Bombardier sets up new streetcar production line in Kingston, gives TTC new delivery schedule; Why Toronto real-estate agents are sounding the alarm over the city’s budget; New ‘King for All’ group wants you to show some love to the King St. pilot project; and more news:
Phase 3 of The Daniels Corporation and Toronto Community Housing Corporation's (TCHC) revitalization of the Regent Park neighbourhood is well underway on the east side of Downtown Toronto. The mixed-income rebuild of what was once Canada's largest purely social housing community includes both new affordable rental housing and new market condominiums, implementing lessons in urban social planning learned over the last half-century. The latest market condominium development to begin construction in the neighbourhood as part of Phase 3 is DuEast Condominiums, a pair of 11 and 29-storey Core Architects-designed buildings coming to the northeast corner of Dundas and Sumach.
We last checked in on the early stages of construction at the DuEast site back in December, when crews from Rumble Foundations had recently started working on the site's pile and lagging shoring system. Since then, the remaining soldier piles have been driven around the site perimeter, allowing for the start of excavation. The latest views of the site show that horizontal timber lagging is being installed between the piles to hold back the surrounding earth as crews continue to dig down.
With large sections of the retaining wall now visible as the pit takes shape, a tieback drilling rig is working away at the east end of the site. This equipment is used for the installation of rock anchors, ensuring that the shoring walls are properly secured to the surrounding soil throughout the excavation of the site's three-level underground parking garage.
The two buildings are set to respectively add 318 and 126 new homes to Regent Park, with one-to-three-bedroom layouts sized from 390 ft² to 1,217 ft². DuEast will offer a collection of amenities to residents, with indoor spaces appointed by Mason Studio and outdoor spaces by landscape architects Brook McIlroy. You can learn more about these amenities in a recent article covering the spaces.
Additional information and renderings can be found in our database file for the project, linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Check out the associated Forum threads, or leave a comment in the field provided at the bottom of this page.
About six months after the start of construction and four months since the official ground breaking, Mizrahi Developments has relaunched the website for their hotly anticipated The One, offering new details about the "supertall" luxury condo tower by Foster + Partners and Core Architects, set to become Toronto's and Canada's new tallest building.
The relaunched website welcomes visitors with a video highlighting views of and from the tower, as well as glimpses of suite interiors. Delving deeper, the updated website offers detailed information on the tower’s architecture, including the planning and creative process, as well as details about the exoskeleton hybrid support system, the public realm, and the incorporated heritage component.
Other features including an interactive floorplan viewer and a section highlighting amenities provide insight into how residents will interact with their suites and common spaces. There is plenty more to explore at The One's relaunched website, and we'll be sure to return in the coming months for closer looks at the various features and spaces within the project.
In the meantime, early construction work is progressing at the site of The One. Shoring activity is well underway, and one of the next steps will be the installation of a specialized shoring rig. This massive rig—currently being delivered from Europe—will create the "super columns" that will form the base of the tower's hybrid exoskeleton support system.
Additional information and images can be found in our database file for the project, linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Check out the associated Forum threads, or leave a comment in the field provided at the bottom of this page.
The Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB) has released their monthly figures on the housing market, showing further signs of market correction following an unprecedentedly strong year in 2017. The latest report shows year-over-year declines in average home prices and residential transactions, while a spike in new listings helped level out market conditions by alleviating strained supply.
A total of 4,019 residential transactions were recorded through TREB’s MLS System in January 2018, marking a 22% year-over-year decline from the record 5,155 sales reported in January 2017. This figure is closely mirrored by an uptick in new listings, with 8,585 listings representing a 17.4% year-over-year increase from the 7,314 new listings entered in January 2017. Despite year-over-year growth, last month saw the second lowest figure for new listings in the month of January over the last 10 years.
A yearly outlook for 2018 released at the end of January considers the effects of new government policies, mentioned in a prepared statement from TREB President Tim Syrianos. "The outlook pointed to a slower start to 2018, especially compared to the record-setting pace experienced a year ago. As we move through the year, expect the pace of home sales to pick up, as the psychological impact of the Fair Housing Plan starts to wane and home buyers find their footing relative to the new OSFI-mandated stress test for mortgage approvals through federally regulated lenders.”
Increases were recorded in overall average selling price, as well as the MLS Home Price Index (HPI) Composite Benchmark. The HPI Composite Benchmark's 5.2% year-over-year climb was largely driven by the condominium apartment market sector, which saw double-digit annual growth versus the single-family home market segment. A 4.1% year-over-year increase in average selling price rose to $736,783, though average selling prices still managed to increase for all home types except for detached houses.
“It is not surprising that home prices in some market segments were flat to down in January compared to last year. At this time last year, we were in the midst of a housing price spike driven by exceptionally low inventory in the marketplace. It is likely that market conditions will support a return to positive price growth for many home types in the second half of 2018. The condominium apartment segment will be the driver of this price growth,” said Jason Mercer, TREB’s Director of Market Analysis.
TREB's January report also raises concerns about the City’s proposed 2018 budget, specifically an over-reliance on the Municipal Land Transfer Tax (MLTT), a concern echoed by Toronto's City Manager. Implemented in 2008, funds secured through the MLTT initially made up 2% of the City’s operating budget. A decade later, this figure has increased by 250%, now accounting for 7% of the budget. The City expects the MLTT to generate $808 million in 2018, a $92 million increase over 2017.
“City Councillors would be wise to note the vast difference between last January’s real estate market and this January’s, given the City’s inadvisable reliance on the Municipal Land Transfer Tax. The amount of revenue that the City generates from this tax goes up and down with the real estate market. The last year should be a wake-up call for City Council. They should heed the City Manager’s ongoing warnings of over-reliance on this tax. The Land Transfer Tax is not a good way to fund municipal services,” reads a statement from TREB President Tim Syrianos.
Let us know what you think in the comments section provided below.
Another condominium tower is gearing up to make its mark on Toronto's Bloor-Yorkville skyline, as forming continues for Bazis and Plaza's 58-storey, Roy Varacalli-designed 1 Yorkville. The project's Yonge and Yorkville site has been active since mid-2015, when demolition began to clear a footprint for the tower's construction. Shoring of the site started a few months later, and by mid-2016, excavation of the project's five-storey underground garage was well underway. The next milestone was crossed last summer, when forming for the project reached grade on Yorkville Avenue.
In the months since, 1 Yorkville has risen above the row of preserved heritage storefronts along Yonge, and forming has progressed up to the regular tower floorplates. These typical floor layouts will remain largely consistent across the whole tower, with a few exceptions. At the time of our last update, forming for the lower levels' irregular layouts was just wrapping up, and the repeating tower floor layouts are now being formed above.
The repeating layout of the floors now being formed will allow the tower to rise at a faster pace, as construction crews get into the swing of forming levels, flying forms up to the next floor, and repeating the process over again. The eighth and ninth floors are currently taking shape, and the current floor layout will stay the same for another 21 levels before switching to a new configuration on levels 32 through 36. Typical floor layouts will resume from levels 37 through 51.
While it will still be a few months before the tower starts affecting skyline views, the rising tower's presence can now be felt from some of the surrounding streets. In the image below, 1 Yorkville can be seen peeking above the low-rise rooftops of retailers on Cumberland Street to the south.
We will keep you updated as construction continues, and more information becomes available. In the meantime, you can learn more by checking out our database file, linked below. Want to share your thoughts? Leave a comment on this page, or join the ongoing conversation in our associated Forum thread.
A wave of shopping mall redevelopments is hitting Toronto's inner suburbs, and the latest to come forward is the Bayview Village Redevelopment. Located adjacent to Bayview subway station on Sheppard Avenue East, the mid-century mall surrounded by surface parking lots is a prime candidate for added density, given its location along a major transit corridor. Headed by QuadReal and designed by DIALOG and Hariri Pontarini Architects, the proposal would add five new mixed-use residential and commercial buildings around the existing mall, ranging in height from 6 to 33 storeys. The project made its first appearance at Toronto's Design Review Panel recently.
The project is divided into two major nodes of activity. The southwest corner of the site, located along Sheppard, would see the greatest density, with a pair of 28 and 33-storey towers constructed atop an 8-storey podium. The building would comprise a total of 760 residential units with 4,881 square metres of retail space on the ground and second floors. The building also includes a new entrance to the adjacent subway station, accessed off an outdoor plaza that helps to mitigate a 6-metre change in grade from one end of the building to the other.
The other node of activity is the north edge of the site, where two 6-storey mid-rises and a 19-storey tower on a 6-storey podium are proposed to be constructed along Bayview Mews. The three buildings would total 372 new residential units along with 8,796 square metres of grade-level retail. Joined by a one-storey extension of the existing mall, the northern part of the site is transformed into an east-west outdoor retail promenade, reminiscent of the original Bayview Village mall that was built as an open-air shopping centre before it was enclosed in the 1980s. The remainder of the Bayview Village property will be left as surface parking for the time being, to be considered for redevelopment at a future date.
The Panel was very supportive of the proposal, saying that it was an appropriate urbanization of a very suburban typology. They did, however, offer some suggestions and critiques to further improve the project.
While Panelists were in favour of the new outdoor promenade along the north edge of the site, they were concerned about the impact that the development would have on the residential communities along Bayview Mews. They were weary of the increased traffic and services along the street, and encouraged the designers to further consider the streetscape design and impacts along Bayview Mews and Hawksbury Drive. Panelists also expressed concern that the 19-storey tower at the northeast corner of the site might be a bit too tall.
Several Panel members pointed out that the public realm of the scheme seemed slightly undercooked, and that they would like to see a more comprehensive landscape and public realm plan. Designers were urged to consider pedestrian movement through and around the mall, and also better connectivity between the various parts of the site. Suggestions were also made to consider the experience of the thresholds and access to the site, as well as the potential for converting the roof of the existing mall into a green roof. The retail promenade to the north was also criticized as being too much of a hardscape.
Zooming out, Panel members pondered whether a master plan for the whole site might help in understanding how it fits within its context, as the undeveloped plots of land along the south edge of the site seemed forgotten in the overall scheme. They suggested that designing a master plan might better help integrate the public realm design and produce a much more successful redevelopment plan that would also better transition the future replacement of the remaining surface parking.
The high-level thinking by Panel members led some to encourage the design team not to stop halfway with the urbanization of this property, but to fully commit to a redevelopment of the site with a more comprehensive public realm plan and master plan.
Overall, the Panel was pleased with the proposal, and were optimistic that this development would have a positive transformative effect along this busy stretch of Sheppard, encouraging the design team to further push the urbanization of the site. The final vote tally was seven in favour of refinement of the current proposal, and one in favour of a redesign.
We will keep you updated as the Bayview Village Redevelopment continues to work its way through the planning process, but in the meantime, you can get in on the discussion by checking out the associated Forum thread, or by leaving a comment in the space provided on this page.
Today's Photo of the Day features a dusk view of the growing skyline of Toronto's Humber Bay Shores area. This view looks across the newly-cleared site of the former Kraft Mr. Christie's Bakery, and on to the cluster of high-rise condominium developments that have added thousands of residents to the waterfront neighbourhood in recent years.
Want to see your work featured as Photo of the Day? Head over to the City Photos & Videos section of the Forum, or submit your images to our Instagram or UrbanToronto Flickr Pool for your chance to be featured on our Front Page.
Deco, modern and what’s next? The historic home of CIBC could get a dramatic revamp; Scarborough motel tenants seek return of rents as expropriation nears; Residents baffled by conservation authority’s about-face in land dispute; and more news:
This week's Throwback Thursday takes us to the Downtown Toronto intersection of Yonge and College streets, turning back the clocks only two and a half years to reveal some big changes. Back in June of 2015, Lifetime Developments and CentreCourt Developments' architectsAlliance-designed Karma Condos could be seen rising behind the heritage Oddfellows Hall, less than halfway to its eventual height of 50 storeys. Meanwhile, on Yonge directly north of Oddfellows Hall at the rig of the image below, shoring had begun at the site of Canderel Residential's YC Condos. Further north on Yonge in the background, FIVE Condos is visible, topped out at its 48-storey height with a construction hoist and a yet-to-be-fully-enclosed building envelope.
A view from late January 2018 shows that Karma and FIVE are both complete, while construction at the 66-storey YC Condos is now within a dozen floors of topping off. The contrasting black and white volumes of the Graziani + Corazza Architects-designed condominium tower are now apparent to passersby at Yonge and College. Meanwhile, just south of FIVE, the rising structure of Lanterra Developments'Wellesley on the Park is just discernible. The KPMB Architects and IBI Group-designed condominium tower will eventually stand 60 storeys above Wellesley Street West, just west of Yonge Street. The close-up view here may change even more in the future, with a plan in the works to construct a five-storey addition atop Oddfellows Hall at Yonge and College.
Earlier this week, Infrastructure Ontario (IO) announced that a team had been selected for the design, build and financing of the first phase of redevelopment for the former Toronto East General Hospital, now known as Michael Garron Hospital (MGH). The result of a competitive procurement process overseen by a third party fairness advisor, the $411 million fixed-price contract was awarded to EllisDon Infrastructure MGH Inc. This team includes developer/design-builder EllisDon, with B+H Architects and Diamond Schmitt Architects handing the project's design in a joint venture.
The project will bring a new eight-storey patient care tower to the south end of the site, with a three-storey connection to the existing hospital. In total, 550,000 ft² of new space will be introduced while renovating 100,000 ft² of the existing hospital. This includes the replacement of the facility's oldest beds in the medical/surgical and rehabilitation units as well as mental health inpatient units, the consolidation of ambulatory care and ambulatory procedures, and the creation of two levels of underground parking and a new main entrance.
A double-height, glass-enclosed lobby would extend across the patient care tower podium, connecting it with the rest of the complex. The lobby will look out onto a large landscaped park fronting onto Coxwell Avenue, though this would come at a cost, replacing the existing hospital's Streamline Moderne-style main frontage. This outdoor space will be complemented by outdoor roof terraces for use by patients and staff.
“An interaction between interior and exterior did not exist previously as there was a lack of landscaped space,” reads a prepared statement from Sydney Browne, Principal at Diamond Schmitt Architects. “In addition to the positive reinforcement that access and views to nature can have for recovering patients, setting the new entrance back from the street where there now will be park space addresses the hospital expansion in the context of its community setting.”
A ground breaking ceremony for the LEED Silver redevelopment is expected to take place in April. In the meantime, you can review project facts and images by visiting our database file for the project, linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Check out the associated Forum thread, or leave a comment in the field provided at the bottom of this page.
Relocating your business is an incredible opportunity to expand your efforts and reach a greater target audience, however finding the ideal location for your chosen industry can be a challenge. With Frankfurt acting as the best financial hub, and San Francisco labelled as the world’s most intellectual technological hub, you really are spoilt for choice. Those cities aside, however, Toronto poses as just as much of a great city to move your business to, particularly if you are looking for technological innovation. Once you’ve applied for your ESTA US visa, take a look at some of the top reasons as to why you should locate your business to Toronto.
Toronto is undeniably one of the most diverse cities in the world, with talent available in every corner. Foreign entrepreneurs will be in their element in the Canadian city thanks to the diverse culture available, allowing start-ups to successfully pursue projects and disrupt the industry with their creative ideas. Whereas many business hubs favour males, Toronto also has a better reputation for female entrepreneurs, with 12.5% of partners at venture capital firms being women, which is more than double of that in the US.
2. Excellent For Reaching Millennials
Any business owner will understand the importance of having a presence among the millennial generation, which is exactly what relocating to Toronto will do for you. A survey conducted by the US News & World Report proved that millennials adore Canada, explaining how there are higher rates of employment and home ownership among Canadian millennials, making moving to Toronto a very tactical move. Considering that over 75% of millennials will make up the world’s workforce in years to come, paying attention to them is paramount.
3. Greater Cybersecurity
Now that we’re in a world full of technological innovation, where several work practices have been or are being digitalised, ensuring that a high level of cybersecurity is enforced is essential. Moving to Toronto can help businesses achieve this, as it ranks 2nd in the world for cybersecurity according to The Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI). Toronto plays a large role in researching and developing cybersecurity to ensure that all businesses can operate in a safe and secure manner.
4. Access To Strong Government Support
Compared to other cities in the US, Toronto has more advanced social policies and services available to support start-ups and established organisations alike. With this governmental aid, entrepreneurs are able to take leaps without the risk of losing important access to health facilities for themselves or their loved ones. Moreover, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has placed a large emphasis on supporting the technology sector, with $900m being donated to the cause in 2015.
5. It’s A Highly Sustainable City
It’s more than easy to forget about environmental impact when working in an office, however often, with the high usage of paper and consumption of energy, it can be damaging to the environment. Luckily, Toronto has been considered the most sustainable city in North America by the Sustainable Cities Index. Thanks to the emphasis on eco-friendly methods, you can operate a highly successful business in the city all in the knowledge that you’re helping to conserve the environment.
Toronto might not be your first choice when considering moving your business; however the benefits are definitely worth the move. In order to secure success as well as help to preserve our planet and natural facilities, operating in Toronto is the best choice, regardless of your industry.
A late January submission to Toronto's Planning Department from Bazis seeks rezoning to permit a 54-storey rental apartment tower at the northeast corner of Queen and Church o the east side of Downtown. The Core Architects-desgned proposal covers an assembly of properties at 60 and 64 Queen Street East plus heritage buildings at 131 through 135 Church Street to the north which would have their facades preserved and incorporated into the tower's base.
At street level, the existing retail and restaurant frontages at 60 Queen Street East and 131-135 Church would house 580 m² of new retail space, preserving the existing scale along Church Street to create a two-storey, 14.8-metre-tall base element, part of a larger six-storey podium. Led by heritage specialists GBCA, these facades would be retained in situ, with interior walls to be dismantled and rebuilt at a depth of approximately 3.0 to 5.0 metres. The street-level experience would also be enhanced with new landscaping by MBTW Group, which includes widened sidewalks.
Above, the tower would rise to a height of 187.6 metres to the top of the upper mechanical penthouse level. The tower's design incorporates projecting open and enclosed balconies in a pattern meant to distinguish the tower element from the podium, and visually break up the tower massing. This will be accomplished with a palette of materials including a window wall system with clear sections and opaque spandrel glass, metal panels, and mechanical louvers. Precast concrete and stone finishes are also included in the exterior finish legend for lower levels.
Inside, a total of 364 rental units are proposed on levels 2 through 54. These units would be provided in a mix of 154 one-bedroom units with average sizes of 55 m², 162 two-bedroom units with average sizes of 65 m², and 48 three-bedroom units averaging at 89 m².
Residents would have access to roughly 845 m² of amenity space on the 6th and 7th levels. Approximately 580 m² of indoor amenity area would be divided between 154 m² on the 6th floor and 426 m² on the 7th floor. This 7th-floor indoor amenity would connect with a 265 m² rooftop terrace atop the podium's north end.
Additional information and images can be found in our database file for the project, linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Check out the associated Forum thread, or leave a comment in the space provided at the bottom of this page.
Today's Photo of the Day features a west-facing aerial view from the TD Centre in Toronto's Financial District. Submitted by Forum contributor DB13, this view is bounded by the Entertainment District to the north and Billy Bishop Airport to the south. In the distance, the skyline of the Humber Bay Shores community can be seen just right of centre.
Want to see your work featured as Photo of the Day? Head over to the City Photos & Videos section of the Forum, or submit your images to our Instagram or UrbanToronto Flickr Pool for your chance to be featured on our Front Page.
Province announces new green space at Ontario Place; Danforth cafe fears expropriation for new Greenwood subway exit; Trudeau plays up Canadian diversity and education in bid for Amazon headquarters; and more news:
In April 2015, the southeast corner of Downtown Toronto's Bay and Gerrard intersection was home to a surface parking lot. Over the course of the 34 months since then, the corner has become home to GWL Realty's The Livmore, a 43-storey, IBI Group-designed luxury rental tower set to begin occupancy later this year. With just a few remaining areas of forming to complete on the roof level, developer GWL and builder PCL hosted a topping off party yesterday afternoon, celebrating the completion of forming, and congratulating the various trades and contractors that worked to make the project a reality.
The Livmore's construction involved 7 months of shoring and three months of underground service work in advance of the tower crane's December 2015 installation. Next, 7 months of below-grade forming was required to reach ground level, followed by four more months to reach the 5th floor, and another 12 months to reach the top. From level five to the roof, the average speed of forming hit an impressive pace of 6.8 days per floor. 27,000 m3 of concrete was used to form the building, enough to pour a sidewalk from the project’s Downtown construction site all the way to Guelph and back. Breaking these numbers down further, the 715 working days for the project equalled a total of 329,100 person-hours. One construction worker doing an eight-hour day would have taken 41,100 work days—or 112.6 years—to build the structure.
Yesterday's topping off party was held in appreciation of all this hard work. Crews gathered in the project's underground parking garage, where they thanked for their efforts by project principals, and treated to a hot meal and a raffle.
Following the festivities, we headed for the top, where forming for The Livmore's roof level is currently wrapping up. Here, construction crews are braving the cold to form the last few feet of the tower's 455-foot height.
Clouds of water vapour emanating from the nearby Enwave Walton Street Steam Plant blew across the upper levels of the tower, providing an unexpectedly photogenic treat for our tour group.
Taking in surroundings from the roof offers a glimpse into the views awaiting residents of the upper floors, mostly unobstructed by nearby buildings. Similar panoramic views will be available to residents of all floors via a 26th-floor amenity space, which we'll take a closer look at below.
Having enjoyed the views, project principals and representatives of the associated companies gathered for photo-ops commemorating the event. The image below includes (L-R) John Bannock, Director Development at GWL Realty Advisors Inc.; Arnie Kalnins, Residential Manager for PCL Constructors Canada Inc.; Sue Spicer, Manager of Development for Eastern Canada at GWL; and Andrew J Hollins, VP of Development for Eastern Canada Development Group/GWL.
Posing below are (L-R) Todd Nishimura, Director of Marketing and Leasing at GWL's Vertica Resident Services branch; Todd Spencer, Senior Director of National Operations at Vertica; and Craig Hatt, Director of Asset Management at Vertica.
One of the ways The Livmore will set itself apart from existing rental housing stock will be the luxury interiors by Cecconi Simone. Still in a raw state, the common areas include the double-height, sawtooth-window-edged grand lobby space along Gerrard Street.
Amenities will be found on the 5th and 26th floors, and will include a podium-top terrace, a 3,000 ft² fitness centre, a yoga/aerobics studio, a party room with kitchen facilities, a theatre/screening room, a game room, plus a dog spa and outdoor dog run.
Meanwhile, across the street to the north, a new leasing centre is being built into the base of 44 Gerrard Street East. Designed in the style of luxury condominium presentation centres, the space will include interactive features that help prospective tenants visualize life within the tower.
Additional information and images can be found in our database file for the project, linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Check out the associated Forum thread, or leave a comment using the field provided at the bottom of this page.
20 years after moving into a renovated heritage building at 67 Bond Street in Downtown Toronto, St. Michael's Choir School (SCMS) is gearing up for a rebuilding project. Earlier this week, the Province of Ontario announced that funding would be provided to modernize and rebuild the facility, providing over 500 students with improved learning spaces.
The announcement came on Wednesday afternoon when Ontario Minister of Education, Indira Naidoo-Harris, was joined by Daiene Vernile, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport; Charles Sousa, Minister of Finance; and Bishop Robert Kasun, Auxiliary Bishop, Archdiocese of Toronto, at St. Michael's Choir School.
With $11.2 million in funds to be provided by the province, the KPMB Architects-led rebuild project aims to consolidate buildings housing St. Michael’s Choir School and the new Centre for Evangelization, while opening up the potential for mixed-use development on the site. Plans call for the preservation of existing heritage elements of the current school, and a retained link to the adjacent St. Michael’s Cathedral Basilica.
An auditorium and rehearsal space within the modernized building would be made available to the public, serving as a community and creative hub. The earmarking of this funding is part of the province's strategy to enrich locally-driven community hubs by building upon community partnerships and capitalizing on public spaces.
A statement issued by Ontario's Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport, Daiene Vernile, reads “The arts play such an important role in communities across our great province. This investment will provide students from St. Michael’s Choir School with the opportunity to continue to enjoy the school’s rich music program for years to come and to share their talent with the community and the world.”
We'll be sure to keep an eye out and provide updates an new information emerges. In the meantime, you can find out more in our dedicated Forum thread for the project, or let us know what you think in the comments section provided below.
A major announcement was made yesterday concerning the highly-anticipated development ‘The Well’ being developed by RioCan, Allied Properties, Diamond Corp and Tridel. A new mixed-use community on the former Globe and Mail site at Front and Spadina, The Well will add residential, commercial, retail, and recreational space to a previously low-rise office/industrial area, and serve as a progressive example of resilient urban development o the west side of Toronto’s downtown.
As if the project weren't already expansive enough, Allied Properties and RioCan—two of the companies heading up The Well’s development—announced its partnership with Enwave Energy Corporation to extend the Deep Lake Water Cooling and hot water distribution networks to the site. The partnership will mean the installation of new thermal energy storage tanks underneath ‘The Well’, to provide low carbon cooling and heating services to the site and nearby properties.
Enwave is a privately-owned corporation and one of North America’s largest district energy systems, committed to providing sustainable energy services in cities across the continent. With over 1 million square feet of office space, 500,000 square feet of retail, and some 1,800 residential units over seven mixed-use towers, the westward Enwave extension will enable a significant expansion of the network. Set for phased completion over the next several years, projected demographic statistics for 2022 expect an increase in population in the area of nearly 70,000 from at least 40,000 new dwelling units. The Well poses to address at least some of these numbers, and Enwave will in turn benefit the area's future residents, bringing more sustainable energy solutions.
Aligning especially well with Toronto’s efforts for urban resilience and its commitment to conserve energy and reduce carbon emissions (partially dictated by Toronto Green Standard for new development projects), Enwave seems an obvious partner to provide energy solutions to the site and the surrounding area at large. The process includes installing a thermal energy storage facility below The Well’s six underground levels which otherwise consist of parking, loading, below grade retail and other back-of-house uses.
Two 6-million-litre tanks will store temperature-controlled water fed by Enwave’s current Deep Lake Water Cooling system and its recently developed high-efficiency hot water network, able to service over 20 million square feet of commercial, retail and residential space at The Well and beyond. This will be the first low-carbon, resilient cooling and heating energy system in Toronto’s downtown west, and is set to provide long-term benefits both to the area and the City of Toronto, in its objective to reduce emissions and set exemplar standards for energy usage in cities around the world.
Carlyle Coutinho, Enwave Canada’s President and Chief Operations Officer, said in a prepared statement "The development is a reflection of our joint commitment to build resilient, urban communities incorporating intelligent energy solutions and utilizing future-focused technologies."
Michael Emory, Allied Properties’ President and CEO noted the importance of this partnership as a continuation of Toronto’s bar-setting approach to environmentally conscious community-building. The Well is to serve as a prime example of forward thinking urban development, focused as it is on "resilience and the need to decarbonize municipal energy supplies." While The Well will act as an anchor site for Enwave’s energy service system, the benefits of the thermal energy tanks will be realized beyond the site in the greater King West community which will have access to the low-carbon cooling and heating sources. Enwave's current heating and cooling network operates through central Downtown Toronto. With the expansion to The Well, its energy network could extend further north to service more of the city’s downtown west and northwest areas.
How Enwave's Deep Lake Water Cooling system differentiates itself from other forms of energy distribution and usage is by effectively decentralizing the supply of energy away from reliance on the central electricity grid. A network of underground pipes that connect to Enwave’s existing system will extend throughout The Well site and its surrounding area, able to distribute and store thermal energy during off-peak times of energy usage. Energy will recycle or ‘loop’ heated or cooled water throughout buildings depending on their typical hours of highest use. Residential buildings, for instance, will be on a ‘Residential Loop’, serviced according to their hours of energy usage, typically between 6 PM and 8 AM. In turn, 'looped' energy will be conserved within the underground storage tanks and deployed as necessary, reducing strain on the energy grid and avoiding expensive peak power costs.
The first development phase of The Well has consisted in the demolition of The Well’s site, completed in late 2017, with shoring and excavation of the site's underground levels now taking place and continuing for several months. While the development is a approximately five to seven years away from completion, we'll be following its progress and keeping you up to date with any new details as they come up.
For the time being, you can find plenty of renderings and more information about the project in our database file for The Well, linked below. You can leave your own comments about it in the space provided on this page, or join the conversation in our associated forum thread, where you'll find contributor photos, news and development updates, renderings, reports and more.
This edition of our Growth to Watch For series moves east from our last instalment exploring North Etobicoke and Weston, heading further into the former municipalities of York and North York. Zig-zagging our way eastward, we explore the area of the city north of Eglinton Avenue but south of the 401, stretching from Black Creek Drive in the west nearly to Bayview Avenue in the east. Working our way through several diverse neighbourhoods and avenues, we highlight all projects currently under construction or nearly complete, all proposals moving through the planning process, and all developments in the early stages of design.
Last time, we ended off at the West Park Healthcare Centre along the Humber River near the intersection of Jane Street and Weston Road. Heading north on Jane, then turning east on Trethewey Drive, we come to an 8-storey infill apartment proposed at 15 Martha Eaton Way. The building, designed by Turner Fleischer Architects for First Gulf, would bring 155 new residential rental suites where now there is underused lawn in front of existing 'Tower in the Park' style apartment buildings, while creating an urban street wall for Trethewey Drive. The zoning bylaw amendment application was just made to the City in December, 2017.
Continuing east on Trethewey and then north on Keele Street, we come to our next project at 2175 Keele, where The Daniels Corporation is redeveloping the former site of the Humber River Hospital with a massive 731-unit townhouse and condominium development. Designed by Graziani + Corazza, the site is comprised of roughly 16 buildings ranging in height between 3 and 6 storeys, and encompassing a variety of unit types and sizes. The first two development blocks were submitted for Site Plan Approval last year, and encompass the northern chunk of the site with 244 units spread over eight buildings. The heights and unit counts vary from the approved rezoning application, so it is possible that the next phases of the project will be slightly modified from the 731-unit development initially proposed. Future phases will include the eight southern buildings along with new park space at the east end of the site.
A block to the north on the opposite side of the street, Bombay Court Ltd. is seeking Site Plan Approval for a proposed rental building at 2110 Keele. Designed by AREA, the 9-storey building contains 67 residential units, and would be constructed immediately north an existing 9-storey rental building at 2100 Keele. The project is currently making its way through the planning process.
Heading north on Keele to Lawrence Avenue, iKore Developments is proposing further densification of a tower-in-the-park site with 7 on the Park on the southwest corner of the intersection. The 21-storey 216-unit building is designed by Richmond Architects and would slot in between the two existing towers, filling some of the unused green space on the site. The building was approved for rezoning in 2014 at 19 storeys and 178 units, and was more recently submitted for Site Plan Approval last year with the revised numbers, so it is unclear at the moment how the City will respond to the proposed increase in zoning limits. Stay tuned for updates as the project works its way through the planning process.
Heading east on Lawrence and turning north on Caledonia Road, we come to an area of commercial and industrial buildings along Caledonia, where a proposal to build a 3-storey commercial building has been submitted for Site Plan Approval at 176 Bentworth Avenue. The project includes roughly 400 square metres of retail space and 147 square metres of warehouse space on the first and second floors, with roughly 200 square metres of office space on the third floor. Despite the flurry of residential development across the city, small-scale commercial developments in less booming areas is still happening.
Continuing north on Caledonia, we turn east on Bridgeland Avenue, running parallel to the south side of the 401, and come to the intersection with Dufferin Street, where the Gupta Group is looking to redevelop the property at 3450 Dufferin, currently home to a Holiday Inn Hotel. Designed by the IBI Group, the proposal includes three towers of 37, 33, and 29 storeys atop 6 and 15-storey podiums, connected by 3-storey link buildings. The development includes a total of 1,044 residential units and 255 hotel suites, a decrease from the 372 hotel rooms currently on site. The proposal headed to the OMB last year, with mediation scheduled in December, but no news has surfaced yet as what resulted from the meeting. Hopefully a resolution will be reached within the coming year.
On the other side of Dufferin Street lies Oxford Properties' Yorkdale Mall, where work on the most recent expansion wrapped up last year. As it turns out, however, Oxford has much bigger long-term plans for the property. A rezoning and Official Plan Amendment application was submitted last year for a massive mixed-use redevelopment of the Yorkdale Mall property by MMC Architecture, with residential and commercial buildings replacing the remaining surface parking lots surrounding the mall. Three options were submitted for a new master plan, each featuring some combination of residential, commercial, and retail uses, with buildings ranging in height from 4 to 30 storeys; residential unit counts ranging from 738 to 1,496 units; office GFA ranging between 57,000 and 197,000 square metres; new retail GFA hovering around 90,000 square metres; and provisions for a hotel of roughly 208 to 240 suites. The property would be subdivided into blocks with new streets separating the different buildings, while all surface parking would be replaced with underground parking levels that would significantly increase the available parking on the site. New Privately Owned Public Spaces (POPS) and a new public park are included in each option. The master plan options were only submitted a few months ago, so it is presumed that Oxford will be working closely with the City as the planning evolves throughout 2018.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.Conceptual rendering of the Dufferin Street frontage for the Yorkdale Mall redevelopment, image courtesy of Oxford Properties.
Heading south on Dufferin Street and turning east on Ranee Avenue, we arrive at the north end of the Lawrence Heights neighbourhood, where TCHC is now beginning the largest revitalization project in its history. Together with development partners Context Development and Metropia, all 1,208 rent-geared-to-income units in Lawrence Heights will be replaced with new subsidized housing, while 4,902 new market-priced residential units will be added in the form of high-rises, mid-rises, and townhouses. The revitalization will also allow rezoning for commercial units to be integrated within the residential area, creating a more vibrant neighbourhood. The project is expected to take 20 years for completion, with Phase One projected to finish in 2021.
The first steps in Phase One of the Lawrence Heights Revitalization are currently underway. Flanking Allen Road along Ranee Avenue, Context Development and Metropia are constructing a pair of condo buildings designed by KPMB Architects and Page + Steele / IBI Architects dubbed Yorkdale Condominiums. The first of the two buildings, representing Phase 1A of the Lawrence Heights Revitalization, is located on the west side of the Allen, and will rise 14 storeys with 315 condos and 77 rental replacement units. Construction is well underway, with the building now topped off and the exterior cladding being applied. Work is projected to be complete later in 2018.
The second phase of Yorkdale Condominiums is located on the east side of the Allen and represents Phase 1B of the Lawrence Heights Revitalization. The building mirrors its sister on the other side of the highway, but will rise one floor higher at 15 storeys, containing 308 condo units and 77 rental replacement units. The site for the second building has been cleared, with shoring and excavation now underway.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.Rendering of phase one (left) and phase two (right) of Yorkdale Condominiums, image courtesy of Context/Metropia
To the southeast of Yorkdale Condominiums, Phases 1D, 1E, and 1F of the Lawrence Heights Revitalization have been submitted to the City for Site Plan Approval, encompassing the northeast corner of the neighbourhood. Collectively, these phases will replace all of the existing townhouse blocks north of Varna Drive with 28 new three-storey townhouse blocks comprised of 200 residential units, 44 of which will be TCHC replacement units. A new street grid will be established, along with a new public park at the centre of the townhouse blocks. The design of the townhouses is being undertaken by TACT Architecture.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.Site plan of Phase One of the Lawrence Heights Revitalization, image obtained via submission to the City of Toronto.
Heading back west along Ranee Avenue and turning south on Dufferin Street, we come to 3140 Dufferin, where a proposal by RioCan would see a pair of 22 and 28-storey mixed-use towers replace the single-storey shopping centre and parking lot currently on the site. Designed by Quadrangle, the development would add 578 residential units, new roads, and new public space to the site. Initially proposed in November 2015, the application was refused by City Council in June 2016 as the City considers it inconsistent with the new Dufferin Street Secondary Plan. That plan is now being appealed at the OMB, with the most recent mediation held in December, while at the same time a redesign is in the works for this proposal.
Immediately across Apex Road to the south is 3130 Dufferin, currently home to a Ford dealership, where the owners received approval from the OMB in 2016 for construction of a 17-storey mixed-use building and a 7-storey mid-rise fronting onto Dufferin Street. Designed by Turner Fleischer Architects, the redevelopment would add a maximum of 334 residential units to the site. After being approved for rezoning, a Site Plan Approval application has not yet been submitted, and no new images of the project post-OMB settlement have surface. It is unknown if this development will progress at any point this year.
Across the street from 3130 Dufferin, construction on the final phase of Treviso Condos is now just wrapping up. The large mixed-use project developed by Lanterra Developments and Dov Capital Corporation is designed by the IBI Group and consists of three buildings measuring in at 15, 20, and 24 storeys tall occupying the northeast corner of Dufferin and Lawrence Avenue. The 20 and 24-storey buildings have been completed, and work is nearly complete on the final 15-storey building, with work projected to finish in Spring 2018.
On the southwest corner of Dufferin and Lawrence, the Columbus Centre at 901 Lawrence Avenue West is proposed to be redeveloped by Villa Charities Inc, which would see a new high school and private community facility constructed in a shared 4-storey building that would replace the existing structure. Designed by CS&P Architects, the new building would house the Dante Alighieri Academy, the Columbus Centre, the Carrier Art Gallery, an existing day care facility, and other services. Plans were stalled last year when the project was appealed to the OMB following inaction from the City, but the development is still in the works, with public consultations and behind-the-scenes design work continuing. Stay tuned for updates over the coming year.
Continuing south on Dufferin, an 8-storey mixed-use building is proposed at 3019 Dufferin Street at the northeast corner of Claver Avenue. Designed by Architecture Unfolded, the 105-unit condo would feature retail space at grade, and would replace an existing 2-storey commercial building. The project was submitted for rezoning in late 2016 and has since been slowly working its way through the planning process.
Further south, we turn east on Castlefield, and follow it, then Roselawn and Elm Ridge all the way to Bathurst Street, where we turn north and come to 2525 Bathurst at the southeast corner of Castlefield Avenue, where a proposal for a 13-storey rental apartment building was approved for rezoning last year. Designed by the IBI Group, the development would add 162 residential units to the site, which includes 32 replacement suites for the existing rental units in the 4-storey building currently on the property. As this development continues its way through the planning process, expect a Site Plan Approval submission in the near future.
Heading north on Bathurst, we come to 2795 Bathurst Street at the northeast corner of Glencairn Avenue, where a proposal for a 9-storey mid-rise residential building is currently fighting through the planning process. Designed by the IBI Group, the building would add 150 new residential units to the site with ground-level retail, replacing the existing low-rise commercial properties. First proposed in 2015, the development has undergone several iterations, and is currently being contested at the OMB, hoping to finally gain the necessary approvals to proceed.
Continuing north on Bathurst and taking a detour west along Lawrence Avenue, we arrive at a townhouse proposal at 579 Lawrence Avenue West dubbed Oasis Townhomes. Headed by Bazis and designed by Suriano Design Consultants, the proposal would see the construction of 12 four-storey townhouse units on a site currently occupied by single detached dwellings. The development was initially submitted in 2016, but was withdrawn and resubmitted last year featuring a different architect and design. Stay tuned as this one works its way through the planning process.
Heading back east to Bathurst and once again turning north, Pinedale Properties Ltd is proposing a tower-in-the-park infill development at 3636 Bathurst Street. Designed by Kirkor Architects, the project would see two new residential wings of 9 and 10 storeys constructed at the north and south ends of the existing 19-storey apartment building. The two wings would add a total of 297 new rental units to the site, while also providing new indoor and outdoor amenities along with grade-level retail. The proposal was resubmitted last year for both rezoning and Site Plan Approval, so look for the design to further progress over the coming year.
Turning east onto Dunblaine Avenue over to Avenue Road, we head south to 1912-1914 Avenue Road, where plans are underway to construct a 4-storey commercial building on the northwest corner of Brooke Avenue. Designed by Icon Architects, the development would also include grade-level retail. First submitted in 2014, the project was resubmitted for Site Plan Approval in 2016, and has undergone minor design tweaks since then. A decision from the City should be forthcoming this year.
A few blocks south, Avenue & Park is looking to join the spate of mid-rises along this stretch of Avenue Road, with construction soon to get underway on the 7-storey condo building, located on the former Beer Store site at the southwest corner of Bedford Park Avenue. Headed by Stafford Homes and Greybrook Realty Partners, the building is designed by the IBI Group and will house 36 new condo units. Demolition of the Beer Store will come first, then expect shoring and excavation work to follow.
One block south, a development at 1560 Avenue Road on the southwest corner of Douglas Avenue will see a 3-storey mixed-use building constructed on a vacant lot. Designed by Drew Laszlo Architect, the development will have ground-level retail with office uses on the second floor and a residential unit on the third level. The project has received Site Plan Approval and is now under construction.
Further south and just a bit east on Lawrence Avenue, Graywood Developments is planning a 12-storey condo building at 250 Lawrence Avenue West. The mid-rise building is designed by Quadrangle and would contain 241 new residential units. The rezoning application for the project is currently being opposed by the City at the OMB, with a hearing scheduled for May 2018.
Continuing south on Avenue Road, we come to a proposal at 1202 Avenue Road to construct a 3-storey, 7-unit block of townhouses at the northwest corner of Hillhurst Boulevard. The project is designed by Peter Higgins Architect and would replace a pair of semi-detached homes currently existing on the site. The development is currently working its way through the planning process.
Turning east onto Briar Hill Avenue and continuing all the way to Yonge Street, we then turn north and arrive at 2779 Yonge. The former site of the Alaska Condos proposal, it has now been re-birthed as The Winslow. Initially turning heads with an edgy design from Will Alsop at aLL Design, the development was subsequently appealed to the OMB and approved in 2016 following a complete redesign. The site was then sold to Devron Developments, and having received necessary approvals, the 10-storey 60-unit mid-rise condo building is now being marketed. Drawings of the new proposal not yet available, and renderings in our database file for the project sill reflect the earlier design. Further updates should materialize in the coming months.
Two blocks north of The Winslow, Muir Park Development is planning a 7-storey rental building at 2851 Yonge Street. The building is designed by Core Architects and would contain 41 residential units. Initially proposed at 8 storeys, City staff recommended approval of the rezoning application at a reduced height of 7 storeys; however, when the development went before Community Council last year, local Councillor Jaye Robinson added a condition that the rear setback must meet the City's Mid-Rise Design Guidelines. The developers have appealed this decision to the OMB, and a hearing is now set for March 2018.
Continuing north to the intersection of Yonge and Lawrence, First Capital Realty's renewal project at 3080 Yonge St is set to finish in the coming months. Designed by Kasian Architecture, First Capital has been undertaking a renovation and recladding of the existing 6-storey commercial building over the past couple years, and construction is nearly complete with the final touches being applied to the exterior. The renovations feature 62,000 square feet of new retail space, along with a refreshed exterior and more visible subway entrance.
Heading slightly east on Lawrence, (and a short walk from the subway station), 49-51 Lawrence Avenue East has hit a major roadblock at the OMB. Submitted in 2015, the Gairloch Developments project consists of a 4-storey stacked townhouse development designed by architectsAlliance that would include 22 residential units. The project was appealed to the OMB with a hearing early last year, and the OMB ruled against the developer, citing that the property was within a stable Neighbourhood designation and that this amount of density did not fit within that context. It is unclear whether the project is now completely dead, on hold, or is heading for a redesign.
Returning to Yonge and heading north again, we come to the corner of Yonge and Wilson where the Gupta Group has plans to develop a surface parking lot on the northwest corner of the intersection into a mixed-use commercial development. Designed by the IBI Group, the building would rise 7 storeys and would feature a 250-room hotel, roughly 20,000 square feet of retail space, and an office condo that will measure roughly 250,000 square feet in size. Dubbed Yonge Park Plaza, the office space is now being marketed, so expect construction to get underway once a tenant is secured.
Just north of Wilson and York Mills Avenues, GreenCity Development Group is proposing to build a 14-storey condo tower at 4155 Yonge on the southeast corner of William Carson Crescent. Designed by Quadrangle, the building would contain 64 condo units and would be surrounded by green space from the adjacent ravines. The development was submitted for rezoning last year, so stay tuned for updates as it works its way through the planning process.
Heading back south to Wilson Avenue and turning west, we come to the final building on our list at 228 Wilson Avenue, where Verdiroc is proposing to construct a 17-storey apartment tower. Located on a vacant plot of land just east of where Wilson passes underneath the 401, the building is designed by CGL Architects and would contain 131 new rental units. The site was initially slated for an approved condo development from Kartelle Corporation, however, the project was never realized and the property was subsequently sold to Verdiroc, who submitted their new proposal for Site Plan Approval late last year. Check back for updates as this development moves through the planning process.
That concludes our tour of all developments happening in this area of the city. Check back next week for the next instalment of our Growth to Watch For series, where we head north of the 401 to check out all the development activity in the Downsview and York University neighbourhoods! If you would like to learn more about a specific project, click on the project dataBase files, linked below. Want to share your thoughts on this list? Drop a comment in the space below, or feel free to join in the ongoing conversation in our associated Forum threads.
Today's Photo of the Day takes us to University Avenue for a view of Urban Capital and Malibu Investments' Smart House. Submitted to the project's Forum thread by contributor Red Mars, this view shows the architectsAlliance-designed "micro-condo" development topped out at 25 storeys on Queen Street West, just west of University Avenue.
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