Toronto developers collaborating with Pharrell reveal new condo details, including affordable housing

More details have been announced on a condominium development in mid-town Toronto being launched in collaboration with musician Pharrell Williams.

The development named, ‘Untitled,’ first came to light in November with a downtown launch at Yonge-Dundas Square. More details have now emerged in the partnership, including Williams, as well as developers Reserve Properties and Westdale Properties.

The pitch from the developers is to take a cultural icon outside of the real estate sphere for another look at the condo development. According to the company’s website, the multi-tower development will feature 750 units and has a planned completion date for spring 2023. The sales website said units begin in the low $400,000 range.

At press conference Friday, Williams, along with several partners showed off a scale model of the development planned for Yonge Street and Eglinton Avenue. The Grammy Award-winning artist revealed this was actually his first time in the area and said his connection has been entirely conceptual up to this point.

Williams said he plans on owning a unit in the three tower unit that he has provided input on for design. For exactly how it will look, Williams said the plan was to make it appeal to as many people as possible.

“I would never just put my name on anything,” said Williams. “We went through every detail, painstakingly.”

When asked about the value of having the name recognition of Williams, Shane Fenton from Reserve Properties said dollar value was never their intention.

“It’s not about sitting here and how do we put a marketing ploy? It’s about how do we do something special and different than what’s being done,” Fenton said.

While the building is being presented as an exciting venture with a celebrity, its developers have also included plans to address Toronto’s housing issues. A second purpose-built rental building under the ‘Untitled’ brand will include 200 affordable housing units, 165 mid-range units, and 45 at market rent.

“I want to make sure this beautiful city knows that like, this consideration has been put into this master-plan” said Williams.

“It’s not a community if you don’t include everyone.”

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He said his upbringing included aid from rental assistance programs, which lead to his feeling that others should benefit from affordable housing as well.