Monthly Archives: February 2012

Ceiling section collapses from hydro headquarters

700 University Avenue

February 29 2012: A large section of ceiling collapsed this morning from the overhang above the first floor of the Ontario Power Generation building

 

700 University Avenue

The ceiling segment caved in near the building’s southeast corner

 

Drywall drops: No-one was hurt this morning when a large section of ceiling material buckled and collapsed from the ceiling of the first-floor building overhang at the Ontario Power Generation 700 University Avenue corporate headquarters.

 

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Public meeting will discuss 60-storey condo tower plan for site beside historic hall at Yonge & College

Historic Oddfellows Hall at Yonge & College Streets Toronto

February 26 2012: A 60-storey condominium tower that would loom above the historic Oddfellows Hall building (left) at Yonge & College Streets …

 

460 Yonge Street Toronto

… has been proposed for this location, currently occupied by a 2-storey building with shops and restaurants at street level and offices on the second floor

 

460 Yonge Street Toronto condo tower proposal sign

One of the development proposal signs posted outside 460 Yonge Street

 

Open for discussion: The City is holding a community consultation Wednesday night to get public input on a developer’s plan to build a 60-storey condo tower at Yonge & College Streets, right next door to a 4-storey heritage building constructed in 1891.

Designed by Graziani + Corazza Architects Inc. of Mississauga for developer Canderel Stoneridge of Toronto, the building would feature a 207-meter-tall tower containing 599 residential units at the municipal address of 460 Yonge Street. A podium ranging from 3 to 7 stories would contain the condo’s recreational amenities along with retail space on the street level and second floor, offices on the third floor, and an outdoor terrace with barbecue area on the podium roof. Six levels of underground parking would offer 196 vehicle spaces and 608 bicycle parking spots.

 

 

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Ryerson University unveils plans to build 500-bed student highrise residence near Jarvis & Dundas

new Ryerson student residence

An artistic illustration by IBI Group Architects of the student residence  Ryerson University plans to build in the Jarvis-Dundas area

 

186-188 Jarvis Street Toronto

February 28 2012: Looking west at the 186-188 Jarvis Street site on which Ryerson University will build its new student accommodations

 

New student digs: A new 500-bed residence planned for the Jarvis & Dundas area will help Ryerson University meet burgeoning demand for student accommodation while bringing more liveliness and energy to a downtown streetscape that could clearly use some enhancement.

The residence — to be built on what is currently a pay parking lot at 186-188 Jarvis Street — is expected to feature a 2-storey podium containing cafés and retail outlets topped by “a 20+ storey building offering a mix of 1, 2, 3 and 4 bedroom units,” the university announced in a media release.

 

 

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Ontario Place: Tarnished waterfront jewel needs ‘wow-factor’ attractions to restore its lost lustre

Ontario Place

Looking toward two of the suspended pavilions at Ontario Place  on September 4 2010, the last time I paid a visit to the aging waterfront theme park

 

Park over troubled waters: It struck me as a curious coincidence that stormclouds figure prominently in many of the photos I have taken of Ontario Place. After all, these are very dark and stormy times for the summertime waterfront theme park, most of which will be closed for the next five years while the Ontario government considers options for revitalizing the tired and tacky 41-year-old facility.

At the beginning of this month, the province announced that it has shuttered Ontario Place’s money-losing Cinesphere, water park and amusement rides while former politician/current  radio personality John Tory leads a team charged with investigating options for restoring the lustre to a waterfront jewel that initially drew more than 2.5 million visitors each season, but has since struggled to attract even just one-fifth that many funseekers in recent summers. In fact, the province has been losing more than $20 million annually on subsidies it provides to keep the tired and dowdy-looking park operating. Just the privately-operated Molson Amphitheatre, the Atlantis restaurant, bar and ballroom pavilions, the marina and the parking lots, the only facilities that apparently were profitable, will remain open. More than 48 full-time jobs and 600 summer positions will be lost as a result of the closure.

 

 

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Neighbours get to sound off at Monday meeting on 50-storey condo proposal for 308 Jarvis Street

308 Jarvis Street proposed condo site

February 22 2012: The City posted this sign on a proposed Jarvis Street condo tower site across from Allan Gardens only one week before a meeting scheduled to gather public feedback about the redevelopment plan

 

308 Jarvis Street proposed condo tower site plan

Site plan shows stepbacks for the proposed condo complex

 

Late notice: It took long enough, but earlier this week the City finally posted a development proposal notice on the 308 Jarvis Street site where a developer wants to incorporate part of a heritage building into a condo complex featuring a 50-floor tower, a 9-storey podium and townhouses with three levels.

Duration Investments Ltd. proposed the condo tower plan in a development application filed with the City on January 23, and a city planner told me that a community consultation meeting has been scheduled for the evening of February 27 to give the public an opportunity to comment on the project. He added that notices were going to be sent out to advise nearby residents about the feedback session. That was two weeks ago. However, a sign advising of the development plan was not posted on the property until last Monday — just one week before the community meeting — and people living nearby have told me they have not received any notices from the City about the upcoming public meeting. Some were not even aware that a condo tower is in the works for the site, currently being operated as a pay parking lot.

 

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Pop-up store hits its Target in King West condo zone

Target popup store on King Street West

February 20 2012: The east facade, along Blue Jays Way, for a Target Canada pop-up store open only 6 hours today for a special promotion

 

Here today, gone tomorrow: Condo towers aren’t the only buildings popping up all over the Entertainment District — so are stores. But while the highrises will be standing around for decades to come, one of the new stores definitely won’t; it will be open for less than one day.

For just six hours this afternoon, a former condo presentation centre at 363 King Street West (on the southwest corner of King and Blue Jays Way) was open for business as a “pop-up” store to promote a collection of Jason Wu women’s fashions for Target Canada.  The Canadian division of the American retail chain won’t be opening stores until 2013, but today’s special sales event was intended to give Toronto shoppers an early peek at their products and competitive prices.

 

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Charlie Condos climbs closer to completion

Charlie Condos Toronto

February 20 2012: The east side of Charlie Condos soars above the Mountain Equipment Co-Op on King Street, just west of Peter Street/Blue Jays Way

 

Charlie Condos Toronto

January 31 2012 : Charlie Condos, far left, makes its mark on the city skyline, in this view from the Bathurst Street bridge

 

Nearly there: Construction crews are close to topping off work on the latest condo tower to rise on the Entertainment District skyline. When I passed by Charlie Condos on King Street West earlier this week, workers were busy building the 35th level of what will end up as a 36-storey highrise. They also were continuing to make progress with exterior cladding installation, having reached as high as the 28th floor.

 

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Site demolition clears way for construction to start on 40-storey Peter Street Condominiums tower

Peter Street Condominiums

January 30 2012: Three weeks ago, crews were getting set to demolish two low-rise buildings on the northeast corner of Adelaide and Peter Streets …

 

Peter Street Condominiums site

... and by yesterday, a few piles of broken bricks and rubble were all that remained of the two nightclubs that formerly occupied the site

 

Peter Street Condominiums site

February 20 2012: Southeasterly view of the site from Peter Street

 

Peter Street Condominiums site

February 20 2012: A heap of bricks and broken concrete blocks on the site of what was once the popular Adelaide Street Pub

 

Peter Street Condominiums site

February 20 2012: Looking toward Peter Street from the southeast corner of the property. The Roosevelt Room Supper Club once occupied the 2-storey Art Deco-styled warehouse building that used to stand on this site.

 

Pub & club get clobbered: Over the years, countless funseekers got smashed during booze-soaked blurs of drinking, dancing and debauchery in the pub and nightclub that occupied two adjacent buildings at the northeast corner of Adelaide and Peter Street in the Entertainment District. This month, it was the buildings’ turn to get wrecked.

In January, I noticed signs for Delsan Demolition Services posted on the buildings at 328 – 340 Adelaide Street West, formerly home to the Adelaide Street Pub and the Roosevelt Room Supper Club. Two men wearing hardhats were taking notes as they wandered around the property, no doubt planning how to demolish the two low-rise structures so construction can start on the 40-storey condo tower that will take their place.

 

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Winter photo walks: Bay/College area Part 3

SickKids Research & Learning Tower

February 13 2012: South view of the SickKids Research & Learning Tower, which has climbed to 19 storeys on its way to its final height of 21.

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SickKids Research & Learning Tower

February 13 2012: Ground-level view from the SE corner of Bay & Elm

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SickKids Research & Learning Tower

February 13 2012: Looking up the tower’s southeast corner

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SickKids Research & Learning Tower

February 13 2012: Curved floors on the tower’s east side, above Bay Street, show where six uniquely-designed atriums will provide light-filled meeting spaces

 

SickKids Research & Learning Tower

January 29 2012: The SickKids Research & Learning Tower dominates this view, looking north from the intersection of Bay and Dundas Streets

 

650 Bay Street Toronto

February 13 2012: On the south side of Elm Street across from the SickKids Tower, renovation work continues on the 3-storey brick building at 650 Bay Street …

 

650 Bay Street Toronto

… where a soup, salad and sandwich café called Sliced is expected to open soon on the ground floor’s freshly-refurbished north side

 

650 Bay Street Toronto

… while renovation is ongoing to ready the south side for another business that has leased the premises. A boutique hotel will occupy the upper levels.

 

Two corners, two projects: While just about everybody in the city keeps talking about all the condo towers rising on the skyline, two projects at the intersection of Bay & Elm Streets show that Toronto’s building boom extends far beyond residential building construction.

 

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Crews digging deep for X2 Condos foundation

X2 Condos excavation

January 1 2012: A New Year’s Day view of the deep excavation pit for X2 Condos, looking west from the sidewalk along Jarvis Street

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X2 Condos Toronto

 February 5 2011: An excavating machine sits idle in the muddy soil near the western end of the deep rectangular pit…

 

X2 Condos Toronto

… but in just four days it has dug several feet deeper …

 

X2 Condos Toronto

… and on February 11 gets some assistance moving a mound of earth

 

Crane coming soon?: Every time I walk past the X2 Condos building site — which lately has been about four times a week — I expect to see a construction crane rising from the deep excavation at the southwest corner of Jarvis and Charles Streets.

In early January, one of the construction crew told me that workers had to excavate just 20 more feet of soil, after which time a 6-foot-thick slab of concrete would be poured throughout the bottom of the pit to create the base for the 49-storey building foundation. Once the concrete had cured, the crane would be installed. That would take place sometime in January, the construction worker said.

 

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Winter photo walks: Bay/College area Part 2

Aura condos at College Park Toronto

February 6 2012: The Aura condo tower has so far climbed six floors above its mammoth podium, seen here from the northwest corner of the 3-acre park sheltered by the office & residential towers at the College Park complex

 

Aura Condos at College Park Toronto

February 9 2012: The Aura podium on the southeast corner of Yonge & Gerrard Streets will contain 190,000 square feet of retail shops, restaurants and services

 

MaRS Phase 2 building construction progress

February 6 2012: Construction of the MaRS Centre Phase 2 building at College Street and University Avenue reached the sixth floor this month

 

Aura ascends, MaRS rises: Construction has climbed past the sixth-floor point at two different projects that will establish landmark new buildings and radically change the appearance of two busy intersections in the downtown core.

 

Aura condos at College Park

The 3-level podium for the Aura condo tower has been turning heads at the intersection of Yonge & Gerrard Streets since construction of the mammoth structure reached street level nearly a year ago. With 6 of Aura’s 75 condo floors now constructed, the building has begun to prominently assert its presence for several blocks in each direction, giving city residents and visitors an early hint of the dramatic impact the country’s tallest residential tower will have on the Toronto skyline.

 

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Winter photo walks: Bay/College area Part 1

Burano Condos Toronto

February 9 2012: The south side of Burano Condos, viewed from Grenville Street

 

Progress updates: I had the opportunity to pass through the Bay & College area on my way to some recent appointments, so I brought along my camera to catch up on construction progress in the neighbourhood. My “winter photo walk” series will show you what I’ve been seeing:

 

 

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50-storey condo tower proposed for Jarvis/Carlton parking lot site across from historic Allan Gardens

308 Jarvis Street Toronto

February 5 2012: Looking west from Allan Gardens toward the 308 Jarvis Street site, currently occupied by a pay parking lot, where a developer has proposed building a 50-storey condo tower with a 9-storey podium

 

Ramada Plaza Hotel 308 Jarvis & 314 Jarvis Toronto

February 5 2012: A view of the proposed tower site, looking southwest from Jarvis Street just below Carlton Street. At left is the 10-storey Ramada Plaza Hotel at 300 Jarvis Street, while at right is a heritage mansion at 314 Jarvis

 

308-314 Jarvis Street Toronto and Best Western Primrose Hotel

February 5 2012: Northwesterly view from Allan Gardens toward the proposed condo site. At left is the Ramada Plaza Hotel, at center is the parking lot and the mansion at 314 Jarvis, and at right rear is the 25-storey Best Western Primrose Hotel at the southwest corner of Jarvis & Carlton Streets

 

314 Jarvis Street Toronto

February 5 2012: The developer proposes to incorporate into its condo tower only the “front portion” of this designated heritage house at 314 Jarvis Street

 

Palm House built in 1910 at Allan Gardens Toronto

February 5 2012: The tower would rise behind the rear right side of the Allan Gardens Palm House, built in 1910, and would dominate the backdrop in this view

 

Allan Gardens Toronto west park area

February 5 2012: Looking toward the proposed condo site from the northwest side of Allan Gardens. City parks and planning staff are worried about the potential shadow impact a 50-storey tower would have on this part of the park …

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Allan Gardens Toronto

… as well as on these greenhouses connected to the Palm House conservatory

 

Tower above the trees?: With its 154- year-old park and century-old Palm House conservatory boasting rare tropical plants from around the world, Allen Gardens is one of downtown Toronto’s oldest and most important botanical parks. But plans for a 50-storey skyscraper that would soar high above the historic park from the west side of Jarvis Street aren’t flying well with city parks and planning staff.

The application for a “50- storey with 9-storey podium mixed-use building” was filed with the City on January 23 2012. The proposal would redevelop property situated at the municipal addresses of 308, 310, 312 and 314 Jarvis Street, as well as 225 Mutual Street. The complex would contain 590 units, of which 5 would be townhouses fronting on Mutual Street at the west side of the property. The podium would include commercial space. The building would have five levels of below-ground parking.

 

 

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L-evating and adding colour: Cladding installation commences as The L Tower climbs to 23 storeys

The L Tower condo tower Toronto

January 30 2012: The L Tower, seen here looking south from the NW of Yonge & Front Streets, has climbed 23 storeys on its way to 57

 

More photos and information follow on the next page.

 

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