133 East 8th Avenue is situated in the Uptown area of the Mount Pleasant community, bridging the threshold between the commercial artery of Main Street to the east and the light industrial neighbourhood to the west. Located centrally in the linear block on East 8th Avenue between Main Street and Quebec Street, the neighbourhood is typified by an eclectic mix of low-rise apartments, small retail stores and light industrial buildings that together form a creative hub of activities and small businesses.
The site presents 145 feet of frontage along East 8th Avenue. The size and shape of the site yields a conventional double loaded corridor layout with a predominant north/south orientation. The main entry point to the building fronts directly onto East 8th Avenue, notched back in the street-wall plane to help enhance the residential identity within the commercial facade. The flanking frontage consists of an office space and a corner located CRU. Along the west property line the building has a tapered setback at the ground floor level presenting a 20’ wide portal on East 8th Avenue leading into a pedestrianized ‘breezeway’ through to the lane at the rear of the site. Two additional commercial units are accessed via this connection. The parking structure has been set back 12’ as the lane to allow for commercial loading activity to take place on a plaza-like setting. Special paving and landscaping improves the appearance of the lane by bringing greenery into the space, encouraging pedestrian activity through and increased sense of security.
The overall massing of the building is expressed as two separate components floating over a commercial base, visually separated by the vertical expression of the elevator core and lobby. These two components are universally linked by a 1’ wide frame which folds both vertically and horizontally across each building façade. The material palette for the exterior cladding is reflective of the building’s location, balancing between contemporary residential design and more traditional industrial architecture. Glass and steel have been interwoven with brick and metal panel to create a composition befitting of the local neighbourhood.
