La Vecchia: Italian Restaurant Retrofit in Thornhill

The client bought an existing restaurant and wanted the most authentic Italian dining environment. PT designed and built it, from architectural drawings to the finished room.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR PROJECT
Bright La Vecchia dining room with orange chairs, white tables, decorative wood ceiling slats, floral chandeliers, and black-and-white wall photography.

Quick Facts

Icon of a red map marker

Thornhill — 8700 Bathurst St (Greater Toronto Area)

Icon of a small red building

Italian restaurant retrofit (design-build)

Icon of a red measuring ruler

4,500 sq ft

Icon of a red wrist watch

4 months

Icon of 2 red outlines of people

La Vecchia Hosteria

Icon of a red wrench over a red screwdriver

Architectural drawings · MEP design · Construction

The Client

La Vecchia Hosteria wanted to create the most authentic Italian dining environment, and bought an existing restaurant to retrofit. This was the client's second project with PT — the first was at 90 Marine Parade Drive in Toronto.

La Vecchia dining area with blue banquette seating, orange chairs, white tables, and a large illuminated display featuring vintage photographs.
Exterior of La Vecchia restaurant with a large illuminated “La Vecchia Since 1996” sign above the front windows.

The Build

La Vecchia is a 4,500 square foot Italian restaurant retrofit in Thornhill, in the Greater Toronto Area, that PT delivered as a design-build project — one team from the drawing board to the finished restaurant. Starting from the existing restaurant the client had purchased, PT produced the architectural drawings, designed the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems, and carried its own design straight through construction over four months, remaking an existing space toward the most authentic Italian dining environment the client set out to create.

La Vecchia bar with illuminated shelves of colorful bottles, table settings, and a black-and-white film projected on the brick wall.
Warmly lit dining room with orange seating, white brick walls, a gold ceiling, and a tall glass-fronted wine display.

La Vecchia in pictures.

Frequently Asked Questions.

It means one firm designs and builds the project. For La Vecchia, PT produced the architectural drawings, designed the MEP systems, and then constructed the restaurant, the same firm carrying the project from drawings through construction.

The client bought an existing restaurant and wanted it remade into an authentic Italian dining environment. PT started from architectural drawings and MEP design, then constructed the restaurant: a retrofit that works with the building you bought rather than starting from zero. Four months, 4,500 square feet.

Yes. La Vecchia was the second project this client brought to PT. The first was at 90 Marine Parade Drive in Toronto; when the client bought an existing restaurant to retrofit into an authentic Italian dining environment, they came back to PT for the design and the build.

Every project begins with a detailed, line-itemized quote. We track costs weekly and flag any potential variances before they become issues. There are no hidden fees and no surprise change orders. For a four-month design-build like La Vecchia, that quote covers drawings, MEP design, and construction.

Yes. Our building maintenance team offers ongoing inspections, preventive maintenance, and emergency repairs to keep your restaurant in top shape. Many PT General clients maintain long-term maintenance partnerships well after their build is complete. That support continues after a retrofit like La Vecchia is handed over.

Restaurant construction costs in Toronto typically range from $250 to $650 per square foot depending on concept, kitchen complexity, finishes, and site conditions. Commercial kitchen builds are among the most cost-intensive elements of any restaurant project, often representing 40 to 50 percent of the total construction budget. We provide a detailed, line-itemized quote after your initial consultation so you know exactly what to expect before committing. For a retrofit like La Vecchia, it spells out which of these drivers apply.