Tag Archives: St Mary Street

U Condos townhouse & tower construction asserts strong visual presence along Bay & St Mary Streets

U Condos construction viewed from Bay Street

August 17 2013: Above-ground construction is still in relatively early stages, but the U Condos condo tower and luxury townhouse complex … 

 

U Condos site viewed from Bay & Irwin Streets

… has already drastically transformed the southwest corner of Bay and St Mary Streets, seen here on September 26 2008 when a surface parking lot still occupied part of the development site

 

 

Strong presence: Construction of the U Condominiums complex is really beginning to turn heads on Bay Street now that one of its two towers is climbing steadily higher above its 3-storey podium and the concrete shells for luxurious townhouses that will wrap around three sides of the property.

Although passersby have been able to see above-ground construction activity since January, it has been only in recent weeks that the huge scale of the project — and the tremendous visual impact it will have on the neighbourhood — have become apparent.

The project’s  townhouse component has noticeably changed the pedestrian experience on Bay Street, while the west tower — which has climbed more than six storeys on its way to 45 — already hints at how drastically it and the even taller east tower will change the neighbourhood skyline. (Construction of the east tower has so far reached only as high as the townhouses.)

 

U Condos at Bay & St Mary Streets in Toronto

This artistic illustration, from an online promotional brochure that had been available on the U Condos website, shows how the completed towers will look when viewed from the same perspective as the two photos above.

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

77 Charles Street West Toronto condo

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

 

77 Charles Street West Toronto condo

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

 

77 Charles Street West Toronto condo

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

 

77 Charles Street West Toronto condo

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

 

 

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

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

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

 

77 Charles West Toronto condo

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

 

77 Charles West condo Toronto

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

 

77 Charles West Toronto condo

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

 

77 Charles Street West Toronto

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

 

77 Charles Street West Toronto luxury condo

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

 

77 Charles Street West Toronto condo

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

 

77 Charles Street West Toronto luxury condo

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

 

77 Charles Street West Toronto luxury condo

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

 

77 Charles Street West luxury condo

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

 

77 Charles Street West luxury condo

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

 

77 Charles Street West condo

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

 

77 Charles Street West condo midrise

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

 

77 Charles Street West condo midrise

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

 

77 Charles West condo midrise

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

 

77 Charles West condo midrise

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

 

77 Charles West condo midrise

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

 

77 Charles West condo midrise

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

 

77 Charles West condo midrise viewed from the south

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

 

77 Charles West condo midrise viewed from the south

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

 

77 Charles West condo midrise viewed from the south

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

 

 

… also going …

Nicholas Residences condo construction site

May 31 2011: A small section of brick wall is all that remains…

 

67 St Nicholas Street

… as demolition of a building that once stood at 67 St Nicholas Street continues …

 

Nicholas Residences condo building rendering

… to make way for construction of the Nicholas Residences condo tower, depicted in these artistic illustrations from the condo project website

 

Nearly gone: Demolition of the former Regis College buildings at the southeast corner of St Mary and St Nicholas Streets was nearly finished when I walked past the site Tuesday afternoon. All that remained of the buildings was a section of brick wall running along the south perimeter of the property, where construction is expected to start soon for the 35-storey Nicholas Residences condo tower. Full details of the Nicholas Residences project are outlined in my March 31 2011 post, while photos of Regis College demolition activity during early May can be viewed in my May 11 2011 post. Below are more photos I snapped Tuesday of demolition activity at the condo project site.

 

67 St Nicholas Street demolition

May 31 2011: Demolition activity at 67 St Nicholas Street

 

67 St Nicholas Street demolition

May 31 2011: A demolition machine gradually knocks down the last remaining section of the south wall of the former Regis College building

 

Nicholas Residences condo construction site

May 31 2011: Looking southeast from St Mary Street toward the site where a Regis College building once stood at 15 St Mary Street

 

15 St Mary Street

May 31 2011: 15 St Mary Street is now a parking lot for demolition crews

 

15 St Mary Street demolition site

May 31 2011:  Three buildings once occupied this site at the southeast corner of St Mary and St Nicholas Streets, next to the Church of Scientology of Toronto (left)

 

15 St Mary Street demolition

May 31 2011: Part of the south wall of a former Regis College building at 67 St Nicholas Street is all that remained to be demolished Tuesday


Crews razing former Jesuit college to prepare site for Nicholas Residences condo construction

Nicholas Residences condo tower construction site

May 6 2011: Hoarding is up and a demolition machine has been positioned to prepare for demolition of the former Regis College buildings.

 

Nicholas Residences condo tower construction site

May 9 2011: Crews have pulled down roughly one-third of the building

 

Nicholas Residences condo construction site

May 11 2011: Almost half of the structure has now been reduced to rubble

 

Tumbling down: The brick building that once housed Regis College, the Jesuit Graduate Faculty of Theology at the University of Toronto, is almost gone.  During the past two days, demolition crews have knocked down nearly half of the building at the southeast corner of St Nicholas and St Mary Streets. They’re expected to finish smashing down the rest of the brick walls by the weekend. Once the structure is cleared from the site, construction can commence on the 35-storey Nicholas Residences condo tower. Below are photos of this week’s demolition activity; to view pictures of the former Regis College buildings before the wrecking crews arrived, check out my May 7 2011 Neighbourhood Watch post, as well as my more detailed March 31 2011 post about the Nicholas Residences project.

 

Nicholas Residences condo tower construction site

May 9 2011: Demolition crew smashes down the building’s north facade on St Mary Street, next to the Church of Scientology Toronto building

 

Nicholas Residences condo tower construction site

May 9 2011: The ground floor was reinforced so the demolition machine can drive into the middle of the building and knock out the east, south and west walls.

 

Nicholas Residences condo construction site

May 11 2011: Most of the northeast corner section of the building had been destroyed by the time the demolition crews went to lunch today.

 

Nicholas Residences condo construction site

May 11 2011: Most of the third floor has been removed from the former college building at 67 St Nicholas Street, which was built as a planing mill in the 1880s. The facade is supposed to be rebuilt as part of the condo complex.

 

Nicholas Residences condo construction site

May 11 2011 Hoarding protects the sidewalk outside 67 St Nicholas Street where the third floor has already been demolished

 

Nicholas Residences condo construction site

May 11 2011: The northeast third of the building has been razed

 

Nicholas Residences condo construction site

May 11 2011: Almost all of the St Nicholas Street facade has been knocked down

 

Nicholas Residences condo construction site

May 11 2011: The inside of the building was gutted during March and April

 

Nicholas Residences condo construction site

May 11 2011: This structure should be rubble by the weekend

 

Nicholas Residences condo construction site

May 11 2011: The Liebherr R 944 C Litronic is a multipurpose excavating machine. Here, its purpose is to destroy the old Regis College building.

 

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

 

77 Charles West condo construction up to 4th floor

77 Charles West condo construction

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

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

 

77 Charles West condo construction viewed from St Thomas Street

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

 

77 Charles West condo construction

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

 

77 Charles West condo construction

Southwest view of the construction activity from Charles Street West

 

77 Charles West condo construction progress viewed from St Mary Street

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

Demolition starts at Nicholas condo site

15 St Mary Street site for Nicholas Residences

April 1 2011: 15 St Mary Street site for Nicholas Residences viewed from St Nicholas Street. The interior of the building’s first floor has been completely gutted as site demolition gets underway.

 

Nicholas Residences condo tower

Crews have begun preparing 15 St Mary Street for demolition. The brick building, seen here on Thursday, occupies part of the site on which the 35-storey Nicholas Residences will be built at the corner of St Mary and St Nicholas Streets

 

Nicholas Residences condo site at 15 St Mary Street

A view Thursday afternoon of the north and west sides of 15 St Mary Street, where work crews have begun demolishing the building interior.

 

It’s going: Construction has begun on Nicholas Residences, a controversial highrise condo building that will tower above a quiet tree-shaded side street in the bustling Yonge & Bloor area. Work crews have fenced off the north side of 15 St Mary Street and parked a giant red dumpster outside the building as they begin gutting the interior of what was once Regis College, the Jesuit Graduate Faculty of Theology at the University of Toronto.

The two-storey brown brick building sits at the southeast corner of St Mary and St Nicholas Streets, directly behind the Church of Scientology Toronto building on Yonge Street. 15 St Mary is one of three buildings that will be demolished to make way for the condo tower; the other is a three-storey brick building at 65 – 67 St Nicholas Street, while the third structure to be torn down sits behind those two buildings, at the rear of commercial buildings which front onto Yonge Street. The brick facade for 65 – 67 St Nicholas will be reconstructed and incorporated into the podium for the new condo tower.

Although project developers Urban Capital and Alit Developments, along with people who have purchased condos at Nicholas Residences, must be thrilled that construction has finally commenced, numerous neighbourhood residents will be tremendously disappointed to see the work begin. They had staunchly opposed the development, which originally proposed a 44-storey peanut-shaped building for the site, and launched a strident “Save St. Nick” campaign to oppose plans for development on the cobblestone St Nicholas Street, home to a row of Victorian cottages dating from the 1880s. 

In an August 6 2008 preliminary report, city planners identified numerous issues and concerns with the development proposal, including its height, density, its relationship to the streetscape and its impact upon “the overall character of St Nicholas Street.” The developers revised their plans, proposing in part to reduce the tower’s height to 29 storeys and to retain the facade of 65 – 67 St Nicholas Street, a mill building dating to the 1880s, by incorporating it into the condo building.  Details and building renderings, some of which I’ve posted below, are outlined in a 15 St Mary Street Development Application report on the City of Toronto website.

In a September 24 2009 report, city planning staff recommended a 29-storey condo be approved on certain conditions, including payment of $685,000 toward capital improvements to nearby Queen’s Park along with streetscape improvements to St Mary and St Nicholas Streets. Toronto and East York Community Council adopted the report at their meeting on October 13 2009; their decision was reported in an October 14 2009 article in the Globe and Mail. The rezoning application subsequently was approved at the October 26 2009 meeting of Toronto City Council. But that didn’t end conflict between the local community and the condo developers.

Although the developers had agreed to lop 15 floors off their initial tower proposal and settle for building a 29-storey condo instead, residents were enraged when they learned that a potential buyer had been offered a unit on the 33rd floor. The developers subsequently asked City Hall to enact a minor variance to the bylaw that had been passed to permit construction of the 29-floor tower — they wanted permission to add another six storeys to Nicholas Residences. When the city’s Committee of Adjustment unanimously refused, the developers appealed to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB). 

The Save St Nick group hired lawyers to oppose the developers at the OMB hearing; however, the developers, the City and the residents’ organization negotiated an agreement to resolve the dispute once and for all. In return for approval to build six more storeys, the developer agreed to pay $750,000 toward a community benefit project, the details of which would be worked out by the parties later. 

Below are some of the photos I’ve taken of the Nicholas Residences site, along with renderings by the project designer, Core Architects Inc., of both the original tower proposal and revised 35-storey building that will be constructed. Those illustrations appear in the project application report on the City of Toronto website.

 

Renderings of the Nicholas Residences condo tower

From the City of Toronto website, artistic renderings of the original (left) and the revised Nicholas Residences condo tower. Instead of the curvaceous Figure-8-shaped 44-floor tower initially proposed, a 35-storey condo will be built.

 

Renderings of the Nicholas Residences condo tower

Also from the City website, artistic renderings of the St Nicholas Street-level appearance of the original (left) and the revised Nicholas Residences condo tower.

 

Illustration of Nicholas Residences condo tower and entrance

From the Nicholas Residences website, artistic illustrations of the 29-storey glass-walled condo tower and its main entrance at 76 St Nicholas Street.

 

Nicholas Residences development proposal sign

The original development proposal sign posted at the condo site in 2008.

 

St Regis College at 15 St Mary Street

September 28 2008 view of 15 St Mary Street, which at the time still bore signs for its former occupant, Regis College (long since relocated to 100 Wellesley Street West). The Church of Scientology Toronto building stands to the east, at the corner of Yonge & St Mary Streets.

 

65 St Nicholas Street and the Oak cottage on St Nicholas Street

September 28 2008: 65 St Nicholas (left) and the Victoria-era Oak cottage

 

The 1880s-era planning mill at 67 St Nicholas Street

September 28 2008: Once a planing mill, the building at 67 St Nicholas Street dates from the late 1880s. Its facade will be built into the condo tower podium.

 

Save St Nick protest sign on St Nicholas Street

October 30 2008: A Save St Nick protest sign on a St Nicholas St. telephone pole

 

St Nicholas Street view of the Nicholas Residences site

October 30 2008:  St Nicholas Street view of the Nicholas Residences site

 

65 - 67 St Nicholas Street

October 30 2008: The former mill building at 65 – 67 St Nicholas was occupied by Regis College until the faculty relocated to Wellesley Street West.

 

65 - 67 St Nicholas Street

October 30 2008: Another view of the old mill building at 65 – 67 St Nicholas Street

 

15 St Mary Street Toronto

October 30 2008: West side of 15 St Mary Street

 

A Save St Nick campaign sign on St Nicholas Street

November 14 2008: A Save St Nick campaign sign on St Nicholas Street

 

A Save St Nick campaign sign on St Nicholas Street

November 14 2008: A Save St Nick campaign sign on a  St Nicholas Street lamp post. The mill building at 65 St Nicholas, along with the condo development proposal sign, can be seen across the street.

 

Nicholas Residences Sales Centre at 67 St Nicholas Street

April 19 2010: The Nicholas Residences condo sales centre at 67 St Nicholas Street

 

Nicholas Residences condo sales centre at 67 St Nicholas Street

April 19 2010:  The Nicholas Residences condo sales centre at 67 St Nicholas Street

 

15 St Mary Street site for the Nicholas Residences condo tower

January 9 2011:  Nicholas Residences development site viewed from St Mary Street just west of St Nicholas Street

 

15 St Mary Street

January 9 2011: The north side of 15 St Mary Street, where demolition work on the building interior commenced this week

 

Laneway between 15 St Mary Street and 67 St Nicholas Street

April 1 2011: A laneway between 15 St Mary Street and 67 St Nicholas Street leads to a parking and garbage area behind the buildings.

 

Parking area behind 15 St Mary Street

April 1 2011: The small parking area behind 15 St Mary Street, looking south toward the rear one-storey extension of 67 St Nicholas Street. Part of this area will be included in the Nicholas Residences development.

 

Parking area behind 15 St Mary Street

April 1 2011: The Nicholas Residences highrise will tower above these buildings which front on Yonge Street. The building at left houses a Flight Centre travel agency, while the one at right is Zelda’s restaurant (the tacky structure with the sloped roof shelters an outdoor dining terrace).