by Daniels in 2013, Cinema Tower stands at 43 storeys and has 440 units. The majority of units (around 70%) are one-bedroom units and one-plus dens.

Things I like about the building:
- Units are well-designed with efficient layouts
- All units in the building have balconies
- The building offers an exclusive "Club Cinematheque" for residents to access multiple amenities in the building, including a multi-use sports court, sauna, movie theatre, gym, and terrace, to name a few
- All units offer floor-to-ceiling windows and built-in appliances
- Aesthetically, the building looks pleasing from the outside.

Some things to consider:
- Maintenance fees are on the higher side @ $0.90/sqft
- Elevator wait times can be a problem, especially during peak hours

Kenan Yousef

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Cinema Tower / Reviews