Tag Archives: One Bedford condos

Pedestrian hurt when glass falls on Bay Street from shattered balcony panel on Murano south tower

Murano condo wood balcony panel

August 15 2011: A wood panel indicates where glass broke and fell onto Bay Street from a balcony on the south Murano condo tower this morning

 

street closure sign at Bay & Grenville Streets

August 15 2011: Police closed the east traffic lane and sidewalk on Bay Street, as well as the intersection of Bay and Grenville Streets, after broken glass from a Murano condo balcony panel plunged to the ground and hit a passerby

 

traffic jam at Bay and Grenville Streets

August 15 2011: The driving restrictions cause traffic chaos on Bay Street below the Murano towers at 3 p.m. as police wait for crews to install scaffolding on the sidewalks. A pedestrian was injured by falling glass three hours earlier.

 

South tower’s turn: Local news media are reporting that a pedestrian suffered minor injuries this morning after she was struck by pieces of broken glass that fell from a balcony panel on the south Murano condo tower at the corner of Bay and Grenville Streets.

The woman was hurt shortly before noon when a glass panel shattered on an upper-floor balcony on the tower’s northwest corner, showering pieces of glass onto Bay Street. Although reports provide conflicting information about the nature of the woman’s injuries — with some stories saying she sustained injuries to her arm, and others describing a hand injury — all media accounts say the injury was minor and not life-threatening. Although it’s fortunate the woman wasn’t seriously hurt, the incident is bound to raise serious concerns about the safety of glass balcony panels not only because it marks the second time in three days that glass has shattered on a downtown condo tower, but because it’s at least the fourth tower to experience problems with panel breakage so far this summer.

On Saturday afternoon, a panel plunged off a 32nd-floor balcony at the recently-opened One Bedford condo tower in the Annex. According to an online Toronto Star report, police said “no-one was injured when the single, large pane of glass fell, bounced off the front-door overhang and smashed onto the ground” around 2.25 p.m. Police closed Bedford Road from Bloor Street to Prince Arthur Avenue for several hours while the incident was investigated. The broken panel was replaced with a temporary wood replacement (see photos below).

On August 2, a balcony panel on the Festival Tower condo highrise shattered and fell onto John Street. Nobody was hurt in that incident, but police closed John Street between King and Adelaide Streets as a precaution until Festival Tower’s developer, The Daniels Corporation, could get safety scaffolding installed on the sidewalk. Another panel had broken on Festival Tower only three weeks before that.

On August 1, two panels shattered and fell from the north Murano condo tower at the corner of Bay and Grosvenor Streets. Those incidents occurred mere days after City of Toronto building inspectors ordered Murano’s developer, Lanterra Developments, to remove and replace all of the balcony panels and railings from the north tower. That tower has been plagued with balcony breakage; in fact, the city ordered Lanterra to undertake the balcony remediation program after two panels broke and fell from the north tower on July 21. Panels had previously fallen from that tower on several separate occasions during the past year. Lanterra, incidentally, was One Bedford’s developer.

Online reports about today’s south Murano tower incident can be viewed on cp24.com, cbc.ca, and on the Toronto Star website, where there is a photo showing shattered glass in the balcony frame before it was cleared out and replaced with a piece of wood. [Additional updated coverage is provided in an August 16  2011 online story in the Globe and Mail.]

I have published extensive information and photos from previous balcony glass breakage incidents in earlier blog reports, including posts on August 4 2011, July 28 2011, July 21 2011, June 21 2011, February 2 2011, and January 18 2011. Below are photos I have taken in the past several days at Festival Tower and One Bedford, along with more pics I took this afternoon following the latest Murano panel break.

 

Festival Tower condo highrise Toronto

August 12 2011: Looking up the east side of Festival Tower, from which a balcony panel fell to the ground on John Street on August 2

 

Festival Tower condo highrise Toronto

August 12 2011: The circle indicates the Festival Tower balcony from which a glass panel plunged and smashed into pieces on John Street on August 2

 

Festival Tower balcony panels

August 12 2011: The broken panel has been replaced with a new one which appears to be a slightly different shade than the originals on the tower

 

One Bedford Condos Toronto

July 13 2011: Looking up the west side of the One Bedford condo tower. On Saturday, a glass panel fell from a 32nd floor balcony on this side of the building.

 

One Bedford Condos Toronto

August 14 2011: A piece of wood is temporarily replacing the glass panel that broke and fell from this One Bedford balcony on Saturday

 

One Bedford condo tower Toronto

August 14 2011: A closer view of the One Bedford condo balcony from which a glass panel fell on the weekend. Fortunately, no-one was hurt.

 

Murano north condo tower Toronto

August 12 2011: The north side of the north Murano condo tower, from which all balcony glass panels, dividers and railings have been removed on order by the City of Toronto. The removal and replacement project will cost the condo building’s developer, Lanterra Developments, millions of dollars.

 

Murano north and south condo towers Toronto

August 12 2011: The north Murano tower, sans balcony panels and railings, and the south tower rising behind it on Grenville Street

 

Murano north condo tower Toronto

August 12 2011: Scaffolding protects the sidewalk outside the north Murano condo tower. For more than a week after the late July incidents, north tower residents had to enter their building through the south tower.

Murano condo towers Toronto

August 12 2011: Panels have been removed from about two thirds of the balconies on the south side of the Murano north tower

 

Murano condo towers Toronto

August 12 2011: Another view of the south side of the Murano north tower

 

Murano condos Toronto

August 12 2011: A closer look at the balconies from which glass has been removed on the north tower’s south face

 

Murano condo towers Toronto

August 15 2011: The two Murano condo towers, viewed this afternoon from the the SW corner of Bay and Grenville Streets. For the past two weeks, crews have been removing glass panels and railings from balconies on the north tower (left). Today, a panel fell off the south tower (right) for the first time.

 

Murano condo tower Toronto

August 15 2011: Glass shattered and fell this morning from a balcony (circled) on the upper northwest corner of the Murano south condo tower

 

Murano south condo tower Toronto

August 15 2011: A replacement wooden panel has temporarily been installed on the balcony from which the glass fell this morning

 

Murano condo south tower Toronto

August 15 2011: Another view of the replacement wooden panel

 

Murano south condo tower Toronto

August 15 2011: A closer look at the balcony panel from which the broken glass fell

 

Police outside Murano north condo tower Toronto

August 15 2011: Police enforce sidewalk and street lane closures on Bay Street below the north Murano condo tower.

 

Toronto police car at Bay & Grenville Streets

August 15 2011: A Toronto police cruiser blocks vehicles from turning off Bay Street onto Grenville Street

 

police at Bay & Grenville Streets Toronto

August 15 2011: Police enforce traffic restrictions at the intersection of Bay & Grenville Streets below the Murano south condo tower

 

Bay Street sidewalk outside the Murano condos

August 15 2011: The Bay and Grenville Street sidewalks below the Murano condo towers have been closed to pedestrians

 

sidewalk closure sign on Bay Street

August 15 2011: The sidewalk closure sign at the corner of Bay & Grenville Streets

 

sidewalk closure at Bay and Grenville Streets

 August 15 2011: A Toronto police officer enforces the sidewalk closure at the southeast corner of Bay and Grenville Streets

 

sidewalk closure at Bay and Grenville Streets

August 15 2011: The east lane of Bay Street was closed to vehicles, as was the section of Grenville Street below the Murano south condo tower

 

sidewalk closure at Bay and Grenville Streets

August 15 2011: Police said the road and sidewalk closures could continue until scaffolding is  installed below the Murano south tower

 

street closure sign on Grenville Street

August 15 2011: Grenville Street is closed to vehicular traffic between St Vincent Lane and Bay Street, but the south sidewalk is open to pedestrians

 

Balcony glass removal from Murano north condo tower

August 15 2011: A crew continues to remove glass panels and railings from the south side of the north Murano tower

 

 

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

One Bedford condos front entrance

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

 

James Cooper Mansion Condos

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.

 

One Bedford Condos

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

 

One Bedford Condos

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

 

One Bedford Condos

March 24 2011: One Bedford Condos upper south floors

 

One Bedford Condos

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

 

One Bedford Condos

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

 

One Bedford Condos

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

 

One Bedford Condos

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

 

One Bedford Condos

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

 

One Bedford condos

April 1 2011: Landscaping underway in the Bedford Road courtyard

 

One Bedford condos

April 1 2011: Landscaping underway in the Bedford Road courtyard

 

One Bedford condos

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.

 

One Bedford condos

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

 

One Bedford condos

April 1 2011: The striking Bedford Road entrance canopy

 

One Bedford condos

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

 

James Cooper Mansion Condos

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

 

James Cooper Mansion Condos

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

 

James Cooper Mansion condos

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

 

James Cooper Mansion Condos

February 16 2011: James Cooper Mansion Condos south side along Linden Street

 

James Cooper Mansion Condos

February 16 2011: James Cooper Mansion Condos south side walkway


James Cooper Mansion Condos

February 16 2011: James Cooper Mansion Condos entrance

 

James Cooper Mansion Condos

February 16 2011: James Cooper Mansion entrance at 28 Linden Street

 

James Cooper Mansion Condos

February 16 2011: James Cooper Mansion entrance at 28 Linden Street

 

James Cooper Mansion Condos

February 16 2011: Landscaping work still has yet to start outside the James Cooper Mansion Condos townhouses along Linden Street

 

James Cooper Mansion Condos

February 16 2011: Some of the James Cooper Mansion townhouses

 

James Cooper Mansion Condos

February 16 2011: James Cooper Mansion viewed from Linden Street

 

James Cooper Mansion Condos

April 2 2011: Landscaping work well underway outside the townhouses

 

James Cooper Mansion Condos

April 2 2011: Southeast corner awaits landscaping

 

James Cooper Mansion condos

April 2 2011: Walkway along the Linden Street side of the property

 

James Cooper Mansion Condos

April 2 2011: Southeast corner of the James Cooper Mansion Condos property

James Cooper Mansion Condos

April 2 2011: One of Eldon Garnet’s “Inversion” sculptures, part of the public art installation at James Cooper Mansion.

 

James Cooper Mansion Condos

April 2 2011: The north side of the property awaits finishing touches

 

One Bedford condo tower becomes new landmark establishing Annex end of Bloor Street’s mink mile

One Bedford condos

One Bedford condo tower viewed from Bloor Street January 9 2011


Varsity views: I remember the huge kerfuffle that erupted when plans for the 32-storey One Bedford at Bloor condo building were announced about six or seven years ago. Many people thought the tower was too big and too tall for the Annex neighbourhood, even though it would sit on Bloor Street at the southeast corner of Bedford Road, overlooking the University of Toronto campus to the south.

Watching One Bedford go up the past couple of years during occasional walks through the Annex, I’ve never thought the condo complex felt out of place. And now that the building is nearly finished, and partly occupied, I think the highrise fits into the area quite handsomely.  But while it’s a nice-looking addition to the Bloor streetscape, I’m sure it will be a catalyst for a drastic change in the character and atmosphere of the entire block.

With its limestone-clad podium, One Bedford certainly classes up a corner formerly occupied by some rather dumpy-looking low-rise buildings that housed several fast-food restaurants, including a busy Swiss Chalet location. One Bedford condosHowever, shops and reasonably-priced eateries catering to the area’s huge University of Toronto student population probably can’t afford the rents at One Bedford.

Two more upscale condo projects on the same block — Museum House, currently under construction, and Exhibit Residences, now in the pre-sale marketing stage — will probably push out even more student-oriented businesses.

A Bank of Montreal branch opened in part of One Bedford’s street level retail space three months ago, and I won’t be surprised if  high-end designer shops eventually lease out the remainder, extending Bloor Street’s famous “mink mile” upscale shopping district west to Bedford Road.

Perhaps the transformation was inevitable, since this stretch of Bloor Street has developed into an important culture corridor boasting such attractions as the Royal Conservatory of Music, the Royal Ontario Museum, the Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art, and the Bata Shoe Museum.

One change I’ve noticed already is that the Bloor-Bedford intersection feels windier with the tower on the corner. Every time I’ve walked on the southern stretch of Bedford Road in the last year, either on the east side right next to the condo tower, or on the west between Bloor and the St. George subway station entrance, I have felt like I was walking through a wind tunnel. I don’t recall being blasted by such strong gusts on Bedford before the condo was built. But I suppose it’s possible all my Annex visits just happened to be on breezy days.

A project of Lanterra Developments, One Bedford was designed by Bruce Kuwabara of Toronto’s Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg Architects, with Page + Steele as architect of record. The artistic rendering (above) is from the One Bedford website.

Below are some of my One Bedford photos; you’ll find more in the One Bedford album on the Photo Sets page of the blog.

 

One Bedford Condos

CN Tower view of One Bedford condo building (left) on November 2 2010


One Bedford condos

One Bedford viewed from corner of Bloor and Devonshire Place November 1 2010


One Bedford condos

Upper floors of One Bedford condo tower viewed November 1 2010


One Bedford condos

One Bedford streetscape along Bloor viewed on November 1 2010


One Bedford condos

One Bedford condos Bloor Street podium viewed November 1 2010


One Bedford condos

One Bedford condos viewed from Hoskin Avenue on November 1 2010


One Bedford condos

Looking up at the tower from Bedford Road


One Bedford Condos

Ongoing construction work in main entrance courtyard off Bedford Road


One Bedford condos

Fireplace and building nameplate on an exterior courtyard wall


One Bedford Condos

Northwest corner wing above Bedford Road


One Bedford Condos

Condo facade integrates the studio of Toronto architect John Lyle (1872 – 1945)


One Bedford condos

One Bedford podium viewed from the west along Bloor Street on January 9 2011


One Bedford condos

Interior design work orders taped to the windows of a tower suite


One Bedford condos

Main entrance courtyard (still under construction) viewed from Bedford Road


One Bedford condos

North side of One Bedford complex viewed from Bedford Road on January 9 2011


One Bedford condos

North side of tower viewed from Bedford Road near Prince Arthur Avenue


One Bedford condos

One Bedford viewed from corner of Bedford Road and Prince Arthur Avenue


One Bedford condos

Upper floors of One Bedford condo tower viewed from Prince Arthur Avenue


One Bedford condos

CN Tower view of One Bedford (upper right) overlooking the University of Toronto


One Bedford Condos

CN Tower view of Museum House (right) under construction near One Bedford



Varsity Stadium

Residents in south-facing suites at One Bedford will enjoy a great view of sports events at the University of Toronto’s Varsity Stadium directly across the street