St Mike’s opens research, healthcare centres at new Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute building

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West view from along Shuter Street of the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute (right) and the tubular pedestrian bridge linking it to St. Michael’s Hospital. Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Gyde/Diamond and Schmitt Architects.

Centre celebration: St Michael’s Hospital yesterday celebrated the official opening of its new Keenan Research Centre and Li Ka Shing International Healthcare Education Centre — facilities collectively known as the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute. The hospital says the Centres “are among the first in the world — and the only ones in Toronto — specifically designed to bring together researchers, educators and clinicians to brainstorm ideas across professions and to take best practices and research discoveries to patient bedsides faster.”

The Keenan Research Centre occupies 25,200 square metres (271,300 square feet) with three floors of flexible, open concept wet laboratories and two floors for dry lab study in a wide range of medical research programs. 400 research staff will work there. The building’s education component includes a library, classroom and meeting facilities. These are linked by multi-level lounges that sit above Victoria Lane and are connected by an elegant wishbone staircase, providing a focal point for informal encounters. A 200-seat raked auditorium also serves as a conference centre and lecture hall.

The nine-storey building was designed by Jack Diamond, a principal with Toronto’s Diamond and Schmitt Architects. It occupies the north side of Shuter Street between Victoria and Bond Streets, and is connected to St Michael’s Hospital by a 21-meter tubular glass pedestrian bridge.

A Diamond and Schmitt press release says design highlights of the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute building “include a glass curtainwall, which allows natural light to penetrate deep into the building. This serves not only to create an open and engaging workspace but also a visibly accessible connection into the world of medical research for the community at large. Solar shading placed horizontally on the south façade and vertically on the west façade minimizes heat gain and is made of glass instead of the typical metal shades so as not to impede the views to landmark buildings such as St. Michael’s Cathedral and Massey Hall. Other sustainable features include energy recovery systems on air handling units, reflective roofing, light sensors and a high use of recycled content in materials.”

Neighbourhood Watch: Photos of Bloor-Yorkville area condos and construction activity (Part 1)

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April 30 2011: The Crystal Blu condo tower (left) and Uptown Residences Condo tower (right) soar skyward above Balmuto Street

High neighbours: As residents gradually move into the new 35-storey Crystal Blu condo tower at 21 Balmuto Street, buyers of luxury condos at The Uptown Residences anxiously await their own move-in dates. Exterior construction activity on the 48-floor Uptown Residences tower at 35 Balmuto has been finished for a few months, but finishing touches are underway and the front entrance is still being built. Information and photos of The Uptown Residences are provided in my March 2 2011 post about the project; below are several more pics I took of it and Crystal Blu last month.

April 7 2011: A work crew applies finishing touches halfway up the west side of The Uptown Residences condo tower

April 7 2011: A closer view of the workers on their swing stage

April 22 2011: The Uptown Residences front entrance at 35 Balmuto Street

April 22 2011: The Uptown Residences front entrance features a revolving door

April 22 2011: The Crystal Blu Condos front entrance isn’t 100% finished yet

April 30 2011: The Manulife Centre across the street reflects in The Uptown’s shiny black and grey granite podium…

…while a worker performs finishing touches on the lower southwest corner

April 30 2011: A long look up the north side of The Uptown Residences

April 23 2011: The 36Hazelton luxury condo project location and presentation centre opening this month at 36 Hazelton Avenue

Exclusive enclave: The presentation centre for 36Hazelton is being readied for an opening expected sometime this month. Only 18 residences will be available in the boutique condo development, which will rise seven storeys above the historic St Basil’s Catholic School at 36 Hazelton Avenue. Prices for the posh condominium suites, which will boast spacious outdoor terraces overlooking the quiet tree-lined street, range from $1.6 million to more than $10 million. See my March 26 2011 post for further information about 36Hazelton as well as numerous photos of the project site.

April 23 2011: 36 Hazelton will incorporate the facade of the 83-year-old St Basil’s schoolhouse into the boutique condo building

April 23 2011: Exterior brickwork and window installation on the east side of The Florian Residences of Upper Yorkville condo tower on Davenport Road

Florian facade fills out: Brickwork and window installation at The Florian Residences of Upper Yorkville continues to climb higher up the 25-storey condo tower. My February 12 2011 post describes The Florian project and includes numerous building photos, while my March 18 2011 post provides further construction pics. Below are several more photos from last month, along with a pic showing The Florian’s location before construction of the condo tower commenced.

April 23 2011: Another view of The Florian’s brick and glass exterior

April 23 2011: A view of the western point of The Florian’s long curved podium along Davenport Road (at the top of Bay Street)

August 14 2008: An Infinity car dealership and a Premier Fitness gym previously occupied the site where The Florian is presently under construction

April 23 2011: Toronto Reference Library new main entrance construction

Corner cube: The dramatic new entrance “cube” for the Toronto Reference Library is gradually taking form on the northeast corner of Yonge Street and Asquith Avenue. That, plus an expansion of the library’s Yonge Street facade, are among the highlights of a five-year, $34 million makeover scheduled for completion next year. Construction photos and an architectural rendering of what the library will look like post-renovation can be viewed in my January 27 2011 post; additional photos and another rendering are provided in my March 24 2011 update post. Below are several recent photos of a construction worker atop the giant steel frame for the cube.

April 23 2011: The steel frame for the library’s glass entrance cube

April 23 2011: A construction worker sits astride one of the steel beams

April 23 2011: The entrance cube will stand about three storeys tall

April 23 2011: The library’s website explains that the bold glass entrance is intended to encourage “a dynamic interface” between the library and the community, “connecting the interior more directly to the street.”

April 30 2011: A billboard advertising the One Bloor condo tower sales centre

Number One: I’m still waiting on tenterhooks, figuratively speaking, for shovels to hit the ground at the One Bloor condo tower site on the southeast corner of Yonge & Bloor. Since my January 10 2011 post, the project developer has opened a new sales centre for the much-anticipated condo skyscraper right next door to the building site, at 33 Bloor Street East. But I haven’t yet seen any preliminary construction activity on the property, which remains a rubble-strewn vacant lot. Below are some pics of it from earlier this week.

April 30 2011: Colourful marketing banners adorn security fencing around the One Bloor condo tower location at Yonge & Bloor

May 1 2011: The One Bloor Condo tower site, looking southwest toward the corner of Yonge and Hayden Streets

May 1 2011: The One Bloor site viewed from the west entrance to the Xerox building at 33 Bloor Street East

May 1 2011: Northwest view of the One Bloor condo tower site

Sea of scaffolding rises at corner of Bay & Elm as SickKids Tower climbs toward third floor

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April 30 2011: Stacks of scaffolding rise more than two storeys high at the SickKids Research & Learning Tower construction site

April 30 2011: A construction worker walks the plank in a thicket of scaffolding at the SickKids Research & Learning Tower construction site

Going from ground to third floor: Since they reached street grade 46 days ago, crews at the SickKids Research & Learning Tower have maintained a steady pace of above-ground construction milestones. On April 19, they completed the placement of the ground floor slab, along with vertical walls and columns between there and the second floor. Two weeks ago, they finished pouring the second level concrete floor slab, and were well on their way to erecting formwork, reinforcing steel and concrete for the vertical walls and columns between the second and third floors. Meanwhile, progress continues on the southwest corner of the building site, where the SickKids Tower first began noticeably taking shape above Elm Street. About 14 days ago, the workers completed concrete placement for the second floor auditorium, then finished installing the acoustical floating floor. Plenty of activity has been happening where the sun doesn’t shine, too. The interior masonry walls of the P3 level were completed two weeks ago, with installation of mechanical and electrical rough-ins progressing well. Interior masonry walls were 75% complete on P2, while on P1 the mechanical and electrical overhead rough-ins were well underway and work on the interior masonry walls was beginning. But it’s above ground, of course, where the work is really starting to make an impact on the surrounding streetscape. With construction approaching the third floor, the building activity is obvious to passersby on Walton, Bay and Elm Streets, and is noticeable from a block away in each direction. Soon, the tower will start blocking some sightlines, including views of the CN Tower from the Bay & Gerrard area. Below is a construction webcam photo showing building activity at the Tower site this afternoon, along with photos I snapped at the beginning and the end of April.

May 3 2011: SickKids Research & Learning Tower webcam view of construction

April 8 2011: Forms for the second floor appear above the Bay Street hoarding

April 8 2011: North view of the tower site from the corner of Bay & Elm Street

April 8 2011: Forms are in place for the concrete pour for the second floor

April 30 2011: Second floor construction viewed from Walton Street looking south

April 30 2011: Construction progress viewed from the northeast corner of Bay & Walton Streets. Won’t be long before the tower blocks this view of the CN Tower.

April 30 2011: Vertical forms rise from the second floor of the tower, viewed here from the east side of Bay Street just below Walton Street

April 30 2011: West view of the site from the opposite side of Bay Street

April 30 2011: Construction view from the southeast corner of Bay & Elm Streets

April 30 2011: Elm Street view of stacks of scaffolding rising on the site

April 30 2011: Soon, the construction will block Elm Street views of the LuCliff tower at Bay & Gerrard Street (rear) and the College Park condo towers at 777 Bay Street (right rear)

April 30 2011: A construction worker is barely visible as he stands in one of the stacks of scaffolding at the southeast corner of the Tower construction site

April 30 2011: North view of the construction site from Elm Street

April 30 2011: The stacks of scaffolding viewed from Elm Street

April 30 2011: Elm Street view of the auditorium construction at the southwest corner of the SickKids Tower site

April 30 2011: Auditorium construction at the tower’s southwest corner

April 30 2011: Elm Street view of the auditorium construction progress

April 30 2011: Looking up from Elm Street at the southwest side of the building

April 30 2011: Looking east along Elm Street at the tower’s ground level

April 30 2011: Looking northeast on Elm Street toward Bay Street

April 30 2011: The SickKids Tower viewed from the southwest corner of Bay & Elizabeth Streets

Will Bloor Street transformation project finally finish before June 16 “red carpet” opening party?

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September 21 2008: A Bloor Street transformation project banner on security fencing along a construction area near the corner of Bloor & Church Street

May 13 2009: Sidewalk construction outside the Hudson’s Bay Centre

May 13 2009: Bloor Street traffic is squeezed down to two lanes during construction activity outside the Holt Renfrew Centre

November 22 2009: The transformed streetscape outside the Hudson’s Bay Centre

July 25 2010: Bloor Street East looks beautiful with new sidewalks, trees, lush plants and gorgeous flowers between Park Road and Church Street…

… but on the same day, it’s a different story west of Yonge Street, where there is still a huge construction zone in front of the Holt Renfrew Centre

October 3 2010: Construction between Bellair Street and Avenue Road

December 21 2010: This tongue-in-cheek sign at a tree planting location got only one thing right: The Toronto Maple Leafs didn’t make it to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. But as of May 1, there still weren’t any new “leafs” on Bloor Street

April 30 2011: Trees should soon be planted outside the Manulife Centre

April 30 2011: The cheery spring flowers brighten the south side of Bloor between Yonge and Church, but some trees still haven’t been planted…

…while the long stretch of sidewalk adjacent to the site of the future One Bloor condo tower won’t be replaced until construction is finished. That means a few more years of waiting before the Bloor Street transformation is complete…

…but at least the long-overdue sidewalk replacement outside 120 Bloor Street East, seen here on May 1, will be finished soon

Mink Mile Makeover: After four long years of digging, delays and detours, controversy, cost-overruns and even courtroom drama, the $25 million Bloor Street Transformation Project is nearing completion. With luck, the Mink Mile will look marvellous during the big “red carpet” street party that the Bloor-Yorkville Business Improvement Area (BIA) will be throwing on June 19 to celebrate the new streetscape. I will be among countless Torontonians breathing a collective huge sigh of relief when the City and the BIA confirm that the project is finally finished. After all, it’s about time!

The upscale shopping section of Bloor Street has desperately needed a major makeover for years. The drab streetscape with its narrow white concrete curbs and pavement looked cheap, not chic, and totally lacked any sense of importance, elegance or sophistication — characteristics one would expect for an area that’s often described as Canada’s “premiere” shopping street. Its banal appearance didn’t complement the beautiful luxury goods and fashion boutiques lining both sides of the boulevard. And it certainly didn’t suggest that Toronto is the world-class city it constantly claims and aims to be. I almost felt embarrassed telling visitors from other countries that Bloor Street was the city’s go-to destination for Prada, Cartier, Louis Vuitton and other high-end luxury retail purveyors. Apart from the expensive shops, there was nothing noteworthy or special about Bloor — it was just a typical, tired-looking downtown Toronto street.

So I was thrilled when I heard that the City and the Bloor-Yorkville BIA were teaming up to revitalize part of the Bloor Street strip, and even happier to see the $20 million project break ground in July 2008. Designed by Peter Clewes of Toronto’s architectsAlliance (in joint venture with Brown + Storey Architects), the two-year project promised to give the City a sophisticated streetscape that would finally match its Mink Mile moniker. I looked forward to seeing the wide granite sidewalks with raised planting beds for trees, flowers and shrubs, the new street furnishings and lighting, and the new public art. I felt it was just what Toronto needed to do to transform Bloor Street into a stylish shopping destination on par with high-end shopping districts in major cities around the world.

The project was scheduled for completion in phases over a two-and-a-half-year period, concluding by the end of 2010. However, in typical Toronto fashion, the transformation work got mired in delays, cost overruns and controversy. The project made headlines early on when several Bloor Street businesses launched a lawsuit against the City and the BIA, claiming in part that the project lacked proper prior community consultation and environment assessments. But as was reported in an October 30 2008 article on insidetoronto.com, the Ontario Divisional Court found no improprieties and ruled the project could proceed. Then construction delays started to drag things out considerably. As the Toronto Star reported on May 12 2010, “unforeseen construction problems” put the project months behind schedule and 23% over budget ($4.5 million). More than half of the cost overrun was blamed on Toronto Hydro, which encountered problems and delays burying hydro chambers under the street.

In November 2010, word went out that the work on Bloor Street had finally finished. In a November 23 2010 story, the online publication Building said the transformation project had been finished just in time for the Christmas shopping season, while in a November 29 2010 press release published on its website, Tourism Toronto stated that “Bloor-Yorkville has enhanced its reputation as Canada’s premiere shopping district with the completion of the Bloor Street Transformation Project.” That news struck me as odd, since I had walked along Bloor Street several times in November and noticed that much work remained to be done. Tree and plant installation had not even started west of Yonge Street, and signs said that wouldn’t happen before spring 2011; meanwhile, a big unrenovated stretch of sidewalk remained as a tremendous eyesore outside the office building at 120 Bloor Street East.

It’s now spring 2011 and there are signs the long-awaited tree and flower planting west of Yonge Street will take place very soon; apparently the BIA is aiming to get all the greenery in the ground by the end of this month. And over at Bloor and Church, crews are finally tackling the ugly section of sidewalk that wasn’t renovated along with the rest of the block.

Though the June 26 street party might suggest the transformation is a done deal, it won’t truly be over for a long time yet. A long section of sidewalk at the southeast corner of Bloor and Yonge hasn’t been touched because that’s where construction is supposed to start sometime later this year or next on the One Bloor condo skyscraper. There’s no point renovating that sidewalk, I suppose, if it’s just going to be covered by hoarding for years and possibly even damaged by construction vehicles and equipment.

Notwithstanding that one missing piece, was the Bloor Street renovation effort really worth the time, trouble, aggravation and pricetag? While I’m sure many frustrated and construction-weary Bloor-Yorkville-area business owners and residents don’t believe so, I think the new streetscape is a wonderful civic investment that will eventually pay off many times over. And even though I don’t patronize those über-expensive designer boutiques, I love walking along the renovated street, and can’t wait to see how it looks and feels this summer once all the trees, plants and flowers are in full bloom.

The only thing I’m not happy to see is the abrupt end of the beautiful streetscape a few dozen meters east of the intersection of Bloor and Church Streets. From there to Jarvis Street and farther east to Sherbourne Street, the street looks dull and, in places, downright tawdry and tacky. The City replaced some dead and dying trees on the south side of Bloor Street with paving stones instead of replacement saplings, and though a few new park benches have been installed on the sidewalks between Church and Sherbourne, ugly and rusting metal planter boxes bring a trailer park trashiness to the eastern end of Bloor. The City should have extended the streetscape improvements all the way to Sherbourne; after all, that intersection is one of the gateways to the exclusive Rosedale residential district. But the City’s failure to do so is typical of its usual half-assed approach to civic improvement. I suppose we’re lucky we wound up with even just a few blocks of attractive, world-class streetscape. We could use a lot more, but this is Toronto, after all.

Below are several more recent photos of Bloor Street.

July 25 2010: Many Bloor Street merchants were furious with the construction delays, but at least Holt Renfrew took matters in stride.

May 13 2009: This photo shows how awful the sidewalk looked before renovations reached the north side of Bloor Street at Yonge Street, outside the CIBC tower.

November 22 2009: Only half of the block between Park Road and Church Street was renovated in 2009; the broken and missing paving stones were left untouched on this wide stretch of sidewalk outside 120 Bloor Street East

April 30 2011: At long last, the eyesore stretch of sidewalk outside 120 Bloor Street East has finally been ripped up, and will be replaced with granite pavers

May 1 2011: The Bloor Street transformation looks wonderful — except outside the Toronto Marriott Bloor-Yorkville Hotel at 90 Bloor East, where a long section of the old concrete sidewalk remains and completely spoils the new streetscape.

May 1 2011: This strip of sidewalk outside the Bloor Street Marriott hotel is a prime example of the City of Toronto’s half-assed approach to civic improvement

April 30 2011: Yellow pansies brighten the southeast corner of Bloor and Church Streets, but the street transformation ends here. From just a few meters past this planter box all the way to Sherbourne Street, the east end of Bloor looks blah.

May 1 2011: Sidewalk renovations didn’t continue along the south side of Bloor Street to either Jarvis or Sherbourne Streets. Instead, the city merely uprooted some dead and dying trees and replaced them with paving bricks, like those seen here outside St. Paul’s Bloor Street Anglican Church at 227 Bloor East.

May 1 2011: A rusting metal planter box on the south side of Bloor Street near Jarvis Street contrasts sharply with the gorgeous granite planters two blocks west

City Scene: A BIXI mix-up

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April 30 2011: Notwithstanding what the signage says, this new BIXI public bike rental station (sans bicycles) is actually at Jarvis & Isabella Streets

Big oops!: Things could get off to a confusing start four tourists and even many city residents when Toronto’s new BIXI public bike system launches on Tuesday. The sign on the bike rental station installed this week at the northeast corner of Jarvis and Isabella Streets is mislabelled as “Yonge St & Dundonald St,” which is actually four blocks away to the southwest. I didn’t have time to hike over to Yonge & Dundonald today to see if the station there is marked “Jarvis St & Isabella St” or something else, but can only presume that at least one other station has been installed in the wrong place. Hopefully they will get the station signs sorted out before Tuesday … as well as their website map that indicates rental station locations. Neither the Jarvis & Isabella nor the Yonge & Dundonald stations appear on the map, nor do any of the other dozen BIXI stations I saw while walking around downtown today.

Keeping tabs on … Ryerson Gallery & Research Centre

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April 30 2011: Ryerson Gallery and Research Centre exterior construction progress viewed from the northeast corner of Bond and Gould Streets

Colourful facade: It’s not scheduled to open until September 2012, but the Ryerson Gallery and Research Centre looks more and more complete each time I walk past — from the outside. Inside, it’s a much different story; at night, when lights are on and you can see through the huge windows, it’s obvious that substantial interior construction work remains to be done. The facility, which is part of Ryerson University’s School of Image Arts, will be “an international centre of excellence for the study, teaching, research and public exhibition of photography, new media and film,” the university website states. It also will be one of the most colourful buildings in downtown Toronto at night, thanks to a programmable multicoloured light show that emanates from thousands of LED lights behind the Centre’s translucent glass exterior. The Centre was designed by Diamond + Schmitt Architects. According to the Ryerson University website, the Centre “will have more space for students to mingle, lounge, study and collaborate; improved faculty offices; renovated digital imaging facilities and dedicated production areas; greater accessibility, particularly with washrooms and elevators; and more natural light. Landscaping will fully integrate the building into the newly pedestrianized Gould Street.” Below are photos I’ve taken of the Ryerson Gallery and Research Centre between late February and today. Additional images of earlier construction progress can be viewed in my January 12 2011 post.

February 25 2011: Dusk provides an opportunity to see inside the Centre and view ongoing testing of the facade’s LED light show

February 25 2011: Another Gould Street view of the Centre’s north side

February 25 2011: The west side of the Centre viewed from the skating rink

February 25 2011: Thousands of programmable LED lights behind the building’s translucent glass exterior will illuminate the Centre at night

March 11 2011: Another test of the Centre’s facade light show; testing of the light system has been ongoing since early in the year

April 8 2011: Northwest view of the Centre from Bond Street

April 8 2011: St George’s Greek Orthodox Church reflects in the facade

April 30 2011: Ryerson Gallery and Research Centre viewed from Gould Street

April 30 2011: Ryerson University expects construction to be complete in time for the building to be occupied for the 2011-2012 academic year

April 30 2011: Ground level view of the Centre’s northeast corner

April 30 2011: A view of the building’s northeast facade along Bond Street

April 30 2011: The southeast end of the Centre on Bond Street

April 30 2011: Northwest view of the building from Bond Street

April 30 2011: The center section of the east facade is still under wraps

April 30 2011: The glass facade on the east (Bond Street) side of the Centre

April 30 2011: A view of the Centre from the corner of Gould & Victoria Streets

Work gets underway preparing Yonge-St Joseph site for construction of 45-storey FIVE condo tower

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FIVE Condos, depicted at dusk in this illustration provided courtesy of Toronto’s Hariri Pontarini Architects, will become a landmark for the Yonge-Wellesley area.

April 22 2011: A St Joseph Street view of the FIVE Condos development site

April 27 2011: Soil testing and utility service locating activity on St Nicholas Street, the western flank of the FIVE Condos construction site

High FIVE: The block to the northwest of Yonge and Wellesley Streets is set to become downtown’s newest condo construction zone, as crews begin preparing the site for FIVE Condos at 5 St Joseph. For the past two weeks, contractors have been conducting soil tests on the project site perimeter, while on Tuesday workers began locating and marking utility service entry points to the property, including gas, sewer and power lines. Yesterday and again today, St Nicholas Street was closed to traffic between St Joseph Street and Phipps Street as crews conducted more preliminary work along the northwest flank of the FIVE Condos location and continued demolishing the interior of some of the buildings on site. That section of St Nicholas Street could remain closed to vehicles and foot traffic for up to four years — the time it’s expected to take to construct FIVE’s 45-storey tower, heritage lofts and street-level retail spaces.

I wish construction wasn’t going to take so long, because I’m anxious to see not just how the FIVE tower will appear on the city skyline, but also to see if I’m right in predicting that this significant mixed-use development project could kick-start a much-needed renewal of the worn and weary Yonge Street strip between Wellesley and Bloor Streets.

FIVE is an intriguing project that will transform a large L-shaped piece of property fronting on St Nicholas Street to the west, St Joseph Street to the north, and Yonge Street to the east. There are three heritage buildings on the site — the Rawlinson Cartage buildings at 610 and 612 Yonge Street, and the William Doherty building at 614 Yonge street — along with other historically noteworthy structures including Rawlinson warehouse buildings at 5 St Joseph and along the east side of St Nicholas Street.

I must admit I felt dismayed when the FIVE project was publicly proposed three years ago, and not just because it meant my favourite gym would eventually be closed (I used to work out at a fitness club that occupied three floors of the Rawlinson building on St Joseph; it was a wonderful, incomparable space for a gym, and I was sorry to learn it was going to become loft condos). Word on the street at the time suggested that most of the heritage buildings between Yonge and St Nicholas would have to be razed to make way for a modern glass and steel tower. I dreaded the thought that the wonderful brick buildings might be demolished, since that would totally destroy the neighbourhood’s charm, ruin the look and feel of the narrow brick-paved St Nicholas laneway, and sadly eliminate some charming old buildings from the streetscape along Yonge. But I was hugely relieved once I saw that Hariri Pontarini Architects had sensitively designed the condo development around the heritage buildings, and wasn’t going to take away the things I love most about this particular area. Now I’m actually looking forward to the construction. I think that FIVE will not only breathe new life into a big block of historic buildings, but could also reinvigorate the surrounding neighbourhood, and perhaps even exert a positive influence on further thoughtful development along the Yonge Street strip.

With distinctive curving glass balconies, the 45-storey FIVE condo tower will establish a visual landmark and focal point for the Yonge & Wellesley area. The refurbished facades for the re-purposed historic buildings will become landmarks in their own right, preserving and enhancing the neighbourhood’s charm and character while demonstrating that development doesn’t always require the destruction of old buildings. FIVE could be a trailblazing project, showing the city and developers how to blend new residential highrises into older, low-rise buildings along a major commercial thoroughfare without spoiling the unique look and feel of the streetscape. My key hope is that the city will ultimately pedestrianize St Nicholas to complement the cafés and boutiques envisioned for FIVE’s street level; a European-style promenade with outdoor café seating would be a perfect enhancement to the neighbourhood. (5ive, a gay dance bar that formerly occupied the ground floor of 9 St Joseph,operated a café and bar on the tree-shaded boulevard in front of the building for a few summers in the early 2000s. It would be great to see the northwest streetcorner at the FIVE complex come alive with something like that once again.)

For the next several years, though, I’ll have to wait and watch while FIVE goes up. That should be equally interesting to follow. While crews dig a 19-meter-deep excavation on the construction site, the five-story facade of the Rawlinson building on St Joseph Street will have to be preserved and maintained. That means a steel support structure must be erected on the street to hold the wall in place. Although the five-storey west wall of the historical building on St Nicholas Street will be dismantled to allow for construction of the FIVE tower, it will be rebuilt. Since the developer needs construction staging areas, on-street parking spaces must be removed from the south side of St Joseph; meanwhile, the narrow (5.5-meter wide) stretch of St Nicholas between St Joseph and Phipps Street must be closed altogether for the duration of construction. The street closures and parking space removals could cost the developer $216,000 in fees payable to the city, full details of which are outlined in a March 30 2011 city report.

Below are recent photos I’ve taken of buildings on and around the FIVE development site, along with renderings provided courtesy of Hariri Pontarini Architects that suggest how the Yonge, St Joseph and St Nicholas streetscapes will appear once the heritage buildings and facades have been restored and rebuilt into the condo complex. Additional renderings, including images of the FIVE tower from four different perspectives, can be viewed on the St Joseph + Yonge project description page of the Hariri Pontarini website.

From a background file on the City of Toronto website, a Transportation Services diagram shows street closures required for the construction of FIVE Condos

The development proposal sign that was posted outside 5 St Joseph Street, seen here in December 2008. The original plan proposed a 49-storey tower, but a 45-floor tower will be built instead.

December 19 2008: The former Rawlinson Cartage building at 5 St Joseph Street

The FIVE Condos site at the southwest corner of Yonge and St Joseph Streets seen during a snowstorm on December 19 2008

March 1 2009: Neighbourhood opposition failed to stop the development

April 19 2010: A view of the southwest corner of Yonge and St Joseph Streets. A long advertising banner indicates the Yonge Street properties that are part of the FIVE Condos development site

April 19 2010: The FIVE Condos site on the south side of St Joseph Street just west of Yonge Street

April 19 2010: Banners advertising FIVE Condos on the facade of the former Rawlinson Cartage building at 5 St Joseph Street

April 19 2010: Street-level view of the former Rawlinson Cartage building

April 19 2010: Looking west on Dundonald Street toward the FIVE Condos site

December 4 2010: Looking south on St Nicholas Street at the west side of the FIVE Condos site. This brick facade will be dismantled and rebuilt.

December 4 2010: The west side of the FIVE Condos site viewed from the southwest corner of St Nicholas Street and Phipps Street

December 4 2010: The west side of the FIVE Condos site viewed from Phipps Street looking north along St Nicholas Street

December 4 2010: The west side of the FIVE Condos site, looking north along St Nicholas Street from the corner of Phipps Street. This part of the project site will be transformed into street-level retail space (see below).

This rendering, provided courtesy of Hariri Pontarini Architects, suggests how dramatically St Nicholas Street will be transformed with the addition of street-level retail space in the FIVE Condos development

December 4 2010: This passageway through one of the buildings on the FIVE Condos site leads from St Nicholas Street to a laneway behind Yonge Street

March 12 2011: A view of what’s at the east end of the passageway, looking toward the back of several buildings that front onto Yonge Street.

March 12 2011: Looking north from the laneway behind St Nicholas and Yonge Streets. The FIVE Condo tower will rise 45 floors from this location.

December 21 2010: Looking east on Phipps Street (behind the Sutton Place Hotel) toward the FIVE Condos development site

December 21 2010: A view from Phipps Street of one of the St Nicholas Street buildings on the FIVE Condos development site

December 21 2010: The Shred Central skate park at 19 St Nicholas Street was the city’s last indoor skateboard facility. It closed in January to make way for the FIVE Condos construction. The park’s closure, after 13 years of operations, made the news in the December 3 2010 issue of the Globe and Mail.

December 21 2010: St Nicholas Street view of the three-storey building at the south end of the FIVE Condos development site. The five-storey brick building at far right is not part of the FIVE project.

December 21 2010: Street-level view of the west wall of the FIVE Condos site on St Nicholas Street, just below St Joseph Street

December 21 2010: Looking up at the St Nicholas Street facade

December 21 2010: Fire stairs on the St Nicholas Street facade of the Rawlinson Cartage building at 5 St Joseph Street

April 9 2011: The southwest corner of Yonge & St Joseph Streets

April 9 2011: Three of the Yonge Street properties included in the FIVE project

April 9 2011: More of the Yonge Street properties that are part of the FIVE project

This rendering, provided courtesy of Hariri Pontarini Architects, illustrates how the Yonge Street buildings and storefronts will be incorporated into the FIVE Condos project

April 19 2011: The Eleven Residences condominium building at 11 St Joseph Street was originally another historic Rawlinson Cartage building. When the building was redeveloped into a residential highrise in the early 2000s, its facade was dismantled and reassembled — as will be the case with the facades for the buildings where FIVE Condos will rise.

April 22 2011: A St Joseph Street view of the Five Condos site

April 22 2011: Southeasterly view of the 5 St Joseph Street building and the development site along the east side of St Nicholas Street

This rendering, provided courtesy of Hariri Pontarini Architects, offers a St Joseph Street view of the FIVE Condos development

April 22 2011: The entrance to the FIVE Condos presentation and sales centre at 5 St Joseph Street. The street level premises of this former Rawlinson Cartage building have been home to at least three gay bars: Katrina’s during the 1980s, Colby’s in the 1990s, and 5ive in the early 2000s.

April 22 2011: Buildings on the north side of St Joseph Street, directly across from the Five Condos site

Keeping tabs on … Delta Hotel & Bremner office tower construction at Southcore Financial Centre

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April 21 2011: Pile driving and shoring activity continues as crews prepare the Delta Toronto hotel and Bremner Tower office site for excavation.

Shore thing: The site for downtown Toronto’s next new hotel and office tower — part of the Southcore Financial Centre (SFC) at the northwest corner of Bremner Boulevard and Lower Simcoe Street — continues to be prepared for excavation. Drilling rigs have been working on the property since the beginning of this year, installing steel I-beams to shore up the north side of the site next to the railway tracks. Excavation for the 45-storey Delta Toronto hotel and the 30-storey Bremner Tower office building should commence within a few months. Meanwhile, the 26-storey PricewaterhouseCoopers office building — the first SFC tower to be built — is 86% leased, with occupancy expected to be begin this fall. Below is a rendering from the Southcore Financial Centre website, showing how all three towers will appear once completed, along with a series of photos I took of the construction site on Thursday.

From the SFC website, a south view of the hotel & office towers

April 21 2011: Bremner Boulevard north view of the construction site

April 21 2011: The site sits south of the railway tracks, and across Lower Simcoe Street from the Toronto Convention Centre (left)

April 21 2011: North view from Bremner Boulevard of the SFC site

April 21 2011: The west half of the site, along Lower Simcoe Street

April 21 2011: Northeast view of the construction zone from Bremner Blvd.

April 21 2011: North view of the construction area from Bremner Blvd.

April 21 2011: An excavator and a pile driver on the site

April 21 2011: A steel I-beam sunk into the ground to shore up the south perimeter of the two-tower building site

April 21 2011: One of the drilling rigs preparing the site for excavation

April 21 2011: Drilling rig parts next to a pile of steel I-beams

April 21 2011: East view of the Southcore Financial Centre construction site from the Simcoe Street steps to the Toronto Convention Centre

April 21 2011: A view of the row of steel I-beam foundation supports next to the railway tracks at the north end of the construction site

April 21 2011: The north half of the hotel and office tower site

April 21 2011: Pile driving machines near the SE corner of the site

April 21 2011: I-beams along the north side of the property

April 21 2011: A pile driving machine on the west side of the site

April 21 2011: An excavator digging at the northeast corner of the site

Pit stop: ÏCE & Infinity3 construction progress

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April 21 2011: Lower Simcoe Street view of bottom level construction progress at the Infinity3 and ÏCE condo tower construction sites

Lower floor poured: The giant pit between York Street and Lower Simcoe Street is starting to fill in, as construction of underground levels at the ÏCE Condos and Infinity3 Condo projects moves along. Five construction cranes are now working on the site — up from the three that I mentioned in my February 25 2011 post. Below are some photos I took of the construction progress on Thursday.

April 21 2011: Four of the five construction cranes working the site are visible in this east view of the Infinity3 and ÏCE condo building progress

April 21 2011: All five cranes — four white, one red — are visible in this view from Roundhouse Park above Lower Simcoe Street

April 21 2011: The vast excavation for the two condominium tower projects stretches from York Street at the east to Lower Simcoe Street at the west

April 21 2011: Freshly poured concrete floor near the site’s northwest corner

April 21 2011: Forms in place to pour the next underground floor for ÏCE Condos

April 21 2011: Building activity is currently concentrated on the center of the site

April 21 2011: A view of the curved southeast corner of the ÏCE Condos site

April 21 2011: Wall forms for ÏCE Condos underground levels

April 21 2011: Floor and wall forms for the ÏCE Condos underground levels

April 21 2011: Rebar and freshly poured concrete

April 21 2011: A construction worker smooths a freshly poured concrete floor

April 21 2011: Underground floors take shape in the middle of the site

April 21 2011: The Lower Simcoe Street entrance to the Infinity3 excavation

April 21 2011: A loo with an Infinity3 view

April 21 2011: Construction of the bottom underground level for Infinity3 approaches the west end of the site near Lower Simcoe Street

April 21 2011: The ramp from Lower Simcoe Street into the deep excavation for the Infinity3 condo development

April 21 2011: A view of the Infinity3 condo excavation from Grand Trunk Crescent

April 21 2011: A view of the Infinity3 construction zone

April 21 2011: Another Grand Trunk Crescent view of the Infinity3 condo site

April 21 2011: Lower floor construction progress near the western third of the site

April 21 2011: Lower floor construction progress in the middle of the excavation

April 21 2011: A red and yellow crane works the east side of the ÏCE Condos site

City Scene: Toronto Hydro handwell replacements reduce risk of shock for pedestrians & pets

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April 21 2011: Orange cones mark handwell replacement work on St Thomas Street, above, and along St Nicholas Street to the south (below)

Shocking but true: During the last decade, it’s been almost impossible to walk more than a few blocks in downtown Toronto without having to pass under scaffolding and alongside hoarding on sidewalks adjacent to building construction sites. And for most of the past three years, Yorkville-area pedestrians and shoppers have had to wind their way around construction activity as the Bloor Street Transformation Project gave the Mink Mile a major makeover. This year, there’s a new hazard for downtown walkers: crews cutting up sections of sidewalks to replace hydroelectric handwells in the pavement. Handwells are the metal plates that mark access points for underground electrical service to streetlights, traffic lights, signs and other utilities. Under certain conditions, these lids can become energized, transmitting shocks to pedestrians and animals that come in contact with them. In 2008 and 2009, at least two dogs died when they stepped on handwells and got electrocuted, while several people also received shocks, a February 2 2009 Toronto Star story reported. Last year, Toronto Hydro launched a handwell remediation program to replace the metal lids with non-conductive polymer concrete access panels. More than 15,000 handwells across the city are being inspected and replaced. The program is in full swing at the moment, and it’s common to encounter orange traffic cones and asphalt patches along downtown sidewalks where the panels are being changed. As if that’s not enough, sections of streets and sidewalks through Toronto are being dug up as the City launches its annual summer infrastructure construction program. More than $130 million will be spent on maintenance and repairs to bridges, roads and sidewalks, along with sewer and watermain replacement. If you heading out for a walk, be sure to watch your step!

George Brown College waterfront campus construction starts commanding attention

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April 21 2011: The second level of the new George Brown College waterfront campus dominates the view south from Queen’s Quay Boulevard…

…compared to August 29 2010, when only the construction cranes were visible.

April 21 2011: West view of the construction site from Sherbourne Common

April 21 2011: Southwest view of the construction from the lakeside promenade in front of the Corus Quay office building next door

Second floor takes shape: Mid-February was the last time I walked around the construction site for the new George Brown College waterfront campus. As photos from my February 5 2011 post showed, construction activity at the time was still below grade, as crews continued to form floors and walls for the building’s underground levels. From the street and the adjacent Sherbourne Common park, only the two giant construction cranes, concrete pumping machines, and assorted heavy construction machines and trucks were obvious to onlookers.

The scene was completely different when I made a return visit to the construction site on Thursday afternoon. With construction up to the second floor, the Health Sciences building now has a strong visual presence, rising well above the hoarding along Queen’s Quay boulevard. And as construction climbs higher toward its full eight-storey height, the college building will continue to steal attention away from its next-door neighbour, Corus Quay.

Below is a series of photos showing construction progress on the waterfront campus back in mid-February and as of this week.

February 18 2011: A concrete pumping machine at the George Brown College waterfront campus construction site, viewed from Sherbourne Common

February 18 2011: North view of the George Brown College construction site from the lakeside walkway between Sherbourne Common and Sugar Beach

February 18 2011: Northwest view of the construction site from the walkway between the campus and the west side of Sherbourne Common

February 18 2011: Northeast view of the George Brown College waterfront campus construction from the lakeside walkway at Corus Quay

February 18 2011: East view of the construction site shows the college building’s underground levels approaching street grade

April 21 2011: Queen’s Quay boulevard view of second-level construction activity on the north side of the campus building

April 21 2011: A view of the north side of the building through the construction entrance on Queen’s Quay

April 21 2011: A view of the center section of the building’s north side

April 21 2011: Campus construction viewed from the northwest on Queen’s Quay

April 21 2011: Second level construction underway at the northwest corner

April 21 2011: Construction on the northwest corner of the campus building

April 21 2011: The west side of the building viewed from the walkway between the campus and the Corus Quay offices next door

April 21 2011: Southwest view of the construction progress from the lakeside walkway that links Sugar Beach and Corus Quay with Sherbourne Common

April 21 2011: View toward the southeast corner of the building from the lakeside walkway near Sherbourne Common

April 21 2011: The southeast corner of the building, viewed from the walkway between the campus and Sherbourne Common

April 21 2011: Concrete delivery at the northeast corner of the building

April 21 2011: Second level construction at the northeast corner of the building

April 21 2011: Northeast view of the construction from Sherbourne Common

April 21 2011: Concrete truck at the northeast corner of the construction zone

April 21 2011: Sherbourne Common view of the college rising beside Corus Quay

April 21 2011: The east side of the building, viewed from Sherbourne Common

City Scene: The keys to X Condos

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April 22 2011: Lockboxes containing keys to units for sale at X Condos

Keys to your next condo: Looking to buy a condo in the Bloor-Jarvis area? You’ll have lots of options on Charles Street East, where at least 23 suites are currently up for resale at the X Condos tower alone. The photo above, taken at X Condos on Good Friday, shows real estate agent lockboxes containing keys to units listed for sale in the building.

The 44-storey condo tower is situated at 110 Charles Street East, on the northeast corner of Ted Rogers Way (aka Jarvis Street). The lowest-priced unit listed on the mls.ca website on Friday was $319,900 for a 545-square-foot 1-bedroom on the 17th floor. The most expensive listing was $918,000 for a 2-bedroom plus den with three bathrooms on the 40th floor. Most suites are priced in the $400,000’s.

If you’re not interested in X Condos, but want to live in the same neighbourhood, there’s still plenty of choice: Couture Condos is under construction right next door, while X2 Condos is starting construction right across the street.

City Scenes: Digging itself into a deep hole

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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.

Sherbourne Common north park nears completion

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April 21 2011: One of the water fountain features in the new Sherbourne Common north park area, which is nearing completion on Lower Sherbourne Street

April 21 2011: Looking east from Lower Sherbourne Street at the nearly-completed north park section of Sherbourne Common

Nearly finished: Construction of the north section of the new Sherbourne Common park is in its final stages, and the new recreational facility could be fully open to the public in only a few weeks’ time. Below are some photos I took of the park on Friday; there’s also a link to an online photo album containing dozens more photos of both the north and south sections of Sherbourne Common, as well as the nearby Canada’s Sugar Beach.

April 21 2011: Lower Sherbourne Street view of the park

April 21 2011: One of the whimsical installations in the park

April 21 2011: Eastward view of the center section of Sherbourne Common North

April 21 2011: Another installation at Sherbourne Common

April 21 2011: View of Sherbourne Common park from Queen’s Quay Blvd

April 21 2011: Construction crew working at Sherbourne Common North

April 21 2011: Crew working to finish Sherbourne Common North

April 21 2011: The water fountains at Sherbourne Common North

April 21 2011: One of the water fountains at Sherbourne Common North

April 21 2011: A water channel on the south Sherbourne Common

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

Tracking Downtown Toronto's Amazing
Building Boom.

www.TheTorontoBlog.com

Tracking Downtown Toronto's Amazing Building Boom.

St Mike’s opens research, healthcare centres at new Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute building

Neighbourhood Watch: Photos of Bloor-Yorkville area condos and construction activity (Part 1)

Sea of scaffolding rises at corner of Bay & Elm as SickKids Tower climbs toward third floor

Will Bloor Street transformation project finally finish before June 16 “red carpet” opening party?

City Scene: A BIXI mix-up

Keeping tabs on … Ryerson Gallery & Research Centre

Work gets underway preparing Yonge-St Joseph site for construction of 45-storey FIVE condo tower

Keeping tabs on … Delta Hotel & Bremner office tower construction at Southcore Financial Centre

Pit stop: ÏCE & Infinity3 construction progress

City Scene: Toronto Hydro handwell replacements reduce risk of shock for pedestrians & pets

George Brown College waterfront campus construction starts commanding attention

City Scene: The keys to X Condos

City Scenes: Digging itself into a deep hole

Sherbourne Common north park nears completion

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

Tracking Downtown Toronto's AmazingBuilding Boom.

Tracking Downtown Toronto's Amazing
Building Boom.