Category Archives: Toronto condos

City Scenes: Digging itself into a deep hole

February 8 2011: A Caterpillar 321C excavator digs at the top of a tall pile of earth in the southeast corner of the Couture Condos excavation site on Ted Rogers Way in the Bloor/Jarvis neighbourhood.

February 8 2011: Foundation construction for the 44-storey condo tower proceeds on the northern two-thirds of the project site while excavation continues on the southern section, next to the X Condos tower.

February 16 2011: The huge mound of earth doesn’t seem to be getting any smaller

March 16 2011: The pile of earth in the southeast corner has shrunk considerably, and foundation construction has commenced at the southwest corner of the site.

March 16 2011: The Cat excavator sits at the P4 level of the Couture site — the lowest parking level for the highrise condo building.

March 24 2011: The Cat excavator gets a helping hand from above the day after a late March snowfall.

April 2 2011: The excavation is nearly complete in the southeast corner as P4 foundation construction approaches the Cat excavator.

April 22 2011: With the excavation finished in the southeast corner, construction of the rest of the P4 level foundation proceeds quickly.

Pit stop: First underground floor taking shape for The Residences of Pier 27 waterfront condos

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April 21 2011: View toward the southeast corner of the enormous excavation for phase one of The Residences of Pier 27 waterfront condos

April 21 2011: Floors and walls take shape along the east side of the site

April 21 2011: The Pier 27 foundation is four levels deep

April 21 2011: A closer view of progress in the center of the construction site

April 21 2011: Two construction cranes are operating on the site at present; this one is situated near the southeast corner of the excavation

April 21 2011: A closer view of the southeast corner of the excavation

Big basement: The excavation for Phase One of The Residences of Pier 27 is finished and the bottom underground level for the eastern half of the waterfront condo complex is quickly taking shape. Meanwhile, the excavation on the west side of the site (Phase Two) is roughly two-thirds complete and proceeding on schedule, according to an April 8 entry in a blog published by the condo developer, Cityzen Developments.

Below are two illustrations, from the project website, that suggest how The Residences of Pier 27 buildings — designed by Peter Clewes of Toronto’s architects Alliance — will look once completed. Also below are several more photos I shot of construction activity at the massive Pier 27 building site yesterday afternoon. Earlier construction photos can be viewed in my February 18 2011 post about The Residences of Pier 27 condo project.

From The Residences of Pier 27 project website, this illustration suggests how the condo development will appear on the Toronto waterfront.

Also from the project website, this illustration suggests how the condo complex will appear when viewed from Toronto harbour at dusk.

April 21 2011: Foundation construction at the north end of the excavation

April 21 2011: A glimpse through the fence at the NE corner of the site

April 21 2011: Building activity at the southeast corner of the excavation

April 21 2011: Surveying the construction activity four levels below grade

April 21 2011: A crane in the east (Phase 1) excavation, and an excavating machine at the west end (Phase 2) of the Pier 27 condo construction site

April 21 2011: Piles of rebar at street level high above the east (Phase 1) side of the Pier 27 construction site

April 21 2011: South view of one of the cranes and foundation construction progress on the east side of the Pier 27 site

April 21 2011 Looking southeast at the enormous excavation. Digging is finished for Phase 1 and is about 60% finished for Phase 2

April 21 2011: Building activity in Pier 27’s southeast corner

April 21 2011: The long retaining wall along the south perimeter of the property

April 21 2011: Lower-level foundation forms in the southeast corner

April 21 2011: Construction workers and support columns four levels below grade

April 21 2011: Support columns in the southeast corner of the Pier 27 excavation

April 21 2011: Construction activity in the center of the building site

April 21 2011: An excavator above the west (Phase 2) excavation

April 21 2011: East view of the Pier 27 construction site

April 21 2011: Southeast view of the Phase 1 excavation

April 21 2011: Construction progress in the southeast corner

April 21 2011: One of the two construction cranes working on the project

Condo highrise expected for former gas station and donut shop site at Wellesley-Sherbourne corner

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Area residents expect that a condo highrise will be proposed for the southwest corner of Wellesley and Sherbourne Streets, seen here on November 11 2010.

March 22 2011: The 159 Wellesley Street East site viewed from Sherbourne Street. At left rear is the rental apartment building at 155 Wellesley St. E.; at right rear is the green and white 40-storey Verve condo tower.

August 29 2010: The boarded up gas bar and donut shop at 159 Wellesley Street East, viewed from the north side of Wellesley Street

April 19 2011: Demolition of the former Bakers Dozen donut shop

Corner condo? A condo highrise project is apparently in the works for an oddly-shaped parcel of land formerly occupied by a gas station and donut shop at the southwest corner of Sherbourne and Wellesley Streets.The site, at 159 Wellesley Street East, had been occupied for well over a decade by a Beaver Gas Bar and a Baker’s Dozen donut shop. After the two businesses ceased operations when their leases expired early last summer, the site was fenced off and “for sale” signs were posted on the property. The signs came down a few months ago, and word on the street was that the land recently sold for more than $2 million. Today, a small work crew was busy demolishing the donut shop.

I do know that a developer has discussed potential plans for the site with City planning staff; however, no formal development proposals have been filed yet. Nevertheless, area residents fully expect that the developer will apply sometime this year for rezoning approval to build a condo tower. This northeast downtown neighbourhood, already home to numerous apartment and condo towers built between the 1960s and mid 1980s, has been a hotbed for residential construction in recent years. Two major condo highrise complexes, Verve and 500 Sherbourne, as well as a lowrise loft condo, Steam Plant Lofts, have opened across the street from 159 Wellesley on the site of the former Wellesley and Princess Margaret hospitals. Just one block to the east, the Star of Downtown midrise condo tower and townhouse complex opened two years ago, while residents recently started moving into the new James Cooper Mansion condo complex four blocks north, at Sherbourne and Linden Streets. Five more residential towers have been proposed for the area, including a rental tower one block north on Sherbourne, and four condo skyscrapers for a North St James Town location between Sherbourne and Parliament Streets, at Bloor Street.

I live nearby, and would welcome a condo on the Wellesley-Sherbourne corner — especially if the developer were to propose building a stunning, unique design that takes full advantage of the property’s unusual shape (the north side of the lot follows the curve on Sherbourne Street). It would further enhance a popular residential area which has already improved considerably with the addition of the other new condo towers and townhouses I mentioned above. I definitely won’t miss the donut shop and its sleazy clientele, and I’m glad I no longer have to dodge the taxi cabs and other vehicles that used to barrel across the sidewalk as drivers rushed to and from the gas pumps. Heck, if I had a dollar for every time I was nearly struck or sideswiped by a car while I walked past the Beaver Gas Bar, I could probably make a down payment on a condo in the building that might go up there.

Below are recent photos of the 159 Wellesley site, as well as other buildings in the immediate vicinity.

March 22 2011: Former gas bar and donut shop viewed from the northwest corner of Sherbourne and Wellesley Streets

March 22 2011: The Bakers Dozen donut shop at 159 Wellesley St. E.

March 22 2011: The former gas bar viewed from the north side of Wellesley St.

March 22 2011: An apartment building at 477 Sherbourne Street

March 22 2011: The Rosar-Morrison funeral home at 467 Sherbourne, directly across the street from the former gas bar and donut shop

March 22 2011: The St James Town community centre and library on the northeast corner of Wellesley and Sherbourne Streets. At rear are several of the apartment towers of the St James Town neighbourhood including 200 Wellesley St. E., scene of a spectacular highrise fire last September.

March 22 2011: Looking north on Sherbourne Street from Wellesley Street

March 22 2011: Northwest view from Sherbourne Street toward the 159 Wellesley Street East potential condo site. At left is the Verve condo tower; at right is the 500 Sherbourne condo tower.

March 22 2011: The Wellesley Central Place long-term care facility on the northwest corner of Wellesley and Sherbourne Streets.

March 22 2011: Sherbourne Street view of 159 Wellesley Street East

March 22 2011: View from Sherbourne Street toward the corner site

March 22 2011: The building immediately south of the 159 Wellesley site

March 22 2011: Commercial businesses and the Our Lady of Lourdes elementary school at 444 Sherbourne Street, just south of Wellesley.

April 19 2011: Demolition of the former Bakers Dozen Donuts building

Community meeting tonight will review plan for 46-storey Pace Condos tower at Dundas & Jarvis

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Great Gulf Homes is proposing a 46-storey condo tower for this site at the SW corner of Dundas and Jarvis Streets, seen here on March 22 2011.

Public feedback: A community consultation meeting this evening will give city residents the opportunity to voice their views about a Toronto developer’s proposal to build a 46-storey condo tower at the southwest corner of Dundas and Jarvis Streets. The meeting about Pace Condos, scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. at Metropolitan United Church, was recommended in a March 22 2011 preliminary report by the city’s Planning Division.

Great Gulf Homes is proposing a 46-storey mixed-use building for the corner site, which includes municipal addresses at 200 Jarvis Street and 155 – 163 Dundas Street East. The tower would have five underground levels and a 10-storey podium, and would contain 417 residential units in studio, 1-bedroom, 1-bedroom + den, 2-bedroom and 2-bedroom + den configurations. Prices start at $209,990.

An article on the Great Gulf website claims that Pace Condos “offers unbeatable downtown Toronto value in new condo living,” and raves that its prime location — which is just a “leisurely pace” from leading downtown attractions and key city transit services — will be ideal for people seeking “a new urban lifestyle.” The article further boasts that the condo building itself will be “a paragon of architectural brilliance. This shimmering, sleek and streamlined glass tower designed by Diamond + Schmitt Architects Inc. will artfully rise from a podium comprised of dark charcoal-coloured bricks. Pace will embody urban elegance at its best — and will define a new generation of urban elegance. Landscaping by Phillips Farevaag Smallenberg will frame the building in startling greenery and colour.”

What the article doesn’t describe is the gritty neighbourhood; as I mentioned in a March 22 2011 post, the Pace Condos location is on the edge of one of the poorest residential areas in the city, if not the entire country. Within mere minutes’ walking distance are dozens of hostels, homeless shelters, subsidized housing apartments, soup kitchens and social service agencies for the poor. From my experience, it has been difficult to walk past the Dundas/Jarvis intersection, or along nearby streets, without encountering numerous panhandlers, street people, and a slew of sketchy people openly selling and doing drugs or drinking alcohol. Despite the neighbourhood’s seedy character, the condo tower proposal has generated tremendous local interest — from excited potential buyers, from citizens who think Pace could kickstart wider urban renewal in the immediate area, and from nearby residents who are alarmed by the height and size of the building that could soon become their new neighbour.

Given wide interest in Pace Condos, tonight’s meeting could attract a large turnout and spark colourful discussion, both positive and negative. I’m keen to hear if the Pace Condos proposal generates reactions similar to those expressed at other public meetings I have attended recently. A community consultation for a massive condo project planned for the St James Town area drew overwhelmingly negative feedback from the audience, while a Jarvis Street resident read an emotional and strongly-worded three-minute speech blasting the Pace Condo proposal at another public meeting about proposed guidelines for tall buildings in the downtown area. Unfortunately, I can’t attend the meeting, but I will continue to track further developments.

Contractors digging deep foundation for 49-storey Three Hundred Front Street West condo tower

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March 29 2011: Excavation machines and equipment inside the deep pit at the Three Hundred Front Street West condo tower construction site

From the Tridel website, an artistic illustration of a southeast night view of the Three Hundred Front Street West condo building

Deep dig: An already huge hole in the ground is getting even bigger at the northwest corner of Front and John Streets, where Toronto developer Tridel is building its latest luxury condominium tower on the site of a former parking lot. Designed by Rudy Wallman of Toronto’s Wallman Architects, the L-shaped Three Hundred Front Street West will actually be two buildings in one. A 49-storey tower offering a variety of 1- and 2-bedroom condo suites plus spacious penthouse residences will rise from the west side of the property, while a connected 15-storey loft building will stand to the north. A grand two-storey lobby entrance will overlook a large landscaped garden gracing the southeast corner of Front & John.

Design-wise, Three Hundred Front Street West will bring a bit of Big Apple appeal to downtown Toronto. “I was inspired by the classic skyscrapers of the modern era to create a structure that is timeless and elegant,” Wallman explains in a video presentation on the Tridel website. Three Hundred Front Street West, he adds, will be “a unique and elegant addition” to the neighbourhood, complementing the new Ritz-Carlton Toronto hotel and condo tower one block to the east, as well as the new Festival Tower and TIFF Bell Lightbox buildings two blocks north at John and King. Interior designer Alex Chapman of Chapman Design Group says Wallman has conceived a “Manhattan-style” tower that is “totally reminiscent of many of the famous complexes” in New York City. Unfortunately, I haven’t been to Manhattan yet, so I can’t draw any comparisons myself. But I do think that, with its soaring height and its striking silver and charcoal grey glass exterior, Three Hundred Front Street West will become a landmark commanding attention both in its immediate area and on the city skyline. The neighbourhood is dominated by office and condo towers with similar green glass exteriors, so Three Hundred Front Street West’s unique silver and grey tower accents should provide a refreshing visual break from the rest as well as an attractive addition to the skyline.

Amenities-wise, Three Hundred Front Street West will be a contemporary condo offering the look and feel of an exclusive, upscale boutique hotel. The airy two-storey lobby off Front Street will be “a sophisticated urban arrival space” with a lounge atmosphere, Chapman says, while a 13,500-square-foot recreational center on the 15th floor will feature a “professional-level” exercise area. The rooftop of the loft wing will look like a chic “urban resort” with its infinity pool, sundecks, Roman fountain and barbecue. Interior recreational amenities will include a party room with south views, a private dining room with a catering-size kitchen and its own “cocktail balcony,” a poker room, billiards room and lounge. I’m jealous; with the exception of a ground-level swimming pool, all of the amenity areas in the downtown condo where I live are windowless basement spaces with all the sophistication of a recreation room from a 1970s-era suburban house.

Overall, I think Three Hundred Front Street West will significantly enhance the streetscape in one of the city’s most popular tourist areas, particularly since it will block many sightlines of the Windsor hydroelectric station on Wellington Street. And with plans in the works for John Street to get a major makeover in the next several years, Three Hundred Front Street West’s main entrance park will become a classy southern gateway to the Entertainment District’s main north-south street. The only downside to the development, that I can see, is the block full of ugly power transformers on its north flank. But since Wallman’s design means all of the loft suites face south, their residents will still enjoy good views and won’t get stuck overlooking electrical equipment.

Below are photos I’ve taken of recent construction activity at Three Hundred Front Street West, along with several artistic illustrations provided by Tridel that suggest how the tower, its street-level exterior, and its landscaped park will appear. Additional artistic illustrations of the building exterior, lobby and amenities, as well as floor plans and brief video presentations by Rudy Wallman and Alex Chapman, are available on the Three Hundred Front Street West website.

November 28 2010: Signage on hoarding around the construction site

November 23 2010: North-facing view of the 300 Front West site

November 23 2010: A tall shoring machine at work on the condo excavation site

November 23 2010: Northeast view of the condo construction site. The building with the red window frames is the CBC broadcasting headquarters on the southeast corner of Front & John Streets.

November 23 2011: Northeast view across the 300 Front Street West condo site

January 14 2011: The ramp leading from Front Street into the excavation

January 14 2011: Some of the hydroelectrical equipment at the Windsor Station on the north side of the 300 Front Street West site. Thankfully, the condo will block views of the hydro station from most parts of Front and John Streets.

February 18 2011: A view of the crane recently installed on the site

March 29 2011: Excavation machines inside the pit at 300 Front West

March 29 2011: Looking toward the northeast corner of the excavation

March 29 2011: Excavation machines at the bottom of the deep pit

March 29 2011: The supporting wall on the north side of the excavation

March 29 2011: Excavation activity at the eastern half of the site

March 29 2011: Considerable excavation work remains on the west side of the site

March 29 2011: Looking toward Front Street from the site’s NE corner

March 29 2011: Slick white hoarding protects pedestrians on Front Street

From the condo website, an illustration of the landscaped SE corner park

Website illustration of the lobby exterior, viewed from the condo park

Website illustration of the Three Hundred Front West lobby exterior

Website illustration of the Three Hundred Front Street West lobby interior

Another illustration of the Three Hundred Front Street West lobby interior

City Scene: Looking up — and down — at CityPlace

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Looking both ways: The CN Tower is viewed through a gap between condo highrises at Concord CityPlace in this photo from March 29 2011 (above). The photo below, taken on November 2 2010, shows the view from the exact opposite direction — from one of the observation decks on the CN Tower.

Rêve King West exterior looking more complete

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Rêve King West condo construction progress viewed from the Bathurst Street bridge to the southwest on March 29 2011

Nearly finished: January was the last time I was in the vicinity of the Rêve King West condo construction site. At that time, concrete had been poured for all 14 floors of the midrise Tridel condo building, while windows and exterior cladding had been installed on all but the top six storeys. Two construction cranes were still working on site. When I was back in the area at the end of March, I saw that the cranes had been removed from the roof, while almost all windows had been installed. Most of the exterior finish was in place, too. Occupancy is tentatively scheduled for this summer. Most suites have already been sold, but several are still available, at prices ranging from $334,000 for a 1-bedroom with den, to $850,000 for a 1,55-square-foot, 3-bedroom suite with a large terrace. Below are several more pics of the building; earlier construction photos can be viewed in my January 21 2011 post.

Southeast view of Rêve King West condo building on Front St. W. near Bathurst St.

North end of the Rêve King West condo building viewed from Niagara Street

The upper southwest floors of Rêve King West, viewed from Front Street

Another Bathurst Street bridge view of Rêve King West

Ripe for redevelopment: What’s Lanterra going to do with the 501 block on Yonge Street?

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February 20 2011: Restaurants and shops along the 501 block of Yonge Street, viewed from the southwest corner of Yonge and Breadalbane

February 20 2011: Looking north toward the 501 block of Yonge Street from the southeast corner of Yonge & Grosvenor Streets

Lanterra land: I wasn’t surprised when a city planner told a neighbourhood association meeting I attended nearly a month ago that Lanterra Developments had purchased the entire 501 block of Yonge Street, from Alexander Street at the south to Maitland Street at the north. I live only a few blocks away and for years have been wondering, each time I have walked past, why someone hasn’t redeveloped the long two-level building with either a bigger retail complex or a condo or office tower. Parts of the block have had a rather shabby and almost run-down appearance for years and, since it’s only two storeys tall on a prime section of the city’s main strip, it looks like it’s practically begging for someone to replace it with something bigger and better.

I always thought it might be impossible to build a larger, taller structure on the site because the Yonge subway line passes beneath part of the property between the Wellesley and College stations. However, the city planner said that while the subway tunnel presents a challenge for redevelopment, it’s not insurmountable. It likely means there would be a very limited amount of space available for underground floors and parking, he said, but above-grade parking levels would solve that problem nicely.

Lanterra hasn’t yet filed a development application with the city, nor has it publicly announced any plans for the site. But I’m keen to see what changes it envisions for 501 Yonge. The upside to redevelopment here is that a Lanterra building would greatly enhance Yonge Street by classing up what is basically a tacky, cheap-looking retail strip. Any civic and private effort to revitalize Yonge between College and Bloor Streets certainly would get a huge boost if Lanterra improved this particular block. The downside is that small independent businesses, like many of the shops and restaurants currently operating here, probably couldn’t afford the significantly higher rents that would be charged for commercial streetfront space in a new development. As much as I’d like to see this section of Yonge Street spruced up, and even though I don’t care for most of the businesses along this block, I would probably regret seeing them replaced with outlets for ubiquitous international retail chain stores, fast food franchises and coffee shops. There’s already enough of those establishments elsewhere on Yonge and throughout the downtown core. More of them here would detract from Yonge Street’s quirky character and the strip’s unique look and feel.

Below is a link to an online album with a few dozen photos showing all four sides of the 501 Yonge block, the block on the opposite side of Yonge Street, and other nearby buildings.

Editor’s Note: I regret that access to the online album is no longer available. The album had been available on Webshots.com; however, on December 1 2012 the Webshots site was shut down by the company that owns it.

City Scene: A very Modern new view to the east along Richmond Street

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April 3 2011: Construction of The Modern on Richmond, a condo midrise on Sherbourne Street, viewed from Richmond West at York Street

Focal point: Condo construction constantly changes views in the downtown area, particularly while a new skyscraper climbs higher on the skyline. But it isn’t just highrise towers that profoundly impact views and sightlines, as construction of The Modern on Richmond shows. The midrise condo complex going up at the northeast corner of Sherbourne and Richmond Streets will be just 17 storeys tall when finished, but the building is already giving pedestrians in the Financial District a whole new perspective when they look east along Richmond. Just glance down Richmond from as far west as University Avenue, and your eyes will be drawn to a big red and white construction crane perched atop a concrete structure that looks like a giant wall blocking the road. That part of the condo actually extends along the east side of Sherbourne Street, but because Richmond Street jogs half a block to the northwest as it crosses Jarvis Street, it creates the illusion that The Modern is being built right across Richmond. There’s more pics of The Modern’s construction progress in my February 3 2011 post.

March 17 2011: The Modern viewed from the intersection of Church & Richmond

Will developer pursue plan to shoehorn 42-storey condo tower into tight Bloor/Sherbourne site?

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From the ward development update in the Spring/Summer 2011 edition of Ward 27 News from City Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam (Toronto Centre-Rosedale)

Tight squeeze:Residents of northeast downtown are waiting to see what step a developer will take next with its proposal to develop a condo tower without any residential parking on a narrow site near the busy intersection of Bloor and Sherbourne Streets. The 40-storey tower would rise above a two-storey podium to be built on 395, 401 and 403 Bloor Street East, sites presently occupied by two-storey structures with retail and restaurant space. (The commercial property at 403 Bloor is attached to a three-storey brick house which is included on the city’s list of heritage properties.) The proposed glass and steel residential tower would be bookended by two considerably shorter condo buildings — one six storeys, the other 16 — standing smack against its east and west property lines. It would contain 386 units in bachelor, 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom configurations, but no on-site parking for residents — just three car-share parking spaces along with 200 bicycle parking spots.

The developer’s rezoning application was filed with the city in May 2010. During the previous two years, the developer and its consulting team held “pre-application” meetings with city planners to discuss three separate conceptual plans. The first proposed an 18-storey tower atop a six-floor podium; the second a 40-storey tower atop a two-storey podium, with 77 parking spots in a five-level underground garage; and the third a 40-storey tower on a two-storey podium, but with 80 parking spaces. City staff raised numerous planning concerns about each proposal, including height, density, parking, neighbourhood transportation issues, site access, impact on the adjacent condo buildings, and possible shadow effects on the nearby Rosedale Ravine. The plan eventually submitted to the city raised just as many issues. Consequently, in a July 13 2010 preliminary report, city planners said they could not support the application “in its current form” because of “serious project deficiencies and a general lack of fit with the existing and planned context.”They recommended that a community consultation meeting be held “to determine the nature and extent of changes to be required.”

That meeting took place at the end of January. More than 50 area residents attended, along with Ward 27 Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam, staff from City Planning, Transportation and Heritage Preservation Services, and representatives of the developer. According to Councillor Wong-Tam’s March 2011 newsletter, the developer and its architect (listed as Page and Steele Architects in rezoning application documents) were “invited to join a Working Group process in order for residents and the applicant to negotiate an agreement on aspects of the building design.” However, the developer has not yet advised the city if it will participate, Councillor Wong-Tam told a meeting of the Upper Jarvis Neighbourhood Association last week.

People living in the immediate vicinity are concerned, among other things, about the impact the tower could have on neighbourhood traffic congestion and parking availability. They say it’s already challenging for residents of the houses and low-rise apartments on nearby Selby, Huntley and Linden Streets to find on-street parking for themselves and their visitors; they’re concerned that it will become even more difficult to find parking on the pleasant, tree-shaded streets once the new James Cooper Mansion condo tower at 28 Linden Street — which concluded construction this winter — is fully occupied. Yet another condo tower bringing hundreds more residents — plus visitors, delivery and service vehicles — into the residential area would only compound that problem. Increased traffic volume and congestion is another worry, since Selby and Linden are one-way streets, as are two blocks of Huntley from Selby to Isabella Street, so it’s inevitable that more vehicles driving to and from the condo towers will wind up circulating through the neighbourhood. Traffic flow on Bloor Street also could be impacted adversely by the 395 Bloor tower, since the developer has proposed incorporating a service and delivery laneway into the building’s west side, accessed off Bloor. Vehicles turning into and out of the laneway undoubtedly would hinder the heavy traffic flow at this point on Bloor, which is only a few dozen meters from the intersection at Sherbourne Street.

I’m sure the tower also would have a huge negative impact on the property values and quality of life for residents in the adjacent condo buildings whose windows would directly face the new tower mere meters away; their units would sit practically within spitting distance of the condos at 395 Bloor. I recall viewing several units in the neighbouring 16-storey condo building at 419-421 Bloor East, including at least one that had west-facing windows. Although the suites were bright, and one had an enormous northview outdoor terrace, I didn’t like the close proximity of the 20-storey Greenwin Square office building to the west, or the two condo towers on the north side of the street (17 and 18 stories, respectively). The highrise “canyon” on this block of Bloor felt uncomfortably confining at the time; I can only imagine how claustrophic and dark it would become with the 395 Bloor tower right next door (both for residents in many units in the new building as well as for those living in the existing condos on either side). To me, a 42-storey building would just be too awkward and inappropriate here; however, I love space and light and enjoy having privacy in my condo. On the other hand, I do realize there are many downtown condo dwellers who don’t mind keeping their blinds closed all hours of the day, and wouldn’t be bothered by a tower looming close to their windows. It will be interesting to follow this project not only to see if the developer does go ahead, but also to watch how quickly the units sell if the condo does get to market. Below are recent photos showing the proposed tower location from Bloor Street as well as from Selby Street to the south.

November 11 1010: South view from Bloor Street of the low-rise commercial retail properties where a developer would like to build a 42-storey condo tower. The James Cooper Mansion condo tower is seen while under construction just one block to the south, on Linden Street.

Condo development proposal sign on Bloor Street

November 11 1010: The proposed condo tower site is bookended by a 16-floor condo building on the corner of Bloor and Sherbourne (left), a 6-storey condo to its immediate west, and the 20-storey Greenwin Square office building (right)

March 1 2011: A view of the east-facing windows on the 6-storey condo building beside the site proposed for a new highrise. The tower would have a service vehicle laneway where the vacant Saisha store sits at present (right)

March 1 2011: The three-storey brick house behind the Hakim Optical outlet is a city-listed heritage property that would be demolished

March 1 2011: Bloor Street view of the proposed development site, showing part of the 16-storey condo building on the corner of Bloor and Sherbourne that would abut the new tower’s east side

March 1 2011: Another view of the site as seen from the north side of Bloor Street

March 1 2011: The upper two floors of the heritage property at 403 Bloor East

March 1 2011: Direct south view of the site from the opposite side of Bloor Street

March 1 2011: The peaked roof of the heritage house behind Hakim Optical

March 1 2011: West view along Bloor of the storefronts on the development site

March 1 2011: East view along Bloor of the storefronts on the development site

March 1 2011: Another view of the commercial establishments on Bloor Street

March 19 2011: Selby Street view toward the rear of the 395 – 403 Bloor Street East condo tower development site. The building with the orange accent stripes, at right, is the 600 Sherbourne Street medical arts centre with doctors’ offices, pharmacies and medical testing facilities

April 2 2011: Selby Street north view of a parking area for the Greenwin Square office building (left), the 6-storey condo at 387 Bloor Street East, an 18-storey condo building at 388 Bloor Street East, and the 16-storey condo building at the corner of Bloor and Sherbourne

April 2 2011: Selby Street view of the medical arts building parking lot that sits to the rear of the 395 – 403 Bloor Street East development site

March 19 2011: Selby Street north view toward the 395 – 403 Bloor East condo tower development site

March 19 2011: Rear view of the low-rise buildings currently on the site

March 19 2011: Rear view of 395 – 403 Bloor East condo tower development site

March 19 2011: Back patio area for the Gov’Nor pub at 401 Bloor Street East

March 19 2011: Rear view of the 387 Bloor Street East condo building next to the condo tower development site

March 19 2011: Rear view of the 16-storey condo building at 419 – 421 Bloor East

March 19 2011: Northwest view from Sherbourne Street toward the 395- 403 Bloor Street East condo development site. The new tower would rise in the center rear of the photo. The elegant mansion and adjacent tower are part of the James Cooper Mansion condo complex at 28 Linden Street.

From a city planning department preliminary report, a site plan illustration for the proposed 395-403 Bloor Street East condo tower

From the planning department report, an illustration of the tower’s south elevation

From the city report, an illustration of the tower’s north elevation

The greenest building in Regent Park (for now)

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Going green on Oak Street: A brilliant green building in Regent Park grabbed my attention yesterday when I was visiting a friend in an east-facing condo on Homewood Avenue. The bright green surface actually is insulation applied to the outside walls of the new Toronto Christian Resource Centre, which is under construction at 40 Oak Street. But the building won’t stay green for long: it’s soon going to get a brown brick exterior. The white highrise behind the TCRC is the new One Park West condo, which is approaching the end of construction (it appears that the crane has been removed from its roof). Below is another pic from yesterday, as well as additional recent photos of the TCRC, One Park West, and other construction activity in Regent Park, which I profiled in a March 4 2011 post.

Another view of the Toronto Christian Resource Centre and One Park West condo midrise under construction in Regent Park

A rendering of the new Toronto Christian Resource Centre at Regent Park

A view of construction progress on the TCRC on February 15 2011

A view of the One Park West boutique condo building on February 15 2011

77 Charles West condo construction up to 4th floor

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April 7 2011: St Thomas Street view of construction progress at the 77 Charles West luxury condominium building

On the fourth floor: The midrise Seventy Seven Charles West luxury condominium building is nearly one-third of the way up. Concrete has been poured for the first three floors of the 13-storey structure, and this afternoon crews were setting up forms for the fourth floor. Below are several photos I took at the site this afternoon; you can see additional photos of the construction, along with building renderings, in my February 15 2011 post about Seventy Seven Charles West.

A truck parks on St Thomas Street while waiting to deliver its concrete load to the Seventy Seven Charles West construction site

Another truck unloads concrete at the front of Seventy Seven Charles West

Southwest view of the construction activity from Charles Street West

The south side of Seventy Seven Charles West, viewed from St Mary Street

Yorkville traffic snarled for hours after cement spills onto Bay Street from top of Four Seasons tower

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Looking south on Bay Street, from Scollard Street, shortly past 2 p.m. this afternoon. The entire block was closed to vehicles and pedestrians

With a television cameraman filming the action, two construction workers sweep debris from Bay Street while another crew inspects hoarding on the Bay Street sidewalk next to the Four Seasons hotel + condo construction site

Construction accident: It’s amazing nobody was hurt when a load of construction cement fell 53 storeys from the top of the Four Seasons hotel and condo tower and splattered onto Bay Street shortly after lunchtime today. The construction accident occurred around 1.20 p.m., but police and bystanders said no-one was injured and no vehicles or buildings damaged when cement showered onto the pavement between Yorkville Avenue and Scollard Streets. That section of Bay Street is typically busy with steady daytime traffic, including city buses, and dozens of pedestrians would have been walking along nearby sidewalks at the time. According to a story in the Toronto Star’s online edition, the mishap occurred when concrete was being poured into a mould on the 53rd floor of the tower, which will rise a total of 55 storeys once construction is completed. When the mould buckled, the concrete rained down onto the street. Police closed the entire block between Yorkville and Scollard so crews could clean the cement spill while staff from the provincial Ministry of Labour investigated the cause of the accident. A street cleaning machine was brought in to assist several construction workers using push brooms to sweep up the mess. Traffic throughout Yorkville was snarled as pedestrians and vehicles were forced to detour around the street closure. I arrived at the Bay/Yorkville intersection just as the crews finished sweeping the street, so there was little to see other than yellow “do not cross” tape and police vehicles barring access to the block, along with dozens of curious onlookers gazing upward at the tall glass tower and asking each other what had happened. Below are several photos I snapped at the scene. Additional photos of the Four Seasons Hotel & Residences can be viewed in my April 1 2011 post about progress on the construction project.

A view of Bay Street from the northwest corner of Bay and Yorkville Avenue, outside The Regency condominium building

A media photographer chats with police at the northeast corner of Bay & Yorkville

Television cameramen filming from the northwest corner of Bay & Yorkville

A TV cameraman films police standing a block away at Scollard Street

A TV cameraman shoots footage of the Four Seasons while pedestrians look up at the hotel/condo tower and traffic detours past the site

The police roadblock at Scollard Street, outside the Four Seasons West Residence

The Four Seasons’ East and West Residence towers viewed from the northwest

Two construction workers atop the Four Seasons’ 26-storey East Residence Tower

Cranes atop the West Residence tower, now 53 storeys tall on its way to 55

Exhibit Residences to give Bloor Street a twist with striking 32-storey stacked cube condo tower

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Architectural rendering supplied by Exhibit Residences suggests how the condo tower will appear when viewed from Philosopher’s Walk south of Bloor Street

Culture, condos and controversy: During the past 10 years, major building projects for cultural institutions and condos have captured public attention and sparked considerable controversy and criticism on the Bloor Street block between Avenue Road and Bedford Road. Now, a stunning new highrise condo project, Exhibit Residences, is set to keep the busy east-west corridor in the public eye — and quite possibly stir up some more civic consternation in the process. Essentially four stacked cubes, three of which rotate slightly from the base, the 32-storey Exhibit Residences condo tower resembles a skyscraper version of a shimmering glass Rubic’s Cube. Though the condo project is still in the sales phase (its presentation centre has just opened in Yorkville), the tower’s distinctive design means Exhibit Residences is destined to turn heads on Bloor Street both during construction and long after afterwards. That’s no mean feat, considering the stiff architectural “competition” nearby, especially the Royal Ontario Museum’s Michael Lee-Chin Crystal directly across the street.

This particular block of Bloor has been a busy hub of building activity for a decade. But the growth, and some of the architectural design, has drawn mixed and sometimes highly-charged negative reaction from the public. Change started on the south side of the street when the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) launched its “Renaissance ROM renovation and expansion project” and hired internationally renowned architect Daniel Libeskind to design the Crystal — a building addition featuring spectacular new gallery space and a dramatic Bloor Street entrance. Evocative of giant ice crystals bursting through the brown brick façade of the original 1914 neo-Romanesque museum’s north wall, The Crystal celebrated its official opening during a massive street party on June 2 2007. Controversial from the start, the Crystal has become one of the city’s top “either love it or hate it” buildings, its design derided by many Toronto residents and visitors while lauded by others, including Conde Nast Traveler magazine, which named it one of “The new seven wonders of the world” in April 2008.

Meanwhile, right next door, the venerable Royal Conservatory of Music engaged in an extensive renovation and expansion project of its own, building its Telus Centre for Performance and Learning. Designed by Toronto’s Kuwabara, Payne, McKenna, Blumberg Architects, the Telus Centre gave the RCM two brand-new performance venues as well as new academic classroom and studio facilities. The academic wing opened in September 2008, while the grand 1,135-seat Koerner concert hall debuted to wide critical acclaim in 2009.

On the north side of Bloor, eyes have focussed on highrise condo construction rather than cultural icons. The first residential tower to rise on the block was another Kuwabara, Payne, McKenna, Blumberg-designed building — One Bedford, at the northeast corner of Bloor and Bedford Road. Like the ROM’s Crystal, the One Bedford project encountered controversy from the start. Many Annex residents initially opposed the 32-storey luxury condo tower in part because they believed its height and size were simply too big for the area. Now partially occupied after more than three years of construction, One Bedford seems, to me at least, to fit quite nicely into the neighbourhood; it will enhance the Annex gateway even more once work finishes on its exterior landscaping and Bedford Road courtyard entrance. In the middle of the block, the slender 19-storey Museum House on Bloor luxury condo highrise has topped off, and looks more complete each day as window installation approaches the penthouse level. By the time Museum House is finished construction and its exclusive, posh suites are fully occupied, preliminary construction work could be ready to start on Exhibit Residences.

A development project by the Bazis, Metropia and Plaza corporations, Exhibit will rise immediately to the east of Museum House, occupying several adjacent sites currently home to retail shops and restaurants, including a popular McDonald’s outlet. That particular property has a history of controversy, too. Once owned by the City of Toronto, the site was sold to McDonald’s for a bargain price of $3.38 million; the restaurant chain re-sold the land to Bazis International Inc., the developer of Exhibit. Details of the dispute over that contentious real estate transaction are outlined in a March 6 2008 story in the Toronto Star.

Designed by Rosario Varacalli of Toronto’s r. Varacalli Architect, Exhibit will cut a striking figure with its stacked cube shape, wrap-around windows and fritted-glass balcony panels. But the dramatic design isn’t the only intriguing element of the tower. Since it’s going up next to the Bloor subway line, the tower’s parking area must be built above-ground. Since the parking floors will be situated in Cube One (the bottom cube), residents in the lower tower section will enjoy “the unique convenience of above-ground parking on the same level as their suite,” the Exhibit Residences website notes. For some residents, it might actually be easier to leave the building by car than by foot! Although that’s bound to please some condo purchasers, some people are quite unhappy about the tower’s height; namely, heritage groups and activists who have been fighting to preserve vistas of the Ontario Legislature building at Queen’s Park to the south. They fear that, when seen from as far south as Queen Street, the Exhibit tower will appear to loom largely behind the Queen’s Park silhouette, spoiling northward views of the historic government building. Whether or not their fears are justified will become apparent in a couple of years once construction approaches the tower’s top cube.

Below are some photos of the Exhibit Residences location on Bloor, along with a tower rendering that appears on the project website.

April 1 2011: Exhibit Residences on Bloor condo tower development site

April 1 2011: The Exhibit Residences billboard was installed earlier this month after signs for the building’s prior retail occupants were removed.

April 1 2011: The McDonald’s property was owned by the City of Toronto until 2008, when it was sold to the restaurant company for $3.38 million.

April 1 2011: A view toward the Exhibit Residences development site from one block north on Prince Arthur Avenue in the East Annex. Exhibit will rise to the left of the Museum House on Bloor condo tower currently under construction.

January 9 2011: Bloor Street at Avenue Road view of the Royal Ontario Museum’s Michael Lee-Chin Crystal, left, One Bedford condo tower, rear right, and Museum House on Bloor condo construction, center right.

February 12 2011: Bloor Street view toward the Exhibit Residences site

February 12 2011: The controversial McDonald’s property and adjacent sites on which the Exhibit Residences tower will be built

November 1 2010: The main Royal Conservatory of Music building and its new Telus Centre on Bloor Street. The RCM sits next door to the Royal Ontario Museum, and directly across the street from the One Bedford condo tower.

January 19 2011: A view of Queen’s Park and towers on Bloor Street. One Bedford looms 32 storeys to the left of the historic Ontario Legislature building, while the construction crane indicates where Museum House on Bloor will reach 19 stories. Exhibit Residences will soar 32 stories in between. Heritage activists worry that tall towers planned for Bloor Street will ruin views of Queen’s Park.

From the Exhibit Residences website, an illustration depicting how the stacked cube condo tower will appear from Avenue Road, looking west along Bloor Street.

Landscaping and exterior finishing touches underway at One Bedford & James Cooper Mansion Condos

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April 1 2011: The Bedford Road entrance courtyard to the One Bedford Condos building is now being completed.

April 2 2011: Landscaping work is underway outside the Linden Street townhouses at the James Cooper Mansion Condos complex

Yard work: With winter (hopefully) over at long last, two newly-occupied downtown condo buildings are now getting their landscaping and exterior finishing touches. Work is progressing on the Bedford Road courtyard entrance to the One Bedford Condos on Bloor Street, while landscaping and other outdoor property work is underway at the James Cooper Mansion Condos on Sherbourne Street. Below are some recent pics showing what’s been happening at street level outside both condo buildings over the past several weeks.

March 24 2011: South side of the One Bedford tower viewed from Bloor Street

March 24 2011: The One Bedford Condo tower’s signature rooftop design

March 24 2011: One Bedford Condos upper south floors

April 1 2011: One Bedford Condos penthouse level and upper south floors

March 24 2011: One Bedford Condos southeast view from Bloor Street

March 24 2011: Work orders pasted to the windows of upper east side suites

March 24 2011: Glass and steel entrance canopy in the courtyard off Bedford Road

March 24 2011: One Bedford Condos main entrance off Bedford Road

April 1 2011: Landscaping underway in the Bedford Road courtyard

April 1 2011: The brick facade of the studio of noted Toronto architect John Lyle (1872 – 1945) has been incorporated into the courtyard off Bedford Road.

April 1 2011: Landscaping in progress south of the Lyle Studio facade

April 1 2011: The striking Bedford Road entrance canopy

April 1 2011: Landscaping in progress under the glass and steel canopy

February 16 2011: James Cooper Mansion tower viewed from Sherbourne Street

February 16 2011: James Cooper Mansion Condos viewed from Sherbourne St.

February 16 2011: The north side of the James Cooper Mansion condo complex. The exterior construction elevator has since been removed from the tower.