Tag Archives: Crystal Blu Condos

Nicholas & FIVE condos making big visual impact on Yonge Street; 1 Bloor tower set to follow suit

north downtown Yonge Street

November 14 2013: Construction of FIVE Condos (left) and Nicholas Residences (center rear) is dramatically changing the landscape of north downtown Yonge Street. This is a view from the east side of Yonge just below Maitland Street, one block south of Wellesley Street.

 

 

Shifting landscape: Two condo tower construction projects are rapidly changing the look of Yonge Street’s west side, between College and Bloor Streets, while a third new building will soon make a dramatic impact on views up the east side of Yonge Street.

The steadily rising concrete frames for FIVE Condos and Nicholas Residences now dominate the views up Yonge from as far south as its intersection with Carlton and College Streets. Depending upon your particular vantage point along the 10-block stretch of what city planners call “north downtown Yonge,” FIVE and Nicholas already obscure or partially block from sight several skyscrapers in the Yorkville neighbourhood — including the 51-storey Manulife Centre tower, which has been a familiar landmark indicating the intersection of Bloor & Bay Streets since 1972.

But with a long way still to go before construction of FIVE and Nicholas is complete, it’s already obvious that both new buildings will exude an even more powerful presence on the landscape once they have attained their full height. As of this weekend, construction of Nicholas has reached the 27th level on the way to 35, with cladding and windows installed up to the 13th floor so far. Two blocks down the street, construction of FIVE Condos has climbed to the 16th storey — exactly one-third of its way to the building’s final 48 floors. Installation of that tower’s cladding has not yet begun.

Meanwhile, the One Bloor condo project is poised to begin an equally remarkable transformation of views up the east side of Yonge Street. Rising at the southeast corner of Yonge & Bloor Streets, One Bloor will ultimately top off at 75 floors, completely reshaping the Yorkville skyline and one of the country’s most famous crossroads in the process.

 

One Bloor condos

November 27 2013: Looking toward the One Bloor condo construction site from one block to the south, at the intersection of Yonge and Charles Streets.

 

 

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Neighbourhood Watch: Photos of Bloor-Yorkville area condos and construction activity (Part 2)

Casa condominium tower on Charles Street West

May 5 2011: The 46-storey Casa condo on Charles Street West, viewed from a driveway between the Bloor Street Neighbourhood condo (left) and the St Charles Court apartment building (right)

 

Bloor Street Neighbourhood condos

May 5 2011: looking up at the L-shaped Bloor Street Neighbourhood condo tower

 

Bloor Street Neighbourhood condos

May 5 2011: Balconies on the west side of Bloor Street Neighbourhood

 

driveway betwen Bloor Street Neighbourhood condo tower and Charles Court apartments

May 5 2011: South view toward the Casa condo tower from a driveway linking Hayden Street and Charles Street between the Bloor Street Neighbourhood condo tower and Charles Court apartments

 

walkway between Charles Court apartments and Bloor Street Neighbourhood condo tower

May 5 2011: Pedestrians take a short-cut north to Hayden Street along the driveway between the Charles Court apartments (left) and the Bloor Street Neighbourhood condo tower

 

Uptown Residences and Crystal Blu condo towers

May 6 2011: A driveway just two vehicles wide is all that separates The Uptown Residences (left) and Crystal Blu Condos, new condo towers on Balmuto Street

 

Uptown Residences condo tower

May 6 2011: Construction on the exterior of The Uptown Residences is complete — except for the condo tower’s main entrance on Balmuto Street

 

Four Seasons Toronto Hotel + Residences

May 6 2011: Construction of the Four Seasons Toronto Hotel + Residences, viewed from outside The Uptown Residences

 

Four Seasons Toronto Hotel + Residences

May 6 2011: Four Seasons Toronto Hotel + Residences viewed from Balmuto Street

 

Four Seasons Toronto hotel + residences

April 30 2011: Four Seasons Toronto Hotel + Residences tower viewed from the northwest corner of Bloor and St Thomas Streets

 

Four Seasons Hotel + Residences Toronto

May 5 2011: Four Seasons Hotel + Residences Toronto construction viewed from Church Street near Park Road

 

Milan condo tower at Yonge & Church

April 23 2011: Looking south at the excavation progress for the Milan condo tower under construction at Yonge & Church

 

Milan condo tower at Yonge & Church

April 23 2011: View toward the southeast corner of the Milan condo tower excavation site, from the Canadian Tire store parking lot next door

 

Milan condo tower at Yonge & Church

April 23 2011: Deep excavation in the site’s southeast corner on Church Street

 

Milan condo tower at Yonge & Church

April 23 2011: Excavation activity near the Yonge subway line at the north side of the Milan condo tower construction site

 

Milan condo tower at Yonge & Church

April 23 2011: The Milan condo tower excavation entrance ramp off Church Street

 

Milan condo tower at Yonge & Church

May 5 2011: A view of the Milan excavation from the site’s southeast corner on Church Street, as a subway train passes the east side of the construction area.

 

Milan condo tower at Yonge & Church

May 5 2011: Church Street view through security fencing toward the northeast corner of the Milan condo tower construction site

 

Milan condo tower at Yonge & Church

May 5 2011: Looking north from Church Street toward the Canadian Tire store next to the Milan condo construction zone

 

Milan condo tower at Yonge & Church

May 5 2011: view toward the east side of the Milan site from the Church Street construction entrance ramp

 

Milan condo tower at Yonge & Church

May 5 2011: Church Street view of the Milan site, looking northeast

 

Seventy Seven Charles West condos

April 30 2011: Construction progress at the Seventy Seven Charles West condos viewed from Charles Street

 

Seventy Seven Charles West condos

April 30 2011: Seventy Seven Charles West condos viewed from the corner of St Thomas and Charles Streets

 

Seventy Seven Charles West condos

April 30 2011:  Looking south on St Thomas Street at the Seventy Seven Charles West condos

 

One St Thomas condo tower

April 22 2011: A window washer descends the south side of the 29-storey One St Thomas condo tower, which sits directly across Charles Street from the Seventy Seven Charles west condo construction site

 

One St Thomas condo tower

April 22 2011:  The cleaner works his way down the limestone-clad wall

 

One St Thomas condo tower

April 22 2011: His job perk is a view inside some of the city’s most exclusive luxury condos

 

One St Thomas condo tower

April 22 2011: The tower, which evokes highrise buildings from 1920s and 1930s-era New York City, was designed by Robert A.M. Stern Architects

 

Nicholas Residences condo construction site

May 6 2011: Hoarding is installed along St Nicholas Street and heavy machinery positioned on St Mary Street as crews prepare to demolish buildings where the Nicholas Residences condo tower will be constructed

 

Nicholas Residences condo tower construction site

May 6 2011: This building was formerly home to Regis College, the Jesuit Graduate Faculty of Theology at the University of Toronto. The interior has been gutted, and demolition of the brick exterior is imminent

 

Nicholas Residences condo tower construction site

May 6 2011: Nicholas will rise 35 storeys next to the Church of Scientology Toronto building, left, at the corner of Yonge & St Mary Streets

 

U Condos construction site

April 30 2011: Bay Street view of excavation progress at the U Condos construction site, looking northwest toward hoarding along St Mary Street. The construction crane for the Seventy Seven Charles West condo building rises behind Loretto College, the 6-storey brick building toward the upper left of the photo.

 

U Condos construction site

April 30 2011: Looking from Bay Street toward excavation machinery at the northwest corner of the U Condos construction site

 

A shoring machine on the U Condos construction site

April 30 2011: A shoring machine on the U Condos construction site

 

U Condos foundation construction

April 30 2011 A steel I-beam sunk into the ground to help shore up the huge U Condos site for excavation and foundation construction

 

U Condos construction site excavation

April 30 2011: Southward view from St Mary Street of excavation progress on the U Condos construction site

 

U Condos construction site excavation

April 30 2011 St Mary Street view toward the southeast corner of the U Condos construction site

 

U Condos construction site

April 30 2011 St Mary Street view toward the southwest corner of the U Condos construction site

 

U Condos construction site

April 30 2011 St Mary Street view toward the southwest corner of the U Condos construction site

 

U Condos construction site

April 30 2011: A shoring machine in the SW corner of the U Condos site

 

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

Crystal Blu condo tower and Uptown Residences Condo tower

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.

 

The Uptown Residences condo tower

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

 

The Uptown Residences condo tower

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

 

The Uptown Residences condo tower

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

 

The Uptown Residences condo tower

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

 

Crystal Blu condo tower

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

 

The Uptown Residences condo tower

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

 

The Uptown Residences condo tower

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

 

The Uptown Residences condo tower

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

 

36 Hazelton luxury condo

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.

 

36 Hazelton luxury condo

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

 

The Florian Residences of Upper Yorkville condo tower

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.

 

The Florian  Residences of Upper Yorkville condo tower

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

 

The Florian Residences of Upper Yorkville condo tower

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)

 

The Florian Residences of Upper Yorkville condo tower location

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

 

Toronto Reference Library

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.

 

Toronto Reference Library

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

 

Toronto Reference Library

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

 

Toronto Reference Library

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

Toronto Reference Library

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.”

 

One Bloor condo tower

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.

 

One Bloor condo tower location at Yonge & Bloor

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

 

One Bloor condo tower site

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

 

One Bloor condo tower site

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

 

One Bloor condo tower site

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

 

 

New year, new construction milestones

2011 is getting off to a foggy, soggy start in Toronto (it’s 10 degrees Celsius and pouring rain as I write), but the wet weather won’t put a damper on the frenetic pace of building activity across the downtown area. When construction gets back to full speed next week once the holiday season has wound down, numerous projects will start, approach or reach significant stages of construction. At least five towers will make a major mark on the city skyline soon. In Yorkville, The Four Seasons Private Residences and Museum House on Bloor, both of which already have a substantial streetscape presence, will be pouring their top floors during the winter. Several blocks south, on Bay Street, the Burano condo tower is quickly climbing high, while the Living Shangri-La Torontoand Trump International Toronto hotel/condo skyscrapers are adding excitement to the Financial District skyline. Market Wharf is doing the same for the St. Lawrence Market neighbourhood. In the next few weeks, streetscapes in several different areas will transform as construction climbs above ground level at 77 Charles Westin Yorkville, The L Tower on Yonge Street, Charlie Condos in the Entertainment District, The Modern at Sherbourne and Richmond, and the Clear Spirit tower in the Distillery District. Not too far behind are Aura at College Park on Yonge Street, Cinema Tower on Adelaide Street West, Three Hundred Front Street West, The Residences of Pier 27 on the waterfront, ICE Condos and Infinity3 Condos in the South Financial District, and Couture Condos on Jarvis Street; foundation work and underground levels are progressing fast at all seven sites. In the area bounded by Bloor, Bay, Wellesley and Jarvis Streets, demolition and excavation work should soon get in full swing for five key developments: U Condos, Five Condos, Nicholas Residences, X2 Condos, and the long-awaited One Bloor tower. Digging will get underway in earnest for the Ryerson University Student Learning Centre at Yonge and Gould Streets, and for the Delta Toronto hotel and Bremner Tower office complex in the South Financial District. Meanwhile, construction should soon conclude at the Sherbourne Common park at the waterfront, as well as for the 18 York office tower and seven major residential structures: the Ritz-Carlton Toronto, Crystal Blu Condos, Uptown Residences, James Cooper Mansion, Lumiere Condos, M5V Condos, and the YWCA Elm Centre. I’ll be taking a closer look at each of the above-mentioned projects — and many more hot construction spots — in the weeks ahead.

77 Charles Street


18 York