Category Archives: Architecture & Construction

Laying foundations: Building progress at Pier 27, 300 Front West, Fly, and Cinema Tower Condos

July 17 2011: A view of the Cinema Tower construction site, looking south from Adelaide Street West. Cinema Tower is a project of The Daniels Corporation.

From the Cinema Tower project website, an artistic rendering of the 43-storey condo designed by Toronto’s Kirkor Architects & Planners

July 17 2011: Looking across the east side of the Cinema Tower site at the corner of Widmer & Adelaide Streets. Construction is fast approaching grade.

July 17 2011: Cinema Tower is rising behind the TIFF Bell Lightbox (left) and the Hyatt Regency Toronto (right). Earlier construction photos can be seen in my February 17 2011 post about the project.

July 17 2011: Construction progress at the southwest corner of the site

July 17 2011: Along the east side of the property, the foundation has climbed close to little more than 1 meter below street level

July 17 2011: A white and orange crane rises from the excavation for the Three Hundred Front West condo tower. For earlier construction photos and information about this Tridel project, see my April 16 2011 post.

From the Tridel website, an artistic rendering depicting a night view of the 49-storey Three Hundred Front West condo tower designed by Rudy Wallman of Toronto’s Wallman Architects

July 17 2011: Foundation work observed from above the site’s southwest corner

July 17 2011: Looking to the northeast toward John Street

July 17 2011: A view of underground levels taking shape between the two construction cranes working the site

July 17 2011: Foundation progress on the east side of Fly Condos, a project by Empire Communities. Earlier construction photos appeared in my March 30 2011 post and my January 23 2011 post.

A rendering of the 24-storey tower appeared on this Front Street billboard. Fly Condos was designed by Toronto’s Graziani + Corazza Architects Inc.

July 17 2011: Overlooking the southeast corner of the construction site

July 17 2011: Looking toward the crane near the center of the site

July 17 2011: The bottom underground level is starting to take shape in the northeast corner of the excavation

July 17 2011: Looking toward the northwest corner of the property

July 17 2011: Machinery in the northwest corner of the excavation

July 17 2011: Wall forms on the south side of the site next to the crane

July 17 2011: Looking toward the northeast corner of the excavation from the west construction entrance on Front Street

July 17 2011: Excavation continues on the west side of the site

July 17 2011: Forms for supporting walls near the construction crane base

June 21 2011: Looking south from Queen’s Quay Boulevard across The Residences of Pier 27 waterside construction site, a project of Cityzen Developments and Fernbrook Homes

From the project website, a rendering of one of the buildings being constructed at The Residences of Pier 27 complex on the waterfront. The condos were designed by Peter Clewes of Toronto’s architectsAlliance.

June 21 2011: Construction progress in the Pier 27 site’s southeast corner. Photos of earlier stages of construction can be viewed in my April 22 2011 post, my February 18 2011 post, and my January 4 2011 post.

June 21 2011: Construction progress on the east side of the massive building site

July 17 2011: Looking south from Queen’s Quay Boulevard as the foundation continues filling in the east side of the Pier 27 site

July 17 2011: Underground levels are fast taking shape on the east side of the site, but excavation work still continues on the west end of the Pier 27 property.

July 17 2011: The supporting wall in the foreground rises close to street level

Neighbourhood Watch: Condo construction activity in downtown’s King & Bathurst area (Part 1)

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July 17 2011: The 9-storey King Street facade of Six50 King West

Good fits?: They’re not skyscrapers, but the collection of low- and midrise condo buildings under construction on Adelaide, King and Wellington Streets, between Spadina Avenue and Bathurst Street, are significantly transforming the vibrant west downtown neighbourhood nonetheless. Rising above, between and behind the old brick warehouse buildings that are characteristic of the area, they’re adding contemporary style, colour and flair — along with expensive “to die for” designer penthouses — to the once-gritty and now hot & trendy district.

I manage to visit what some call the “Central King West” area about once or twice a season. I still enjoy its general look and and atmosphere, and find it’s still a comfortable area to walk around. Although some of the new buildings do appear to loom rather large next to their neighbours, they don’t seem overwhelming or out of scale for the streets. So far, at least, the area hasn’t developed the sterile and impersonal “condo canyon” feel or annoying wind tunnel conditions of Bay Street and other downtown streets that keep sprouting skyscrapers. But since some of the projects are only in early stages of construction (three are still below grade, while one is just beginning to break ground), and just as many more are in the development pipeline, it’s possible my impressions of the neighbourhood could change significantly in several years’ time. Until then, I’m sure I’ll find it interesting to keep tracking the progress with each changing season. Below are photos I’ve taken recently of several different condo projects. Photos of additional neighbourhood projects will appear in Part 2.

Lofts 399 at 399 Adelaide Street West

A project of Cresford Developments, Lofts 399 is being built on the south side of Adelaide Street between the two Quad Lofts condos, and will sit back-to-back to the new Victory Condos on King West. My February 20 2011 post has several photos showing earlier construction progress at Lofts 399 and its proximity to the other condos.

From the Lofts 399 project website, an artistic rendering of how the 10-storey, 173-unit building will look when viewed from Adelaide Street.

July 17 2011: Looking from west to east across the Lofts 399 site

July 17 2011: The Lofts 399 foundation begins to take shape

July 17 2011: Looking along the south wall of the Lofts 399 site

July 17 2011: A closer view of the bottom underground level. Lofts 399 will have four floors of below-grade parking.

July 17 2011: Looking across the site toward Adelaide Street West

Victory Condominiums on King

This project by BLVD Developments is approaching completion on the north side of King Street just west of Spadina Avenue. Designed by Rudy Wallman of Toronto’s Wallman Architects, the L-shaped building is 12 storeys tall and has 175 units. My March 13 2011 post and my January 15 2011 post both include photos of Victory during earlier stages of construction.

From the Lifetime Developments website, an artistic rendering of the Victory Condominiums on King West building designed by Toronto architect Rudy Wallman

July 17 2011 : A street-level view of Victory Condos on King West

July 17 2011: The south side of Victory Condos, viewed from across King Street

July 17 2011: Balconies, windows and brickwork on the south facade

July 17 2011: Victory viewed from the southwest on King Street

July 17 2011: Victory Condos offers six penthouse suites. The smallest is an 800-square-foot 2-bedroom unit with 80-square-foot balcony; it was priced at $706,900. The largest is a 2,545-square-foot residence with a 530-square-foot balcony. It carried the eye-popping pricetag of $2,219,900.

July 17 2011: Victory rises behind the brick building at 500 King Street West

July 17 2011: Victory viewed from the intersection of King & Brant Streets

July 17 2011: Another view of Victory from Brant & King

July 17 2011: The upper four floors of south-facing balconies

Fashion House Condos on King West

One of several Freed Developments projects in the popular Central King West neighbourhood, Fashion House Condos was designed by Toronto’s Core Architects Inc. Its red colour accents and striking design are definitely going to make a bold architectural fashion statement on the street. As described on the project website: “a stunning 12-storey glass and steel staircase tower, the intricate platform design sets the stage for large terraces and balconies, while the glass showcases the massive floor-to-ceiling windows.” The 334-unit building is 85% sold. Photos of earlier construction progress at Fashion House can be seen in my April 2 2011 post and in my January 24 2011 post.

From the Fashion House Condos website, an artistic rendering of how the building will look when viewed from the south side of King Street

July 17 2011: King Street view of excavation progress at the Fashion House site

July 17 2011: Looking down on the southeast corner of the construction site

July 17 2011: Looking northwest across the construction site

July 20 2011: Excavation progress viewed from Morrison Street to the northeast

July 17 2011: Overlooking the excavation from the northeast corner of the site

July 20 2011: Morrison Street view toward the south side of the excavation

July 20 2011: A construction worker takes a rest on a woodpile in the pit

Six50 King West Condominiums at King & Bathurst

Another successful (80% sold) project by Freed Developments, Six50 King West is a 236-unit two-building complex with frontage on both King Street and Bathurst Street. The Bathurst wing will be the tallest, rising 15 floors, while the King section will have nine storeys. Like Fashion House, Six50 was designed by Core Architects Inc. Photos of earlier stages of construction can be viewed in my March 30 2011 post and in my January 20 2011 post.

From the Six50 King West condo project website, an artistic rendering of the two-building complex that will front on both Bathurst (left) and King Streets (right)

July 17 2011: Street-level view of the King side of the two-building complex

July 17 2011: The glass-fronted upper floors of the King Street building

July 17 2011: Northeast view of the building during streetcar track replacement work on King Street West

July 17 2011: Northeasterly view of the upper levels of the King Street wing

July 20 2011: Bathurst Street view of construction progress on the west wing

July 20 2011: West sides of the complex viewed from Bathurst Street

July 20 2011: The west wing will rise 15 storeys above Bathurst Street

July 20 2011: Adelaide Street view of the north and east sides of Six50 King West

July 17 2011: Balconies on the northeast side of the Six50 King complex

July 20 2011: Another view of balconies on the east side of the condo complex

July 20 2011: Balconies and windows at the northeast corner of the building

Thompson Residences on King Street West

Freed strikes condo gold — again. Thompson Residences is yet another Freed Developments project on the Central King West strip, just a stone’s throw from its hip Thompson Hotel & condo complex that opened at 550 Wellington Street West in 2010 (and scored a coveted spot on Condé Nast Traveler magazine’s Hot List Hotels 2011). According to the project website, Thompson Residences will offer “hotel inspired living” in 314 luxury condos, lofts and penthouses “loaded with the amenities and services of a top-tier hotel” — along with access to the Thompson Hotel on the other side of Stewart Street to the south. As such, it will be the polar opposite to the former motor hotel that once occupied the site at 621 King Street West.

For this project, Freed chose Saucier + Perrotte Architectes of Montreal, whose design for the 12-storey Residences (actually, two separate buildings situated parallel to each other) is described at length in a February 18 2010 Globe and Mail column by John Bentley Mays. But Freed had to battle the City for approval to build as high as it planned. City zoning permitted a maximum height of 20 meters for the site, but the Thompson Residences buildings will stand 36 and 40 meters tall, respectively. The height dispute wound up at the Ontario Municipal Board, which sided with Freed, and now the project is proceeding. (A short online story in the Toronto Star described the dispute and its outcome, as did a more extensive February 25 2011 Globe and Mail article available to online subscribers.)

Below are several photos showing the Thompson Residences site while the property was occupied by the condo project sales centre after the motel was demolished, and with recent pictures showing some preliminary site preparation and excavation activity.

From the Thompson Residences project website, an artistic rendering of the condominium, designed by Montreal’s Saucier + Perrotte Architectes

March 11 2010: The Thompson Residences site on King east of Bathurst Street. The Thompson Hotel complex at 550 Wellington Street stands at rear left.

November 23 2010: Sandwich board sign outside the showroom

January 14 2011: The Thompson Residences showroom reflects buildings on the north side of King Street in this view, looking east along King

January 14 2011: The old motel sign was re-purposed for the condo project

June 21 2011: Looking west along King Street at the Thompson Residences site

June 21 2011: Preliminary site preparation work is underway

June 21 2011: An excavating machine digging at the west end of site

June 21 2011: Marketing signs on hoarding along the east end of the property

July 17 2011: Looking across King Street toward the Thompson Residences site

July 17 2011: Looking toward the west half of the construction site

July 17 2011: Excavation work continuing at the west end of the property

July 17 2011: Two excavation machines at work on the site

July 17 2011: The Thompson hotel and condo complex on Stewart Street is visible across the Thompson Residences site

July 17 2011: A mound of demolition rubble at the east end of the property

Ripe for redevelopment: Will offices or condos rise from the demolition dust at 90 Harbour Street?

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July 1 2011: Constructed in 1953 as the Ontario Workmen’s Compensation Board Building, 90 Harbour Street was headquarters for the Ontario Provincial Police from 1975 to 1989. It has been vacant since then, apart from occasional short-term occupation for film productions.

The five-storey stone frontispiece on 90 Harbour Street’s front (south) facade. The building is a blend of Art Deco, Art Moderne and Modern Classical styles.

The building’s first floor base is clad in polished black granite, while the upper floors are clad in buff brick. The window trim is limestone.

July 17 2011: Demolition of the building’s west wing gets underway

July 17 2011: A mound of rubble beneath two holes smashed in the west wall

Prime location: A 2.5-acre piece of property being touted as one of the last major development sites available in downtown Toronto is up for grabs near Harbourfront.

The Ontario Realty Corporation is selling 90 Harbour Street, a building originally constructed in 1953 as offices for the Ontario Workmen’s Compensation Board and subsequently used as headquarters for the Ontario Provincial Police. With frontage on Lake Shore Boulevard, York Street and Harbour Street, the five-storey structure occupies a prime piece of real estate in an area currently experiencing a massive building boom.

Just a short walk from Union Station, 90 Harbour is situated directly across Lake Shore Blvd. from the recently completed Maple Leaf Square office, condo, hotel, retail, and restaurant development. It also sits kitty-corner to York Centre, where four condo towers are currently under construction for two different building projects: ÏCE Condominiums and Infinity3 Condominiums. Immediately to the north of those is the Southcore Financial Centre, where the 26-storey PwC office tower at 18 York Street is nearing completion and where construction has commenced on two more highrise buildings: the 30-storey Bremner Tower and the 45-storey Delta Toronto hotel tower. And just south of 90 Harbour, a 30-storey office building has been proposed as Phase III of Waterpark Place across the street.

When I passed by 90 Harbour at the beginning of this month, Ontario Realty Corporation “for sale” signs were posted at several places on the property, but public parking lots were still operating on the east and west sides of the building. When I passed by this afternoon the signs were gone, the entire property was surrounded by blue security fencing, and a Progreen Demolition machine was working next to a large mound of rubble on the west side of the building, beneath two large holes that had been smashed into the brown brick wall.

The demolition work will disappoint any city heritage buffs who may have been hoping that the building might be retained as part of any new development project. The City of Toronto had intended to designate 90 Harbour as a heritage building several years ago because of its “cultural heritage value” as “a representative example of a mid-20th Century office building that blends features of the three prevalent styles of the period.” As a “reasons for listing” document explained: “While the symmetry, cladding and profile reflect Modern Classical styling, the stepped plan and vertical elements recall Art Deco and the band windows are identified with the Art Moderne. All three styles were introduced in the 1920s and remained popular until the International Style or Modern Movement gained acceptance in the 1960s.” However, the City could not proceed with the heritage designation because it did not have authority, under Ontario law, to impose such a designation on provincial government property. The City subsequently withdrew its notice of intention to designate, and issued a demolition permit on February 14 2011.

So what’s in store for 90 Harbour? I wasn’t able to find out today if any parts of the facade or other building elements will be saved, or if the building will be demolished completely. However, the ad on the Ontario Realty Corporation website does state that “Proposed development scenarios and designs have continued to retain heritage elements of the existing structure.” The website also points out that the property has “excellent” potential for commercial and residential development and is bound to “build off the success of established and proposed commercial and residential developments along the Harbourfront” as well as the new “office and residential projects immediately to the north.” I will follow up once I learn of any development plans for the site.

Below is an aerial photo that appears on the Ontario Realty Corporation website flyer for 90 Harbour, showing the property’s location in downtown Toronto, along with some of my own recent photos of the building.

Ontario Realty Corporation website photo showing the location of 90 Harbour Street between Harbourfront and the Gardiner Expressway

July 1 2011: 90 Harbour Street seen from the intersection of York Street and Lake Shore Boulevard, looking to the northeast

June 22 2011: A for sale sign posted outside the property on York Street

June 22 2011: Looking north from the parking lot on the west side of 90 Harbour Street toward the PwC office tower at 18 York Street (left) and the Maple Leaf Square condo/office/retail/restaurant/hotel development

June 22 2011: To the south of 90 Harbour are the Waterpark Place office towers (left), the 33 Harbour Square condos (center) and the 55 Harbour Square condos

July 1 2011: 90 Harbour viewed from York Street, looking east. The two condos in the background are the Pinnacle Success Tower and the 33 Bay Residences at the Pinnacle Centre, both on Harbour between Bay and Yonge Streets.

February 18 2011: The Toronto Harbour Commission building at 60 Harbour Street on the east side of 90 Harbour

July 1 2011: The CN Tower and Maple Leaf Square condo towers rise behind 90 Harbour, viewed here from the parking lot on the east side of the building

July 1 2011: Looking east along the front facade of 90 Harbour Street

July 1 2011: The dilapidated condition of the front lawn and wheelchair entrance created an eyesore outside an otherwise attractive building

July 1 2011: A “for sale” sign outside the building’s former main entrance

July 1 2011: Broken windows on the front facade of 90 Harbour Street

July 1 2011: The building’s 3-storey west wing and the 5-floor center section.

July 1 2011: A view of the west wing from the Harbour Street sidewalk

July 1 2011: Looking toward the CN Tower from the west parking lot

July 1 2011: 90 Harbour viewed from the corner of York St. and Lake Shore Blvd.

July 17 2011: Security fencing along the northeast perimeter of the property

July 17 2011: Demolition activity at the west wing of 90 Harbour

July 17 2011: Demolition machine working beside the west wing of 90 Harbour

July 17 2011: Water sprays control dust during demolition activity at 90 Harbour

July 17 2011: Water sprays control dust from the huge pile of rubble

July 17 2011: Only one demolition machine was working on the site today

July 17 2011: A closer look at the two gaping holes in the wall of the west wing

Regent Park construction continues its quick pace

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June 21 2011: Brilliant green Securock glass-mat sheathing panels give 40 Oaks, the Toronto Christian Resource Centre’s 87-unit affordable housing project, a bold presence in the northwest corner of Regent Park …

… but by July 13 2011, the green is beginning to disappear as insulation and cladding is applied to the building’s exterior

June 21 2011: The front entrance to the One Park West condominiums at 260 Sackville Street is still cordoned off as exterior landscaping and sidewalk installation continues …

… but by July 13 2011, the landscaping and sidewalks are complete, the front entrance is open (but awaiting some finishing touches), and One Park West residents have moved into their new condos

June 21 2011: The steel frame for the Regent Park aquatic centre takes shape at the northwest corner of Dundas and Sumach Streets …

… and has more than doubled in width by July 13 2011

June 21 2011: Demolition of low-rise apartments created this large empty plot of land, seen from St Bartholomew Street looking north to Dundas Street …

… which is right next door (to the west) of the Paintbox Condominium highrise currently under construction (right) …

… but by July 13 2011, the property is buzzing with work crews …

… as construction begins on another new Regent Park condo highrise

June 21 2011: The Paintbox Condominium tower has risen to 11 storeys behind the Regent Park Arts and Cultural Centre on Dundas Street …

… by July 13 2011, Paintbox has climbed four storeys higher, with crews beginning to pour concrete for the 16th floor

June 21 2011: A view of construction progress at Paintbox Condominiums from St Bartholomew Street to its southwest …

… and another look at the building, standing four storeys taller, on July 13 2011

At last! Great Gulf breaking ground today for its 70-storey One Bloor condo tower at Yonge & Bloor

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July 13 2011: Construction equipment rises above the One Bloor condo tower construction site, viewed here from the west side of Yonge Street

Shovels ready: It only felt like it was taking forever, but it’s finally going to happen: According to a July 14 2011 article posted on the Toronto Star website, Great Gulf Homes will break ground tomorrow to officially launch construction of its 70-storey One Bloor condo tower at the southeast corner of at Yonge and Bloor Streets.

Frankly, it’s about time. Seven months ago — in a January 10 2011 post, to be exact — I publicly wondered when Great Gulf was going to get shovels in the ground and start building the One Bloor tower on what is often referred to as the “premier” piece of real estate in Canada. During the months that followed, heavy machines rolled on and off of the One Bloor site, hinting that a construction start was imminent. But they didn’t stay for long, and nothing appeared to change on the property. But after foundation building equipment arrived on the site in June, it seemed clear that preliminary construction work for the tower was set to start.

Initially, One Bloor was slated to be a 65-storey condo building with two floors of retail space fronting on the prestigious Yonge & Bloor intersection. However, thanks to strong buyer demand (the Star says 85% of the units in the 732-suite tower have been sold), One Bloor will now soar five storeys taller — topping off at 70 floors. Construction is expected to cost $450 million and last until the end of 2014.

Below are several One Bloor website renderings that suggest how the skyscraper, designed by Toronto’s Hariri Pontarini Architects, will look, along with photos I’ve taken of the project site in recent months.

Condo tower rendering from the One Bloor project website

Condo tower podium rendering from the One Bloor project website

Another tower rendering seen in this screen capture from the One Bloor website

May 1 2011: Trailers on the otherwise vacant south side of the One Bloor condo tower construction site, viewed from the west side of the Xerox Tower

May 1 2011: Looking west across the vacant One Bloor site

May 1 2011: Looking northwest toward the corner of Yonge & Bloor

June 22 2011: A shoring rig on the northern half of the One Bloor site

June 22 2011: Yonge Street view of the shoring rig on the One Bloor property

June 22 2011: Bloor Street view of the shoring rig

July 6 2011: Two shoring rigs ready for action on the building site

July 6 2011: A closer look at the two rigs sitting idle on the site

July 13 2011: More construction equipment and a tent have been brought in for the groundbreaking ceremony

July 14 2011: My balcony view at sunset of skyscrapers near Yonge & Bloor Streets. The 45-storey Casa condominium tower (center) currently dominates the skyline; however, in three or four years’ time, One Bloor — which will rise just to the right rear of Casa — will be the tallest building in the area

Glass cladding installation adds shape & sheen to new Bridgepoint Hospital being built in Riverdale

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July 13 2011: Glass cladding gradually encloses floors of the new Bridgepoint Hospital under construction in Riverdale (seen here looking to the northeast from the Gerrard Street bridge above the Don Valley Parkway)

July 13 2011: Cabbagetown view of cladding along the lower west wall

July 13 2011: Closer view of cladding on the lower west wall

July 13 2011: A glass wall segment on the west side of the building

July 13 2011: Cladding installation on the building’s southwest corner

July 13 2011: Cladding along the south side of the building, facing Gerrard Street

July 13 2011: Glass cladding installation in the southeast corner

July 13 2011: A cloud reflects in a panel on the south side of the building

July 13 2011: A construction worker appears to emerge from clouds as he works behind one of the newly installed glass wall panels

July 13 2011: Glass cladding installation along the east side of the hospital building

Glass goes on: One long-familiar city landmark is set to disappear while a notorious historical building under restoration close by is going to get a new lease on life serving a function completely different from its original purpose. The Bridgepoint Health hospital building near the northwest corner of Broadview Avenue and Gerrard Streets has been a landmark for decades. Standing on a Riverdale hillside overlooking the Don Valley, the distinctive semicircular building has been seen daily by thousands of commuters driving up and down the Don Valley Parkway, or crossing over the valley and the Don River on either the Bloor Street Viaduct or one of the east-west bridges farther south that connects Riverdale to downtown. But construction of a new hospital building has been taking attention away from the curved structure for months — and in two years’ time, the old Bridgepoint building will disappear from the landscape altogether.

Originally established in 1860 as a House of Refuge for “incurables and the indigent poor,” Bridgepoint evolved into an institution renowned for specialized care, research and education for complex chronic disease and multiple lifelong illnesses. In the process, it outgrew its dated and inefficient building, and desperately needed to redevelop its facilities to better cope with steadily increasing demand for care and services. In 2006, the City of Toronto approved a Community Master Plan that gave Bridgepoint the green light to construct a new 472-bed hospital facility as part of a comprehensive neighbourhood redevelopment program that will revitalize a vast swath of land northwest of the Broadview-Gerrard intersection, including the historic Don Jail and two heritage buildings nearby.

Converting the historic jail into part of a state-of-the-art health care facility is arguably one of the most intriguing elements of the Bridgepoint redevelopment. Built in 1864, the Don Jail was designed by William Thomas, the same architect who designed Toronto’s St. Lawrence Hall on King Street East at Jarvis Street. The jail was closed in 1977; a “new jail” has been operating right next door ever since, but will itself be closed and then demolished once a new detention centre has been opened in Etobicoke. Restoration work on the “old” Don Jail started last year and is currently in full swing. According to the Preserving the Historic Don Jail information page on the Bridgepoint website, the building exterior is being restored and preserved, and will be linked to the new hospital building by a modern glass bridge. Inside, the building’s rotunda will be restored to its original splendour. The rotunda once featured a glass floor, which at some point was covered over, along with a skylight, which was similarly tiled in. Both will be uncovered during the restoration process, and the rotundra will become a publicly-accessible space for community and hospital events. “On the second level, walkways run the circumference of the rotunda and are held up by wrought-iron gargoyles (dragons and snakes). The walkways, the gargoyles and the wrought-iron railings along the walkways will all be preserved. As well, a group of cells in the basement and the gallows will be retained in their original state for historical purposes,” the website states.

When complete, the Bridgepoint campus will include the new hospital, the Bridgepoint Collaboratory for Research and Innovation, Bridgepoint Family Health Team primary care services, and the Bridgepoint Health Foundation. Toronto firms Stantec and KPMB Architects developed the “design exemplar” for the Bridgepoint request for proposals process, while the project’s architects of record — HDR Architects and Diamond + Schmitt Architects — worked from that exemplar to develop a final design that met compliance requirements. Construction of the new hospital commenced in 2009 and is scheduled for completion in 2013. Renovation of the Don Jail began last year and is expected to finish in 2012. Demolition of the existing hospital, along with the Toronto Jail facility to the east of the Don Jail building, is anticipated to take place between April and June of 2013.

Below are renderings of the new hospital building as they appear on the Bridgepoint website, along with photos I’ve taken showing construction progress at various stages.

September 26 2010: Riverdale Park view of the current Bridgepoint Hospital

This architectural rendering from the Bridgepoint Health website offers an aerial view suggesting how the Bridgepoint campus in Riverdale will look in several years with the new hospital (left), and the restored historic Don Jail (right)

This architectural rendering from the Bridgepoint website suggests how the hospital will look when viewed from the southwest on Gerrard Street

Another architectural rendering, from the project website, showing a Gerrard Street view of the new hospital and restored Don Jail

Also from the project website, a rendering that depicts how the hospital will appear when viewed from the northeast, in Riverdale Park

Above is a rendering of the hospital viewed from the east, while below …

… is a rendering showing a view of the hospital from one of the footbridges that crosses the Don Valley to the northwest of the project site

April 27 2010: From the Bridgepoint website, an aerial view of the excavation underway immediately west of the present hospital and the Don Jail

October 27 2010: A photo I took from Cabbagetown, to the west, of three construction cranes at the Bridgepoint hospital construction site …

… and, from the Bridgepoint Health website, a photo showing an aerial view of the construction site on the very same day

Bridgepoint redevelopment proposal sign posted on Gerrard Street East

March 27 2011 : Bridgepoint hospital construction sign on Gerrard Street

March 27 2011: Riverdale Park view of the north side of the semicircular Bridgepoint Hospital. This building will be demolished — likely in early 2013 — after the new hospital is finished and occupied.

March 27 2011: Riverdale Park view of the present hospital, left, and the new facility under construction next door to its immediate west

March 27 2011: Riverdale Park view of construction of the hospital’s north side

March 27 2011: The present hospital building, seen from Broadview Avenue

March 27 2011: Construction viewed from the southwest on Gerrard Street

March 27 2011: Construction progress viewed from the parking lot situated to the southeast of the building site

March 27 2011: View from the southeast of ground floor construction progress

March 27 2011: Construction progress on the south side of the building

March 27 2011: Looking up at the southeast corner of the new hospital building

March 27 2011: Parking lot view of the southeast corner of the new building (left), the present hospital (center) and the west wing of the Don Jail (right)

March 27 2011: Looking northeast from the parking lot at restoration activity underway on the exterior of the historic Don Jail building

March 27 2011: Exterior restoration work on the Don Jail’s west wing

March 27 2011: The central rotunda section of the Don Jail

March 27 2011: The Don Jail’s main entrance and rotunda will be accessible to the public for community uses and public gallery space. it also will be used for hospital events and lectures.

March 27 2011: Architectural details on the front of the Don Jail building

March 27 2011: The “Father Time” sculpture above the Don Jail main entrance

March 27 2011: The upper southeast corner of the Don Jail, built in 1864

March 27 2011: The east wing of the “old” Don Jail and the adjacent “new” jail, which will be closed and then demolished once a new detention centre has been constructed in the west end of the city

March 27 2011: Gerrard Street view of the Don Jail and the “new” jail (right).

March 27 2011: Two historic houses will be retained on the Bridgepoint property along Gerrard Street. New park grounds will enhance this area.

March 27 2011: The west side of the jail’s former gatekeeper house. The building will be retained and incorporated into the new park area.

March 27 2011: The former Governor’s House at 562 Gerrard Street East will be retained and restored as part of the Bridgepoint redevelopment project

March 27 2011: The Governor’s House sits next door to the Riverdale branch of the Toronto Public Library. The library entrance, at the northwest corner of Broadview Avenue and Gerrard Street East, is seen here.

March 27 2011: Gerrard Street view of construction on the southwest corner of the hospital building

March 27 2011: Bridgepoint hospital construction progress viewed from the Gerrard Street bridge above the Don Valley Parkway

March 27 2011: Hospital construction viewed from the Gerrard Street bridge

March 27 201: Bridgepoint Hospital construction progress viewed from from a park below the Cabbagetown neighbourhood on the west side of the Don Valley

June 21 2011: Riverdale Park view of the Bridgepoint Health hospital buildings

June 21 2011: Construction progress on the south end of the new building

June 21 2011: Exterior restoration work on the Don Jail building

June 21 2011 The exterior of the Don Jail is being restored and preserved. The Jail will be connected to the new hospital by a modern glass bridge.

June 21 2011: Restoration activity on the east wing of the Don Jail

June 21 2011: Hospital construction progress viewed from the southwest

June 21 2011: Construction progress viewed from the Gerrard Street bridge

July 13 2011: The new hospital rises above Gerrard Street. Below is an online album containing dozens more photos of the hospital construction.

8-storey Trinity Lofts throws a curve into condo building boom in downtown’s Lower Eastside

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This rendering of the curvelinear Trinity Lofts building appears on signage posted on hoarding at the condo construction site on Eastern Avenue

July 1 2011: Looking west toward the Trinity Lofts condo construction site and the skyscrapers of Toronto’s Financial District

Curved condo: The sharp bend in the road where Eastern Avenue meets Front Street is going to get a lot more visually interesting for passing motorists in just a few months’ time. Right now, all that passersby can see is a tall red crane soaring above the middle of a wedge-shaped piece of property on the north side of Eastern Avenue, between Trinity and Erin Streets. Behind the poster-covered wooden hoarding that surrounds the site, work is progressing three levels below grade on the foundation for Trinity Lofts, an eight-storey condo building with a dramatic curvelinear design that will match the bend on Eastern Avenue. As building progresses above street level, likely sometime in late summer, passersby will get to watch the curve take shape.

A project of Streetcar Developments, Trinity Lofts will have 81 loft condos in floorplans ranging from a 535-square-foot 1-bedroom (with prices starting at $329,900) to an 813-square-foot 2-bedroom + den with 101-square foot balcony (starting at $491,900). The building will have two townhomes; TH01 is a 1,697-square-foot 2-bedroom with den and 582-square-foot garden going for $809,900. Occupancy is expected for around this time next summer.

Streetcar certainly picked a great location for this project, one of several small condo complexes it has either already built or is currently constructing in the downtown’s booming Lower Eastside (a July 9 2010 article from the Toronto Star describes the various projects). Located one block south of King Street, the building is just a short streetcar ride from the Financial District, only a two-minute walk from the Distillery District, and within reasonably short walking distance of furniture and grocery stores, including the St Lawrence Market. It’s also just a short walk from the new Don River Park that is being built to the southeast as one of the Lower Eastside developments underway for the 2015 Pan Am Games. Loft owners feeling too lazy to walk anywhere won’t have to go far to find wheels — there’s several car dealerships right across the street and around the corner. And the location should feel extra-safe and secure for anyone except fugitives on the lam: It’s right right across Erin Street from the Toronto’s 51 Division police headquarters.

I’ve walked and cycled past the Trinity Lofts site several times in recent months, but haven’t been able to see what’s happening behind the solid wall of construction hoarding. However, the photo below (a screen shot from the Trinity Lofts project website) shows construction progress as of last month. The others are photos I’ve snapped recently showing the condo location viewed from different perspectives on Eastern Avenue.

Foundation construction progress photo from the Trinity Lofts condo project website

July 1 2011: Eastern Avenue view of the construction site, looking north

July 1 2011: The Trinity Lofts condo building site extends along Eastern Avenue from Erin Street (left) to Trinity Street

July 1 2011: Northeasterly view of the site from Eastern Avenue

April 30 2011: Like most new condos, Trinity Lofts will have street-level retail

Clear Spirit condo tower continues upward climb over Distillery District’s southeastern corner

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July 1 2011: Clear Spirit condo tower construction at the Distillery District viewed from Cherry Street looking west toward the CN Tower (rear left)

July 1 2011: Looking from the Queen Street bridge above the Don Valley towards the Distillery District (upper right). Clear Spirit (with crane) will rise 40 floors to overtake the 32-storey Pure Spirit condo tower (top right). The construction zone in the foreground is where the River City condominium complex is being built.

June 21 2011: Clear Spirit rises above the Gardiner Expressway in this view from the bike trail along Cherry Street near the Keating Channel in the port lands.

Rising higher: As the Clear Spirit condominium tower soars taller, it’s becoming a lot easier to spot Toronto’s historic Distillery District on the city skyline. Nearly one-third of the way toward its 40-storey peak height, the condo tower frame and construction crane are now clearly visible from many different parts of downtown and Riverdale. Clear Spirit is the second condo tower that Toronto’s architects Alliance has designed for the Distillery District. The first, Pure Spirit, was built at the northwestern corner of the district in 2009, and stands 32 storeys tall. The Distillery District’s master plan calls for yet another condo tower — the 35-storey Gooderham condominiums — to be constructed on the northeast corner of the property, right next to Clear Spirit, along with what the architects Alliance website describes as “a low ‘ribbon building’ with a planted roof.” Renderings of the various buildings can be viewed at the link I’ve provided to the aA website. Photos of recent Clear Spirit construction progress can be viewed below, while earlier photos can be seen in my March 20 2011 post and in my February 16 2011 post.

June 21 2011: Clear Spirit seen from the bike path along Cherry Street

June 21 2011: The south side of the Clear Spirit tower

June 21 2011: Supervisors checking out the construction

June 21 2011: Clear Spirit viewed from the parking lot along the southwest side of the Distillery District. The building in the foreground is the Pump House; the one in the middle is the Case Goods Warehouse, home of Artscape Studios

June 21 2011: Construction of the Clear Spirit condo tower climbs above The Case Goods Warehouse building

June 21 2011: Looking up the SE corner of the tower

June 21 2011: Distinctively angled floorplates on the tower’s south side

June 21 2011: Clear Spirit and the Gooderham tower will transform a site that is approximately one-fifth the size of the entire Distillery District

June 21 2011: Construction forms protruding from the Clear Spirit tower

June 21 2011: Entrance to the condo’s underground parking garage

June 21 2011 Clear Spirit condo tower construction viewed from Tank House lane near Trinity Street in the Distillery District

June 21 2011: Clear Spirit viewed from outside the Distillery District entrance at Mill and Trinity Streets

July 1 2011: Clear Spirit (left) and Pure Spirit (right) viewed from the intersection of Cherry & Mill Streets. The 35-storey Gooderham condo tower will be built near the left of the area shown in this photo.

July 1 2011: The low-rise building on the corner is one of three Tank Houses now home to the Young Centre for the Performing Arts. The Gooderham tower will be built immediately south of the Young Centre.

July 1 2011: Clear Spirit soaring above the Distillery District’s Tank House Lane entrance off Cherry Street

July 1 2011: Looking up from Cherry Street at the Clear Spirit and its crane

July 1 2011: Construction entrance off Cherry Street

July 1 2011: Project team poster and site plan map

July 1 2011: Looking up at the east side of the building

July 1 2011: The east side of the tower and its podium

July 1 2011: Tall support pillars on the tower’s east side

July 1 2011: One of the support pillars stands at a slight angle

New Casey House HIV/AIDS health care building will restore 1875 heritage mansion at Jarvis & Isabella

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July 6 2011: This city heritage-designated mansion at 571 Jarvis Street — the William R. Johnston House from 1875 — will be restored and incorporated into the Casey House redevelopment proposed for the corner of Jarvis & Isabella Streets …

… however, this coach house at 119 Isabella Street (seen on March 1 2011) would be demolished during construction of the new HIV/AIDS care facility. A city heritage-listed property, the coach house was built in 1889.

Casey House: The city has scheduled a community consultation meeting for tomorrow evening (July 7) to obtain neighbourhood input on a redevelopment proposal that would see a new Casey House HIV/AIDS health care facility constructed along the south side of Isabella Street, between Jarvis and Huntley Streets. The new building would include a five-storey structure rising behind and attached to the William R. Johnston House at 571 Jarvis Street, a brick mansion built in 1875. Used as offices for decades, the grey-painted mansion (affectionately called “The Grey Lady” by neighbourhood residents) would be restored as part of the Casey House redevelopment. From its 22.7-metre peak height behind the mansion, the new building would terrace down to three storeys toward Huntley Street, where the entrance to an underground parking garage would be situated — directly across the street from the existing Casey House hospice at the southeast corner of Huntley & Isabella.

Although Toronto heritage building enthusiasts will be relieved that the historic mansion will be saved and incorporated into the new facility, they undoubtedly will be dismayed that a handsome 122-year-old coach house at 119 Isabella Street will be destroyed during construction. Built at the southwest corner of Huntley & Isabella in 1889, the coach house is currently used by Casey House for administration and training space. Since it couldn’t be included in the new building design, its demise appears likely — unless an individual or organization with property to which the coach house could be relocated steps in to save it.

Established as Canada’s first free-standing HIV/AIDS hospice in 1988, Casey House is a 13-bed specialty hospital funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. Community programming initiatives, including a Home Hospice Program, counselling, nursing and outreach services, are funded primarily through donations to Casey House Foundation.

The new building will enable Casey House to double its capacity to meet increasing needs for its services, and to develop a Day Health Program that the Casey House website says will be “a centre of excellence in HIV/AIDS clinical care, education and research.” To this end, Casey House is undertaking a capital redevelopment campaign to raise $10 million. (Final renderings aren’t publicly available yet because Casey House needs approval from the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care before it proceeds with detailed building designs, CEO Stephanie Karapita told me today.)

Below are photos I’ve taken in recent months of the Casey House redevelopment site, including the mansion at 571 Jarvis and the coach house on Isabella Street, along with the present Casey House facility at 9 Huntley Street. The community consultation meeting about the Casey House project is scheduled for 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday at the Wellesley Community Centre.

July 6 2011: The 571 Jarvis Street mansion which will become part of the new Casey House facility, seen here from the west side of Jarvis this morning.

July 6 2011: Lush foliage obscures street views of the front entrance to the William R. Johnston House at 571 Jarvis Street

April 7 2011: The 571 Jarvis Street mansion viewed from the southwest corner of Jarvis and Isabella Streets. The new Casey House facility would rise above “The Grey Lady” mansion and extend east to Huntley Street.

April 7 2011: A view from the west side of Jarvis Street toward the Casey House development site. The new health care building will rise in the area that appears in the middle of this photo (behind the tall evergreen tree).

April 7 2011: The enormous Rogers Communications office building looms large above the 571 Jarvis Street mansion (right)

April 5 2011: A spring look at The Grey Lady mansion from Jarvis Street, before seasonal greenery obscures much of it from view

April 30 2011: A rental apartment building at 10 Huntley Street rises behind the 571 Jarvis Street mansion.

April 30 2011: Looking toward the south side of 571 Jarvis Street from the parking lot behind the 10 Huntley Street apartment building. The highrise building at right rear is the James Cooper Mansion Condos, a project noteworthy for having incorporated a restored historic mansion into the new building.

April 30 2011: A closer view of the south side of The Grey Lady mansion

April 30 2011: Southeast view of The Grey Lady mansion from the 10 Huntley Street apartment building parking lot next door

April 30 2011: Two 11-storey rental apartment buildings face the Casey House building site from the west side of Jarvis Street.

March 1 2011: The north side of The Grey Lady mansion along Isabella Street

March 1 2011: A view of The Grey Lady from the north side of Isabella Street

March 1 2011: Windows overlooking Isabella Street. The exterior of The Grey Lady will get a much-needed sprucing up when the new Casey House is built.

March 1 2011: The property between 571 Jarvis Street (right) and the 119 Isabella Street coach house (partially visible at left) is presently used for parking. The new Casey House building will occupy this entire area.

March 1 2011: Pedestrians will access the new building from Isabella Street

April 30 2011: The east side of The Grey Lady mansion

April 30 2011: Looking towards The Grey Lady mansion from the east side of the parking lot near the coach house that will be demolished

April 30 2011: Besides the huge Rogers Communication headquarters, several townhouses and a 110-year-old building (far right) sit on the north side of Isabella Street, directly opposite the Casey House development site.

February 28 2011: The west side of the 119 Isabella Street coach house

April 30 2011: Another view of the west side of the coach house

February 28 2011: The courtyard entrance to the coach house, off Isabella Street

March 1 2011: A view of the coach house from the northeast corner of Huntley & Isabella Streets

March 1 2011: The Samuel R Wickett House sits at 122 & 124 Isabella Street, directly across the street from the coach house. It was constructed in 1901.

March 1 2011: The present Casey House hospice building at the southeast corner of Huntley and Isabella Streets. No decision has yet been made as to what will be done with this property once the new Casey House facility has been built.

April 2 2011: The north side of Casey House hospice, facing Isabella Street

April 2 2011: The west side of Casey House Hospice at 9 Huntley Street

April 2 2011: A Huntley Street view of the coach house that will be demolished when the new Casey House building is constructed. This will be the location of the entrance to the underground parking garage.

Keeping tabs on … below-grade building progress at the Infinity3 and ÏCE condo tower projects

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July 1 2011: Looking down on the ÏCE Condos building site from the east side of Grand Trunk Crescent. I counted five below-ground floors under construction in the southwest corner (right) where a 57-storey tower is going up. Underground parking floors for its 67-storey sibling are taking shape in the foreground.

July 1 2011: Right next door to the ÏCE Condos site, the underground levels for the Infinity3 condo complex are gradually filling in. This is a view of the southwest corner of the property next to Lower Simcoe Street.

Big basements: The giant L-shaped excavation south of the railway tracks, between York and Lower Simcoe Streets, keeps filling in as construction proceeds on underground levels for the two condominium complexes that will tower above the Gardiner Expressway. The greatest progress appears to have been made in the middle of the site along the property line between the ÏCE Condos development to the east and the Infinity3 Condominium project to the west. There, construction work is visible for five underground levels for Phase I of the ICE Condos complex, a 55-storey cylindrical tower. Right next door, on the west side of the wall, at least three underground levels are in varied stages of construction for Infinity3, which is a project of Conservatory Group.

Meanwhile, since units in Phase I and the 65-storey Phase II tower have completely sold out, builder Lanterra Developments has demolished the ÏCE Condos sales centre that used to sit near the corner of York Street and Bremner Boulevard. A 31-storey office building is planned for the site, but a construction start date for that phase of the project has not been announced. Part of the property is now being used as a pay-and-display parking lot that’s proving to be popular with people driving to the area to attend concert and sports events at the nearby Rogers Centre and Air Canada Centre.

Below are photos showing construction progress on both projects in the last couple of weeks. Previous updates and pictures can be viewed in my April 23 2011 post and my February 25 2011 post.

June 20 2011: A red excavating machine (rear middle of photo) completes demolition work on the former ÏCE Condos sales centre. Units in the two-tower condo complex are completely sold out …

… so the site is now being used as a pay-and-display public parking area

June 20 2011: From Lower Simcoe Street, an eastward-looking view of the Infinity3 project (foreground) and the ICE Condos development (in the back below the blue, yellow and white construction trailers on York Street)

June 20 2011: The Infinity3 complex is going up directly across the street from Infinity1, a 35-storey condo at 30 Grand Trunk Crescent, and Infinity2, a 16-storey condo at 51 Lower Simcoe Street.

June 20 2011: Construction of Infinity3’s underground levels is more advanced on the east side of the property; the west half still has a long way to go to catch up.

June 20 2011: A view of work on two of Infinity3’s underground parking floors

June 20 2011: Progress on three levels is visible at the southwest corner

June 20 2011: A closer view of work on two of Infinity3’s underground floors

June 20 2011: Construction crews working on the ÏCE Condos project

June 20 2011: A worker stands in rebar rods set in place for a concrete pour

June 20 2011: Two Infinity3 construction workers stand on wall construction forms

June 20 2011: Two Infinity3 construction workers guide a bucket of concrete being lowered by one of the two construction cranes operating on the project

July 1 2011: A view of underground level construction toward the north end of the ÏCE Condos building site

July 1 2011: A southeasterly view across the ÏCE Condos site from the sidewalk along Grand Trunk Crescent

July 21 2011: A view of four floors at different stages of construction progress

June 20 2011: Rebar, wall forms and portable toilets on the ÏCE Condos site

June 20 2011: The southwest corner of the ÏCE Condos site is advancing at a significantly faster pace than elsewhere

July 1 2011: A view of the ÏCE Condos site, left, and the Infinity3 property, right

July 1 2011: A view of the western half of the Infinity3 construction site

July 1 2011: Overlooking the middle section of the Infinity3 construction site

July 1 2011: Infinity3 construction approaches street grade near the crane situated next to Grand Trunk Crescent

July 1 2011: Looking to the southeast across the Infinity3 construction zone

July 1 2011: Forms in place to build supporting walls for Infinity3

July 1 2011: Overlooking the eastern half of the Infinity3 construction zone

July 1 2011: Looking to the southeast behind one of the Infinity3 cranes

July 2 2011: Another view of Infinity3 from Grand Trunk Crescent

July 2 2011: There are several spots along Grand Trunk Crescent from which Infinity3 can be viewed through security fencing next to the public sidewalk

July 1 2011: The eastern section of Infinity3 next to the ÏCE Condos property

Classy curves rise above downtown U of T campus as 77 Charles West condo climbs past 10th floor

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July 3 2011: The gracefully curved southwest side of the 77 Charles condo midrise

July 3 2011: Construction progress viewed from the site’s southwest “corner”

June 21 2011: Two of the newly-constructed balconies on the southwest wall

From the 77 Charles website, a rendering of the building’s elegantly curved southwest side. The architect is Yann Weymouth of HOK.

Curves above the campus: The 77 Charles luxury condo midrise is roughly two-thirds of the way to its final 16-storey height with construction of the 11th floor well underway. The north side of the building now holds a commanding presence at the foot of St Thomas Street and has been stealing attention from One St Thomas Residences, its 29-storey black and white limestone condo tower neighbour on the north side of Charles Street.

77 Charles would be turning even more heads if it were situated on a busier street with two-way traffic where passersby could get a better look at its unique design. What I think is the building’s most appealing architectural feature is its distinctive southwest side, featuring gracefully curved glass walls and balconies overlooking the leafy University of Toronto campus. But you actually must be on the campus to take a close look, and the road with the best vantage point — St Mary Street — is a cul-de-sac terminating just a few dozen metres to the southwest of 77 Charles at the university’s Burwash Hall. Since St Mary is not heavily-travelled as a result, it will be mainly university students and staff who will get to admire 77 Charles’s curves — and even then many might not notice, unless they glance up the driveway between Rowell Jackman Hall and Loretto College on the north side of St Mary. The curves are obvious from Charles Street, too, but since it’s a westbound one-way road, only eastbound pedestrians will see them.

Below are photos I’ve taken in recent months of construction progress at 77 Charles. Earlier construction photos can be viewed in my April 7 2011 post and my February 15 2011 post, which also includes detailed information about the condo building’s neighbourhood. A project of Aspen Ridge Homes, 77 Charles was designed by Yann Weymouth of HOK Architects.

April 22 2011: 77 Charles rising at the south end of St Thomas Street

April 22 2011: Construction viewed from Charles Street, looking southeast

April 22 2011: The ground floor at 77 Charles. The first three floors will be the new home for Kintore College, a residence and cultural centre for female university students.

June 21 2011: 77 Charles now totally dominates the view down St Thomas Street

June 21 2011: Some suites are still available — for prices starting at $1.2 million

June 21 2011: Street-level view from the north side of Charles Street

June 21 2011: The curved southwest side as seen from St Mary Street, between U of T’s Rowell Jackman Hall (left) and Loretto College (right). The One St Thomas Residences condo tower rises to the northeast.

June 21 2011: St Mary Street view of the curves on 77 Charles

July 3 2011: Street-level view from the north side of Charles Street

July 3 2011: Looking up from the north side of Charles Street

July 3 2011: The curved wall viewed from the northwest on Charles Street

July 3 2011: A closer view of the building’s angles, seen from the northwest

July 3 2011: Lower levels on the south side of 77 Charles, behind Loretto College

July 3 2011: Looking up from the southwest corner of the building

July 3 2011: South view of condo floors above the 3-storey Kintore College podium

July 3 2011: Looking up at the southwest side of the building

July 3 2011: Another view of construction from behind Loretto College

July 3 2011: Curved balconies and upper floors on the building’s southwest side

July 3 2011: The walls and balconies will be sheathed in glass

July 3 2011: Another south view of the curves on 77 Charles. The brown brick wall at right is the west side of Loretto College.

City Scene: A proud architectural icon

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July 3 2011: The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) on Bloor Street sports a giant rainbow flag to celebrate Toronto Pride

City Scene: Reflections of the CN Tower

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July 1 2011: Toronto’s iconic CN Tower reflects in windows on the west side of the new 26-storey PwC office building at 18 York Street.

Demolition of former retail plaza underway at Jarvis/Dundas site for 46-storey Pace condo tower

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July 1 2011: A view of the southwest corner of Jarvis and Dundas Streets …

… where half of the small strip plaza that once occupied the site has been demolished to make way for construction of the 46-storey Pace Condos tower

March 22 2011: This is what the plaza looked like before demolition started

Strong sales: There isn’t much left of the small retail plaza that formerly sat at the southwest corner of Dundas and Jarvis Streets, home to a convenience store, coin laundry and restaurants until late last year. This week, a demolition machine began to destroy the single-storey structures that used to occupy the property on which developer Great Gulf Homes plans to construct Pace Condos. According to the rezoning application that Great Gulf filed with the city in March, the proposed 46-storey tower will have a 10-storey podium and five underground levels, and will contain 417 condominium suites. The Pace Condos website indicates that 27 different floor plans are available for units ranging from small studios to 1- and 2-bedroom apartments, along with “family suites” offering 3, 3.5 or 4 bedrooms. Design-wise, Pace Condos will be “a paragon of architectural brilliance,” the website gushes. “Pace is a shimmering glass tower artfully placed on a podium comprised of dark charcoal-coloured bricks. This is urban elegance at its best. This is eye-catching, eye candy design the likes of which the city has never seen,” it adds. Curiously, the website doesn’t credit Toronto’s Diamond + Schmitt Architects, the firm behind the tower design it lauds so highly, although it does mention that “custom kitchens” will be designed by Ciccone Simone.

When I first wrote about the Pace Condos project in my March 22 2011 post, I noted that the building location is a seedy area on the edge of one of Canada’s poorest residential districts. While I personally wouldn’t want to live in the neighbourhood, nor would any of the friends with whom I have discussed the condo project, I did acknowledge that Great Gulf would probably find plenty of eager buyers willing to pay to live there. It looks like that has indeed been the case: According to the project website, 14 of the condo’s 27 floorplans have already sold out.

Below is a screenshot — from the Pace Condos website — showing how the proposed tower will look, along with several more photos I took today of demolition progress on the building site.

From the Pace Condos website, an architectural illustration of the glass tower and its 10-storey dark charcoal-coloured brick podium

July 1 2011: A view of the Pace Condos site from outside the Hilton Garden Inn Toronto/City Centre on the northeast corner of Dundas & Jarvis

July 1 2011: The former convenience store building has been reduced to rubble

July 1 2011: Only the south wall of the former retail businesses is left standing

July 1 2011: The former coin laundry building is partially demolished

July 1 2011: A view of the Pace Condos site from the north side of Dundas Street. The Grand Hotel & Suites Toronto is the tower at left, while the highrise at right rear is a condominium; both are located on Jarvis Street just south of Dundas.

July 1 2011: Another view of the site from the north side of Dundas Street

July 1 2011: Demolition will resume after the Canada Day holiday weekend

July 1 2011: A view of the site from Jarvis Street, looking west

PwC tower aims for autumn occupancy as digging continues for hotel & office towers next door

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June 20 2011: The exterior construction elevator has been removed from the south side of the PwC tower as the office building nears completion …

… while excavation work is underway for the Delta hotel and Bremner office building that will join PwC as part of the Southcore Financial Centre

July 1 2011: Only 10 floors of windows remain to be installed on the south wall

Nearly finished: Occupancy is expected to commence this fall for the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) office tower at 18 York Street, the first of three buildings that will make up the Southcore Financial Centre (SFC) complex occupying the entire block of Bremner Boulevard between York and Lower Simcoe Streets. When I walked past the SFC site recently, I saw that the temporary construction elevator had been removed from the south side of the PwC tower, where windows are gradually being installed where the elevator previously rose. Meanwhile, crews were busy with site preparation and excavation for the 45-storey Delta Toronto hotel and the 30-storey Bremner Tower office buildings currently under construction to PwC’s immediate west.

According to SFC, the 26-storey, 650,000-square-foot PwC tower is 96% leased. Its anchor (and namesake) tenant will be the PwC Canada accounting and consulting firm, while other major tenants will include personal and commercial insurance firm RSA Canada, engineering & construction organization SNC-Lavalin, and the commercial real estate services company Avison Young. The 700,000-square-foot Bremner Tower will rise right next door. Both office buildings were designed by Toronto’s KPMB Architects. The Delta Toronto, a four-star hotel with 566 rooms, was designed by Toronto’s Page + Steele/IBI Group Architects. Scheduled completion date for the Bremner Tower is December 2013, while construction of the Delta Toronto is expected to finish in the fall of 2014.

Below are pics of recent construction activity at the SFC site. Further information and photos of earlier construction progress, along with architectural renderings of the three towers, can be seen in my April 24 2011 post as well as my February 26 2011 post.

June 20 2011: The PwC logo will be mounted on the top left section of the tower

June 20 2011: Windows being installed where the temporary construction elevator used to rise on the south side of the PwC tower

June 20 2011: Workers apply finishing touches to the tower’s south face

June 20 2011: A closer view of the crew working on the glass curtain wall

June 20 2011: A construction entrance gate on Bremner Blvd. near York Street. Some of the new tower’s tenants will begin moving in this fall.

June 20 2011: The Bremner Tower will rise on this spot beside the PwC Tower…

… while the Delta Toronto hotel tower will rise a little farther west, at the corner of Bremner Blvd. and Lower Simcoe Street.

June 20 2011: Excavation activity in progress for the hotel and office towers

June 20 2011: The Delta Toronto hotel tower will sit directly across Lower Simcoe Street from the Metro Toronto Convention Centre

June 20 2011: Buses parked on Bremner Boulevard near Lower Simcoe Street, outside the future location of the Delta Toronto hotel tower.

June 20 2011: The railway tracks sit to the immediate north of the SFC site

June 20 2011: Overlooking the northwest corner of the SFC building site

June 20 2011: Railway and commuter trains pass on the opposite side of the concrete and steel beam barrier at the northern perimeter of the SFC site.

June 20 2011: Two excavating machines at work on the site

June 20 2011: A welder works on the retaining wall next to the railway tracks

June 2011: A crew works near the northeast corner of the SFC building site

June 20 2011: The northwest corner of the site along Lower Simcoe Street

July 1 2011: Window installation should be completed soon on the upper 10 floors where the exterior construction elevator once rose

July 1 2011: A closer view of the former elevator location on the south wall

July 1 2011: Another view of the areas where windows will soon be installed

Tracking Downtown Toronto's Amazing
Building Boom.

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Tracking Downtown Toronto's Amazing Building Boom.

Category Archives: Architecture & Construction

Neighbourhood Watch: Condo construction activity in downtown’s King & Bathurst area (Part 1)

Ripe for redevelopment: Will offices or condos rise from the demolition dust at 90 Harbour Street?

Regent Park construction continues its quick pace

At last! Great Gulf breaking ground today for its 70-storey One Bloor condo tower at Yonge & Bloor

Glass cladding installation adds shape & sheen to new Bridgepoint Hospital being built in Riverdale

8-storey Trinity Lofts throws a curve into condo building boom in downtown’s Lower Eastside

Clear Spirit condo tower continues upward climb over Distillery District’s southeastern corner

New Casey House HIV/AIDS health care building will restore 1875 heritage mansion at Jarvis & Isabella

Keeping tabs on … below-grade building progress at the Infinity3 and ÏCE condo tower projects

Classy curves rise above downtown U of T campus as 77 Charles West condo climbs past 10th floor

City Scene: A proud architectural icon

City Scene: Reflections of the CN Tower

Demolition of former retail plaza underway at Jarvis/Dundas site for 46-storey Pace condo tower

PwC tower aims for autumn occupancy as digging continues for hotel & office towers next door

Tracking Downtown Toronto's AmazingBuilding Boom.

Tracking Downtown Toronto's Amazing
Building Boom.