Monthly Archives: December 2011

Shoring continues at FIVE Condos site as developer seeks city’s approval to add 5 more floors to tower

FIVE Condos site Toronto

December 11 2011: The tower for FIVE Condos will rise up to 50 storeys from this location near the southwest corner of Yonge Street and St Joseph Street …

 

FIVE Condos site Toronto

… where earth moving and drilling machines have been preparing the site for full-scale excavation, expected to commence early in the New Year

 

FIVE Condos site Toronto

An enormous steel frame extends halfway across St Joseph Street to support the four-storey brick facade of the former Rawlinson Cartage Company warehouses at 5 St Joseph Street. The facade will be incorporated into the base of the tall glass condominium tower, with minor alterations to some of its ground floor openings.

 

FIVE Condos site Toronto

The frame looms above the arched main entrance to 5 St Joseph Street …

 

FIVE Condos site Toronto

… seen here, from the northwest corner of St Joseph and St Nicholas Streets …

 

FIVE Condos site Toronto

… and here, from the public sidewalk at the west side of the structures

 

FIVE Condos site Toronto

This row of designated heritage buildings from 606 to 618 Yonge Street …

 

FIVE Condos site Toronto

… also will be incorporated into the FIVE Condos development. The buildings will be restored with retail shops at street level and condo suites on the upper floors.

 

FIVE Condos site Toronto

The historic Henry Turner Building at the corner of Yonge and St Joseph Streets is presently home to the FIVE Condos presentation centre

 

FIVE Condos site Toronto

The west (rear) side of the Yonge Street heritage buildings that will be restored and revitalized as part of the FIVE condo complex

 

Higher FIVE?: One of the most talked-about condo projects in downtown Toronto, FIVE Condos at 5 St Joseph, could wind up slightly taller than was originally envisioned if a city committee gives the developers approval to boost the tower’s total height.

Back in the fall of 2008, the owner of a .267-hectare site at the southwest corner of Yonge and St Joseph Streets applied to the city for zoning bylaw changes that would permit redevelopment of several historic buildings on the property into residential and retail uses, along with construction of a 49-storey condominium point tower. In August 2009, the developer revised its application after receiving preliminary feedback from city planners and Toronto’s Heritage Preservation Services. It trimmed the tower to 45 floors, and also reduced the height and size of the tower podium. On October 22 2009 the Toronto Preservation Board gave the nod to the heritage components of the proposal, while five weeks later Toronto City Council approved the project.

Graywood Developments Ltd. and Mod Developments Inc. subsequently launched sales for FIVE Condos in 2010, and the project proved immensely successful: suites sold swiftly, and FIVE Condos emerged a big winner at the 2011 BILD Awards in April, claiming honours for High-Rise Project of the Year, Best High-Rise Building Design, Best High-Rise Sales Office, and Best Model Suite. (Hariri Pontarini Architects designed the condo project, while E.R.A. Architects Inc. is overseeing the restoration of the heritage building component.) Now the developers are seeking approval to add 5 more floors to the tower, for a total of 50 storeys. They have submitted a minor variance application to the Committee of Adjustment, and anticipate that their application will be heard at the committee’s February 2012 meeting, Graywood’s development manager, Gabriel DiMartino, told me this week.

 

Yonge Street condo development trend?

Despite all the accolades and strong sales, some area residents are disappointed that the developers are seeking to add more floors to the tower. They worry that city approval for the extra height will set what they consider to be a disturbing trend for skyscraper development along the stretch of Yonge Street between College and Bloor Streets, where several condo tower projects have already been proposed and more are in the works.  Last year, for instance, the developer of the Nicholas Residences condominium on St Nicholas Street two blocks north of FIVE Condos appealed to the Ontario Municipal Board after the city’s Committee of Adjustment denied its application for a “minor variance” permitting it to add six storeys to its popular tower project. (The city had approved a 29-floor tower, but the developer wanted to increase that to 35.) A residents’ group called Save St. Nick opposed the extra floors; they were concerned about the potential detrimental impact the tower could have on the livability of their quiet downtown neighbourhood and the quaint tree-lined and cobblestoned St Nicholas Street in particular. The case settled when the developer agreed to pay $750,000 towards projects intended to benefit the local community. (Construction of the 35-storey tower is now underway.)

 

Biggest heritage protection project in Canada

Although the extra height proposed for FIVE Condos irks some people, most neighbourhood residents seem pleased — and relieved — that the project will save a significant stretch of heritage buildings along Yonge Street while retaining the historic Rawlinson Cartage Company warehouse facade on St Joseph Street. Staff with the city’s planning and heritage departments are happy, too. At one public meeting I attended, for example, City of Toronto senior planner Michael Hynes praised FIVE Condos as “the largest heritage building protection project in the country,” and pointed out that part of the project will include substantial streetscape improvements to Yonge, St Joseph and St Nicholas Streets. Indeed, facades for two recently-demolished heritage buildings on the west (St Nicholas Street) side of the FIVE Condos site will be recreated from new brick matching the size and colour of brick on the original structures. Incorporated into the condo tower base, the rebuilt facades will maintain much of the unique look of the pre-construction St Nicholas streetscape. And at several public consultation meetings I attended this fall, members of local neighbourhood associations cited the FIVE Condos treatment of heritage properties and the placement of the tower 30 meters back from Yonge Street as an example of appropriate condo development that could complement and perhaps even enhance Yonge without destroying the street’s historic look and character.

 

Project praised in local newspaper reports

Meanwhile, FIVE Condos continues to attract positive public attention in local newspaper reports. In an October 27 2011 Globe and Mail article entitled “Yonge Street’s oldsters make room for a glitzy neighbour,” columnist Dave LeBlanc describes the “metamorphosis” the Yonge-St Joseph-St Nicholas block will undergo, and provides a brief history of the heritage buildings on the FIVE Condos site. In the November 9 2011 Metro newspaper article “Toronto’s old buildings get a second life as condos,” writer Duncan McAllister describes FIVE Condos as a project “heavy on the conservation,” and a development that “promises to transform this forgotten corner into a renewed urban zone.” And in the November 11 2011 National Post article “Follow the cobblestoned street to the city’s best new-but-old condos,” writer Suzanne Wintrob examines how the FIVE Condos project is retaining the historic integrity of the late 19th Century buildings on its site. She quotes Mary MacDonald, acting manager of the city’s Heritage Preservation Services, as saying that the FIVE Condos developers are “keeping all the exterior elements of the heritage property, adding their own tower, and they’re going the extra mile to make sure that the commercial character of Yonge Street as a main street — with a certain 19th-century character that we’ve kind of lost sight of these days — is restored. We’re hoping that will trigger a conservation movement and a restoration movement up the street.”

(Extensive information about the heritage properties and how they will be restored and incorporated into the condo complex can be reviewed in an October 1 2009 background report that the city’s planning department prepared for the Toronto Preservation Board and the Toronto and East York Community Council.)

Although the FIVE Condos application to the Committee of Adjustment won’t be decided until February at the earliest, preliminary construction activity continues. Shoring work has been underway for several months, and excavation has commenced. Full-scale excavation will begin in the new year once the shoring is finished, Mr. DiMartino said.

Below are several illustrations of the FIVE Condos project, provided courtesy of Hariri Pontarini ArchitectsThe post previous to this one features photos of site demolition and pre-construction activity on the FIVE Condos site between April and today. (If some of the images seem familiar, it’s because they have appeared in my previous blog posts about FIVE Condos, including June 2 2011, May 12 2011, and April 28 2011).

 

FIVE Condos at 5 St Joseph Street rendering

This illustration suggests how the 19th Century heritage buildings at 606 to 618 Yonge Street will look once the project has been completed

 

FIVE Condos at 5 St Joseph Street rendering

This illustration shows the facade of the Rawlinson Cartage Company warehouse building at 5 St Joseph Street  incorporated into the condo complex

 

FIVE Condos at 5 St Joseph Street

This rendering shows how the west side of the FIVE Condos complex will appear along St Nicholas Street once the heritage building facades have been rebuilt

 

FIVE Condos at 5 St Joseph Street

This drawing depicts a view of the FIVE Condos complex from the northeast

 

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In photos: A block of heritage buildings begins its transformation into FIVE Condos at 5 St Joseph

FIVE Condos site

April 9 2011: The FIVE Condos site viewed from Yonge Street, looking west along St Joseph Street. A 50-storey tower will ultimately dominate this scene

 

FIVE Condos site on Yonge Street

April 9 2011: Vacant retail premises in some of the heritage buildings at 606, 608, 610 and 612 Yonge Street that will become part of FIVE Condos

 

FIVE Condos Toronto site

April 9 2011: Vacant retail premises at 614, 616 and 618 Yonge Street that also will be restored and incorporated into the condo complex

 

FIVE Condos site Toronto

April 22 2011: The Henry Turner building at 618 Yonge Street, left, and its tacky rear addition that once housed a sports bar on the second floor, plus coffee and fast food outlets with a small patio on the street level.

 

5 St Joseph Street

April 22 2011: The Rawlinson Cartage warehouse at 5 St Joseph Street once housed nightclubs on its street level, and fitness clubs on its upper floors

 

St Nicholas Street facade of the Rawlinson Cartage heritage buildings

April 22 2011: Looking south along St Nicholas Street at the west walls of the former Rawlinson Cartage buildings

 

St Nicholas Street Toronto

April 22 2011: Looking north along St Nicholas Street at the west walls of the former Rawlinson Cartage buildings

 

St Nicholas Street outside the FIVE Condos site

April 23 2011: St Nicholas Street is closed so crews can locate gas, hydro and water utility lines servicing the old buildings on the FIVE Condos site

 

FIVE Condos site Toronto

May 11 2011: Demolition equipment arrives at 5 St Joseph Street

 

5 St Joseph Street Toronto

May 13 2011: Crews begin destroying trees outside 5 St Joseph Street

 

St Nicholas Street Toronto

May 13 2011: St Nicholas Street is closed to traffic between St Joseph Street and Phipps Street, and won’t reopen until the condo construction is complete

 

Hoarding outside 606 to 618 Yonge Street Toronto

May 31 2011: Hoarding outside the former retail shops at 606 to 618 Yonge Street

 

FIVE Condos site demolition

May 31 2011: The rear addition to the Henry Turner building at 618 Yonge has been torn down, and demolition continues on the rear of 616 Yonge Street

 

5 St Joseph Street Toronto

May 31 2011: Drilling and shoring equipment outside 5 St Joseph Street

 

FIVE Condos site Toronto

June 18 2011: Demolition at the rear of 616 and 618 Yonge Street is complete

 

The west sides of 606 to 618 Yonge Street

June 21 2011: The west side of the heritage buildings at 606 to 618 Yonge Street, after their rear additions have been demolished

 

5 St Joseph Street Toronto

June 21 2011: Drilling and shoring equipment outside 5 St Joseph Street

 

FIVE Condos site Toronto

June 30 2011: An excavator digs on the property between the Yonge Street heritage buildings and 5 St Joseph Street

 

5 St Joseph Street Toronto

June 30 2011: Drilling and shoring equipment outside 5 St Joseph Street

 

Phipps Street view of the FIVE Condos site

July 2 2011: Demolition of 15 St Nicholas Street viewed from Phipps Street


Demolition of 15 St Nicholas Street

July 2 2011: A demolition machine at work on a heap of debris

 

19 St Nicholas Street demolition

July 2 2011: Rubble is all that remains of the former Shred Central indoor skateboard park at 19 St Nicholas Street

 

Demolition of 15-25 St Nicholas Street Toronto

July 2 2011: Demolition viewed from St Nicholas Street, looking north

 

Demolition of 19 St Nicholas Street Toronto

July 2 2011: Shred Central had occupied 19 St Nicholas for over 13 years

 

Demolition of 15 St Nicholas Street Toronto

July 2 2011: Demolition at the southwest corner of 15 St Nicholas Street

 

Demolition of 15 St Nicholas Street Toronto

July 2 2011: The south wall of 15 St Nicholas Street is pulled down

 

19 St Nicholas Street Toronto demolition

July 9 2011: Demolition continues at 19 St Nicholas Street

 

Demolition of 19 and 25 St Nicholas Street Toronto

July 15 2011: Ongoing demolition of 19 and 25 St Nicholas Street

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Demolition of 25 St Nicholas Street Toronto

July 18 2011: A demolition machine pulls apart 25 St Nicholas Street 

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St Nicholas Street Toronto

July 21 2011: Looking north from the corner of Phipps & St Nicholas Streets

 

Demolition of 19-25 St Nicholas Street Toronto

July 24 2011: Demolition of 19-25 St Nicholas Street nears completion

 

Demolition of 15-25 St Joseph Street Toronto

August 6 2011: There is little left of the buildings at 15-25 St Joseph Street

 

FIVE Condos site demolition

August 6 2011: A demolition machine stirs up dust on the future tower site

 

5 St Joseph STreet Toronto

August 14 2011: Drilling work continues outside 5 St Joseph Street

 

St Nicholas Street Toronto

August 14 2011: Looking south along St Nicholas Street

 

FIVE Condos site

August 14 2011: St Nicholas Street view of the FIVE Condos site

 

FIVE Condos site

August 14 2011: Looking east across the site where the warehouse buildings at 15-25 St Joseph Street once stood

 

606-614 Yonge Street Toronto

August 19 2011: Marketing billboards for FIVE Condos on hoarding outside the Yonge Street heritage buildings

 

5 St Joseph Street Toronto

August 19 2011: Excavating equipment outside 5 St Joseph Street

 

5 St Joseph Street Toronto

August 19 2011: The red targets and holes in the brockwork mark the spots where steel supports will be installed to hold up the 5 St Joseph Street facade during construction of the condo tower

 

5 St Joseph Street Toronto

September 3 2011: Foundation building equipment on the empty lot where the buildings at 15-25 St Nicholas Street once stood

 

FIVE Condos site

September 12 2011: Crews will soon begin erecting the giant steel frame that will support the facade of 5 St Joseph Street

 

5 St Joseph Street Toronto

September 24 2011: The massive steel support starts taking shape

 

5 St Joseph Street Toronto

September 24 2011: The support structure will eventually extend the length of the building’s St Joseph Street facade

 

5 St Joseph STreet Toronto

September 24 2011: The huge frame extends halfway across St Joseph Street

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5 St Joseph Street Toronto

October 8 2011: The supports will hold the 4-storey brick wall in place while the condo tower is being built

 5 St Joseph Street Toronto

October 14 2011: The full support structure is now in position

 

5 St Joseph Street Toronto

November 20 2011: This wall along St Nicholas Street will be demolished soon

 

5 St Joseph Street Toronto

November 20 2011: A view of the east side of 5 St Joseph Street before the remaining rear section of the building is demolished

 

5 St Joseph Street Toronto

November 20 2011: The section of building with the windows will be demolished next, leaving only the front facade intact

 

5 St Joseph Street Toronto

November 25 2011: Demolition begins on the upper floor of 5 St Joseph Street

 

5 St Joseph Street Toronto

November 25 2011: The top three floors of the building were once home to gyms, including Epic Fitness, L3 Fitness, and Level Fitness

 

5 St Joseph Street Toronto

November 25 2011: Demolition viewed from the northwest along St Joseph Street

 

5 St Joseph Street Toronto

December 8 2011: All that’s left of 5 St Joseph is the 4-storey brick facade

 

5 St Joseph Street Toronto

December 11 2011: Sunlight streams through windows and the former main entrance doorway to 5 St Joseph Street

 

5 St Joseph Street Toronto

December 11 2011: Shoring work continues along the east side of St Nicholas Street behind the wrapped warehouse building facade

 

5 St Joseph Street Toronto

December 11 2011: The south-facing side of the 5 St Joseph Street brick facade is being kept under wraps

 

FIVE Condos site Toronto

December 22 2011: Excavation has begun for the 50-storey tower that will rise in the center of this site

 

FIVE Condos site Toronto

December 22 2011: A construction crew works at the edge of the excavation behind the Yonge Street heritage buildings

 

5 St Joseph Street Toronto

December 22 2011: Passersby often ask construction workers if the steel support is permanent. It eventually will be removed, of course.

 

5 St Joseph Street Toronto

December 22 2011: Shoring activity at the northwest corner of the site

 

5 St Joseph Street Toronto

December 22 2011: The wrapped facade looms above excavation and shoring machines on the condo site

 

5 St Joseph Street Toronto

December 22 2011: This site will be excavated for five underground levels

 

Welders at FIVE Condos site

December 22 2011: Welders work on one of the I-beams that will be sunk into the ground to shore up the excavation site

 

5 St Joseph Street Toronto

December 22 2011: If only the facade could have been wrapped in festive colours for the holiday season!

Threat to corner green space alarms neighbours as approval of apt. tower addition appears imminent

66 Isabella Street Toronto

December 14 2011: This city notice, posted on the grounds of the 40-year-old rental apartment tower at 66 Isabella Street several days ago …

 

66 Isabella Street Toronto

… suggests that days are numbered for these eight trees and this open expanse of private green lawn at the northwest corner of Church & Isabella Streets …

 

66 Isabella Street tower development site

… which soon could be ripped up to make way for construction of a 23-storey addition to the apartment building rising behind the trees at left

 

Kiss the trees goodbye?: Church-Wellesley area residents are alarmed that the city appears poised to approve construction of a 23-storey addition to a rental apartment tower at the northwest corner of Church and Isabella Streets. Neighbours are upset not only since the construction will destroy eight mature trees and eliminate a large open green space in a downtown area that city planning staff admit is severely lacking in parkland, but also because they worry that the condo and rental unit addition to the 66 Isabella Street apartment tower could spark a wave of highrise development proposals for low-rise residential streets in the nearby Church & Wellesley village. And they fear for the fate of elderly tenants who will be displaced from their apartments on the east side of the apartment building, where suite layouts will have to be drastically reconfigured to accommodate hallways linking the addition to the existing structure.

 

32-storey addition initially proposed

The application for zoning amendments to allow construction of a highrise addition to 66 Isabella Street was filed with the city in late September 2010. Originally (and as I reported in a March 19 2011 post), the applicant proposed a 32-storey addition that would rise 95 meters (including mechanical penthouse), standing significantly taller than the 26-storey building to which it would be attached. The new wing would feature a 4-storey podium facing Isabella Street, with a 28-storey tower soaring above, with stepbacks at the 5th, 17th and 27th floors. The addition would include four condominium townhouses overlooking Isabella Street, 12 condominium suites on the top two floors of the tower, and retail stores along the Church Street flank of the complex. By adding 212 new suites, the addition would effectively more than double the number of residential units in the building. Most notably, the development would replace a large tree-shaded private yard which extends above the apartment building’s two levels of underground parking.

 

Private green space enjoyed by passersby

Although the lawn is private property, and signs advise that the yard is for the exclusive use of 66 Isabella residents only, people living, working and passing through the neighbourhood have long enjoyed its presence, particularly for its calm, cooling summer greenery and colourful fall foliage. But the greenery could be gone within weeks: a city notice was posted on the property last weekend, advising that an application to destroy the trees “to permit the construction of  a 23 storey addition” has been filed.

Though it now appears that the property developer has reduced the height of the proposed addition by 9 storeys, area residents remain dismayed at the prospect of any kind of development on the corner, and are disappointed by indications that the project will get the go-ahead from City Hall.

At a public meeting of the Church Wellesley Neighbourhood Association (CWNA) at the 519 Church Street Community Centre on Monday night, several area residents pleaded for people to strenuously oppose the proposal when it goes before the Toronto East York Community Council (TEYCC) for a statutory public meeting, which one Church Street resident said he has been told will take place on January 10. A man who identified himself as Morley urged the neighbourhood association to do whatever it can to “try to get [the project] killed.” If approved by the city, the addition to 66 Isabella will not only “kill the green space and stick a big huge block of building” in its place, he said, but will in turn spur further highrise development that will ruin “the character of the neighbourhood.”

 

City needs new rental accommodation

Another resident, who said he lives in the 48-unit Church-Isabella Co-Op across Church Street from the development site, said he has spoken to local City Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam about the project, and is disappointed she isn’t supporting residents who object to the addition. He acknowledged, however, that the city desperately needs additional new rental accommodation, like the units proposed for the 66 Isabella addition, and said the project appears likely to get the nod from TEYCC no matter how strongly neighbourhood residents object. A woman told the meeting she was concerned for the welfare of senior citizens who have lived in apartments on the east side of 66 Isabella for decades, but will be forced to find new accommodation when construction commences. While several people at the meeting said they think losing the green space will be regrettable, they did concur with one man who said “we’re not anti-development, but we’re against development that takes away from the neighbourhood.”

As city planners noted in a November 15 2010 preliminary report, the original proposal for the tower addition offered to replace the 1,778 square meter (19,000 square feet) of ground-level green space with a 1,378 square meter (14,833 square foot) outdoor amenity area “on the private roof of the 4-storey podium and at the rear of the building at grade level.” It looks like area residents will have to wait until construction is complete in several years’ time to decide whether the building addition and its new amenity space adds to or takes away from the neighbourhood.

 

Aura condo podium gradually getting glassed in

Aura condos Toronto

December 12 2011: Glass cladding on the Aura podium’s northeast corner

 

Aura condos at College Park Toronto

December 12 2011: A closer view of the northeast corner cladding

 

Imposing podium: Only a fraction of the 75-storey Aura at College Park condo tower has been constructed so far, but sections of the building’s massive podium along Yonge and Gerrard Streets are already being enclosed in glass panels. Below are photos I shot at lunchtime today showing some of the cladding as well as views of the condo tower’s construction progress from three sides. There’s also a link to a short videoclip showing views of Aura’s podium from the corner of Yonge & Gerrard.

 

Aura condos at College Park Toronto

December 12 2011: White tarps cover some of the newly-installed windows along the Yonge and Gerrard Street sides of Aura’s mammoth podium

 

Aura condos at College Park Toronto

December 12 2011: Passersby get a peek at some of the windows through this gap in tarps along the podium’s Yonge Street facade

 

Aura condos at College Park Toronto

December 12 2011: Another view of the glass cladding on the Yonge Street side of the podium, near Gerrard Street

 

Aura condos at College Park Toronto

December 12 2011: Two Toronto police constables on horseback pass the Aura condo construction site as they head north along Yonge Street

 

Aura condos at College Park Toronto

December 12 2011: Cladding at the northeast corner near the College Park complex

 

Aura condos at College Park Toronto

December 12 2011: An Aura construction worker looks out over Yonge Street while taking his lunch break on the podium’s fourth floor

 

Aura condos at College Park Toronto

 December 12 2011: The Aura podium’s south side along Gerrard Street

 

Aura condos at College Park Toronto

December 12 2011: A section of cladding on the podium’s south side

 

Aura condos at College Park Toronto

December 12 2011: Windows above the construction site entrance near the building’s southeast corner at Yonge & Gerrard Streets

 

Aura condos at College Park Toronto

December 12 2011: Looking up the south side of the Aura podium from Gerrard Street, outside the Delta Chelsea Inn

 

Aura condos at College Park Toronto

December 12 2011: The Aura podium is so huge it poses an almost overwhelming presence along Gerrard Street

 

Aura condos at College Park Toronto

December 12 2011: The south side of Aura’s enormous podium viewed from the Gerrard Street entrance to the Chelsea Inn, looking east toward Yonge Street

 

Aura condos at College Park Toronto

December 12 2011: Construction platforms cantilever five and six storeys above Gerrard Street

 

Aura condos at College Park Toronto

December 12 2011: A view of the podium’s northwest corner, looking towards the Delta Chelsea Inn on Gerrard Street

 

Aura condos at College Park Toronto

December 12 2011: The north side of the Aura podium, viewed from Barbara Ann Scott Park at College Park

 

Aura condos at College Park Toronto

December 12 2011: Construction progress at the northwest corner of the podium, overlooking Barbara Ann Scott Park

 

Aura condos at College Park Toronto

December 12 2011: The north side of the Aura podium, facing the College Park retail, office and apartment complex

 

 

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ETFO office construction climbs above grade

ETFO office building construction

December 8 2011: The first floor of the new ETFO headquarters starts to take shape at the northeast corner of Huntley & Isabella Streets

 

ETFO office building Toronto

December 8 2011: As the office building begins to climb above grade, passersby no longer have to peer through the security fence to follow construction progress

 

Teachers’ HQ on the rise: From June through November, passersby had to walk right up to a security fence to see how far construction had progressed on the new Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) headquarters being built at the corner of Huntley and Isabella Streets. Now that the office building’s ground floor has started taking shape, people can watch what’s happening as they walk past on the opposite side of the street — or drive by in the comfort of their cars and SUVs.

Construction has begun rising above grade at the southwest corner of what will be a 4-storey LEED-certified building, designed by Toronto’s KPMB Architects and built by Bird Construction. Crews are expected to finish pouring concrete for the building early next spring; if that goes according to plan, the headquarters will be on schedule for its anticipated May 2013 staff move-in.

Below are a few more pics I took of the ETFO building this afternoon. Photos of earlier building progress as well as pre-construction site preparation and demolition activity can also be viewed in my November 6 2011, June 2 2011, and May 9 2011 posts.

 

ETFO office building Toronto

December 8 2011: Construction viewed from the SE corner of Huntley & Isabella Streets. The tall building at right rear is James Cooper Mansion condominium.

 

ETFO office building Toronto

December 8 2011: Construction commenced in June and is expected to finish in early 2013, with staff move-in anticipated for May of that year.

 

ETFO office building Toronto

December 8 2011: North view of ground floor progress from Isabella Street

 

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Demolition underway at Chaz.Yorkville condo site

Chaz on Charles condo site

December 8 2011: An excavator loads a dumpster with rubble collected from inside the entrance to 45 Charles Street East. The mid-1960s-era office building is being demolished to make way for construction of the Chaz.Yorkville condo tower

 

Chaz condo site Toronto

December 8 2011: Sections of windows and concrete walls have been removed from the north side of the office building

 

Coming down: Demolition crews have begun dismantling a distinctive Modernist office building on Charles Street East to make way for a sleek glass condo tower — the third new skyscraper to rise on the block between Church and Yonge Streets in the past several years.

The angular concrete building at 45 Charles East was designed by architect Macy Dubois, who died in 2007 at age 77. The 8-storey office complex, which was built 45 years ago, will be replaced by a condo that could be anywhere from 39 to 47 storeys tall.  I say “could” because the final height is literally still up in the air. The project developers, 45 Charles Ltd. and Edenshaw Homes Limited, initially obtained city approval to build a 33-storey condo. Two years ago, City Council approved a request for permission to add six more floors, for a total of 39. In July, the developer sought approval to construct 8 more storeys, for a total of 47. As I reported in a November 8 2011 post, Toronto and East York Community Council (TEYCC) ordered city planners to hold a community consultation meeting last month to get public feedback about the proposal. The planners are expected to report back to TEYCC early in 2012.

The final floor tally for the tower isn’t the only part of the project that has changed — so has its name. Initially marketed as Chaz on Charles, the condo is now being sold as Chaz.Yorkville, reflecting its proximity to the tony Yorkville neighbourhood just two blocks to the north. The Chaz sales centre also has changed, recently moving from 45 Charles to 101 Yorkville Avenue.

Chaz.Yorkville was designed by Sol Wassermuhl of Page + Steele IBI Group Architects. The tower, however tall it winds up, will be built by PCL Constructors Inc., the developers revealed in a November 28 2011 annoucement.

Below are some building illustrations from the revamped Chaz.Yorkville website, along with several photos I shot this afternoon of demolition activity at 45 Charles.

 

Chaz condo site

December 8 2011: A portable crane stands outside 45 Charles, where crews have begun interior demolition work

 

Chaz condo site Toronto

December 8 2011: Another view of the crane and sections of the building where windows have been removed

 

Chaz condo site Toronto

  December 8 2011: The Chaz condo sales centre has been relocated from this building to 101 Yorkville Avenue

 

Chaz condo site Toronto

 December 8 2011: An excavating machine enters the former front door of the building to collect another load of rubble

 

45 Charles Street East Toronto

This was how the building entrance, seen here on February 28 2011, used to look

 

Chaz condo site Toronto

December 8 2011: A closer view of one of the floors where demolition crews have begun dismantling the building

 

Chaz.Yorkville condo Toronto

This rendering of the tower’s 5-storey, limestone-clad podium appears on the recently-revamped Chaz.Yorkville website

 

Chaz.Yorkville condo rendering

This rendering, also from the Chaz.Yorkville website, depicts the 2-storey Residents’ Private Chaz Clubon the 36th and 37th levels of the tower’s south side

 

Chaz.Yorkville condo tower rendering

Also from the Chaz.Yorkville project website is this illustration of the condo tower, which was designed by Sol Wassermuhl of Page + Steele IBI Group Architects.