Tag Archives: The Modern

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

The Modern on Richmond condo midrise

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

 

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

The Modern on Richmond condo midrise

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

 

 

Richmond/Sherbourne corner looking more Modern as construction of condo midrise reaches 7th floor

The Modern condos

Construction progress at The Modern on February 3 2011


Almost halfway up: I can barely recall what the northeast corner of Richmond and Sherbourne Streets looked like up until three years ago; all I remember is that a busy 24-hour gas station — very popular with downtown taxi drivers — used to occupy the site. When I walked past this morning, I saw that construction of The Modern on Richmond, a 17-storey condo midrise, has reached the seventh floor. By this time next year, the location should become popular with cab drivers once again — for picking up and dropping off fares, rather than filling their tanks. Below is a building rendering from The Modern’s website, plus some of my photos of the site since the fall of 2008.

The Modern Condos

Building rendering from The Modern condos website


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Condo sales office at The Modern on Richmond site Sept 3 2008


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Excavation activity at The Modern condos site March 9 2010


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Site viewed from Sherbourne Street just below Queen Street on March 17 2010


The Modern Condos

Construction approaches the second floor on November 9 2010


The Modern condos

Construction approaches the second floor on November 9 2010


The Modern condos

Occupancy this summer? Not a chance!


The Modern Condos

Building climbs above Sherbourne Street on February 3


The Modern condos

View from Sherbourne looking south towards Richmond Street February 3


The Modern condos

View from Richmond Street looking northeast on Sherbourne February 3


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Construction at corner of Sherbourne and Richmond on February 3


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Construction along Sherbourne Street on February 3


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View from southwest corner of Richmond & Sherbourne February 3


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