As a long-time gamer and movie enthusiast who has attended countless screenings at the Scotiabank Theatre during the Toronto Film Festival, it’s hard to stomach the news that this iconic venue may be replaced by twin condo towers.
It appears that the Toronto Film Festival might need to find a new location for press and industry screenings, as its long-standing venue, Scotiabank Theatre Toronto, has been sold and is being replaced by proposed twin condominium towers.
The Canadian real estate investment firm RioCan owns the plot of land on which the Scotiabank Theatre has long operated under the ownership of Cineplex, Canada’s biggest cinema chain. RioCan has applied to the city of Toronto to change the zoning for 259 Richmond Street West, at the corner of Richmond and John streets in downtown Toronto, for a proposed condo development on the current RioCan Hall site.
The Scotiabank Theatre, historically hosting TIFF’s P&I screenings for film industry professionals, has been earmarked for redevelopment into a pair of condominium towers – one standing at 137 meters and the other at 143 meters in height. These new structures are intended to house a total of 613 residential units as well as retail spaces, based on designs presented to the city of Toronto.
The planned mixed-use structures will take over the location currently occupied by the Cineplex cinema. In a statement to THR, Michelle Saba, VP of Communications at Cineplex, stated: “Although there are discussions about redeveloping the site, these are long-term plans, and for now, it’s business as usual at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto.
On Thursday, representatives from the Toronto Film Festival were unreachable for comment regarding the potential need to find a new venue for P&I screenings following an inquiry by THR. The Scotiabank Theatre is located close to TIFF’s Bell Lightbox headquarters, and whether the Toronto film festival can continue using the multiplex for its 2025 edition may hinge on plans for demolishing the downtown property.
The proposed renovation of RioCan Hall, led by Hariri Pontarini Architects (based in Toronto), may give rise to a fresh performance venue within the scope of a large residential complex. However, it’s important to note that this theater isn’t necessarily designed for movie screenings. Instead, their website states that the current theater and retail area will be transformed into two new towers, offering high-rise residences, retail spaces, office areas, as well as a new performance venue and childcare facilities.
Representatives at RioCan were not available for comment on Thursday.
Read More
Sorry. No data so far.
2024-12-06 01:24