After a successful run of sales for the north tower at Line 5 Condos from Reserve Properties and Westdale Properties, registration has begun for the south tower at the IBI Group-designed condo complex coming to Broadway Avenue in Midtown Toronto. We've already taken a look at the project's amenity spaces with interiors by U31, and today we're returning for a look at the suite interiors.

Looking north to Line 5 Condos, image courtesy of Reserve/Westdale

The 36 and 33-storey towers will respectively house 504 and 428 condominium units, ranging from 380 ft² to 1,200 ft² in area. The suites will feature 9’ ceiling heights in principal rooms, pre-finished, wide plank laminate flooring, and high-tech features like high-speed wiring to support faster and more efficient communications services.

Suite interior, Line 5 Condos, image courtesy of Reserve/Westdale

Kitchens will feature integrated and stainless steel appliances including ENERGY STAR® frost-free refrigerators and dishwashers, as well as custom designed European style kitchen cabinetry, quartz stone or porcelain countertops, ceramic tile backsplashes, and single under-mount stainless steel sinks.

Kitchen, Line 5 Condos, image courtesy of Reserve/Westdale

Bathrooms will include custom designed European style cabinetry with integrated countertop and sinks, full-width vanity mirrors with built-in cabinets, and deep soaker bathtubs with rain style showerheads surrounded by porcelain tile finishes.

Bathroom, Line 5 Condos, image courtesy of Reserve/Westdale

With the complex's north tower now sold out, interested purchasers are encouraged to register for the south tower at Line5Condos.com. 

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 field provided at the bottom of this page.

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Last year, a rezoning application was submitted for a pair of towers at 351 Queen East (also referred to as 161 Parliament) within the quickly densifying King-Parliament district east of Downtown Toronto. Headed by ONE Properties and designed by Kirkor Architects, the previous 16 and 29-storey tower proposal filled the block at the southeast corner of Queen and Parliament. Stretching east to Power Street, it contained 584 residential units with retail in its base. Since revised and slightly scaled back in size, the new proposal was presented to Toronto's Design Review Panel (DRP) at their most recent session.

Rendering of revised 351 Queen East, image courtesy of ONE Properties.

The new proposal for 351 Queen East is now comprised of a single 34-storey tower atop two 11-storey mid-rise volumes and a 3-storey base. The massing has been significantly altered to fit within the various zoning requirements, including a 12.5-metre setback from the south property line and a 45-degree angular plane from Queen Street.

Comparison with previous iteration, image courtesy of ONE Properties.

The number of residential units has been reduced to 425, but the retail component remains at grade, with a large-format grocery store proposed to occupy the second floor. A small 300-square-metre park is proposed at the northeast corner of the site, carved out of the building's massing in order to afford a vista toward the tower of the neighbouring St. Paul's Basilica.

Rendering of the proposed park, image courtesy of ONE Properties.

The architectural expression of the building was also significantly altered. The tower now sports a brick and metal panel facade with darker hues around the base of the building and lighter hues on the upper portions. A barcode aesthetic is employed to break up the massing. Several options are being explored for the expression of the retail podium, ranging from a distinct sculptural object to a continuation of the architectural language used on the remainder of the building.

Three options being considered for the podium, image courtesy of ONE Properties.

Other building features include loading and parking access situated at the centre of the site, accessed via a through-block porte-cochere that removes these otherwise unpleasant features from the sidewalk, and several outdoor terraces and green roofs located on the various cascading roof levels.

Rendered ground floor plan showing loading access, image courtesy of ONE Properties.

City Planning openly stated that they were opposed to the height of the building, as it is significantly taller than all of the buildings in the immediate vicinity, and also stated that they were concerned about the impact of the building to the neighbouring heritage structures, namely St. Paul's Basilica to the east and 339 Queen East to the west.

Massing diagram of 351 Queen East, image courtesy of ONE Properties.

The Panel was divided in their response to the revised proposal. All Panel members agreed that this version was an improvement on its previous form, however, they raised several key issues that should still be resolved before moving forward with the development.

A major concern echoed by all Panel members was the quality of the public realm around the building. The Panel urged the design team that what was shown in the plans and renderings was not adequate for important arteries like Queen and Parliament, and more attention needed to be paid to what happens at the ground level around the building.

Rendering of Queen Street facade, image courtesy of ONE Properties.

They also unanimously agreed that the proposed park at the northeast corner of the site would not be a very successful intervention. Pointing out that it would be in shadow for most of the year, Panelists expressed doubt that the park would be a welcoming space, and also criticized that it interrupted the continuous street wall along Queen. They suggested that pulling back the entire facade of the building at grade, instead of carving out a corner, could also work to allow views to the neighbouring church's tower without creating residual dead space along Queen.

Rendering of the park, image courtesy of ONE Properties.

Panel members also expressed concern over the Power Street facade, which is more or less a straight wall up with a small 1.5-metre stepback. They suggested that this facade was unsympathetic to the neighbouring heritage church and overwhelmed the relatively small side street, encouraging designers to think about what pedestrians would experience walking by the building. They also pointed out that this facade would be highly visible when entering Downtown from the east, providing a gateway along Queen Street. One suggestion was to adjust the location of the tower component, shifting it westward away from Power Street, to break up the eastern facade.

Section looking south down Power Street from Queen, image courtesy of ONE Properties.

Finally, the new architectural expression was critiqued by the Panel. Some members approved of the new design, while others were not so convinced. One member stated that the architectural expression was "more appropriate for a 15-storey building" and that the "intense patterning on the upper levels was not helping". Another Panelist echoed those comments, claiming that it was "the same cladding as suburban projects...which are brought into the city and all look the same, they are all cut from the same cloth". They urged designers to clarify and simplify the architectural expression, perhaps having each component - low-rise, mid-rise, and tower - distinctly respond to its context and be articulated appropriately.

Various cladding patterns used on the building, image courtesy of ONE Properties.

In the end, the Panel was more or less divided, with 4 members voting in support of the development and 3 members voting to oppose it. They encouraged the design team to continue working on the building, pointing out its importance as a gateway tower at a key transition point in the city.

We will keep you updated as the designs for 351 Queen East continue to evolve, but in the meantime, you can join in 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 shows a sunrise over Toronto's East Bayfront area, highlighting a few developments underway in the neighbourhood. Captured by Forum contributor mburrrrr from the northwest, this view is centred on the rising Lighthouse Towers at Daniels Waterfront, while also showing early progress at the future site of the Sugar Wharf community at the far left.

Sunrise in the East Bayfront, image by Forum contributor mburrrr

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. 

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Subway upload talks to cost $2 million, city report says; How ‘monster homes’ are transforming Toronto neighbourhoods; Council to consider loosening shelter zoning rules; and more news:

How ‘monster homes’ are transforming Toronto neighbourhoods (Toronto Star)

Mayor John Tory open to lowering speed limits in Toronto (Globe and Mail)

Subway upload talks to cost $2 million, city report says (Toronto Star)

Developer Meir Dick gambles, and wins big, on a restoration of Hamilton’s iconic Westinghouse building (Globe and Mail)

Council to consider loosening shelter zoning rules (Toronto Star)

TIMELINE: The Sunrise Propane blast site: Metrolinx inks lease to occupy the land until 2024 (Toronto.com)

Global news from our sister site, SkyriseCities.com:

CTBUH Designates Norwegian Tower as World's Tallest Timber Building (Mjøstårnet)

Sarina Homes Debuts Proposal for Third Marda Loop Project (Calgary)

Stanley A. Milner Library Shines in Recent Photos (Edmonton)

Burrard Place on the Rise as Construction Continues (Vancouver)

This week's Throwback Thursday takes us back to January 2017 for a view of the Toronto skyline as seen from a residential tower in the Regent Park neighbourhood. From left to right, this view showed construction underway at the Sun Life Financial Tower and Harbour Plaza Residences complex, Backstage on The Esplanade, the L Tower and its long-lasting temporary work platform and derrick, and 88 Scott Street. 

Toronto skyline from Regent Park, January 2017, image by Forum contributor skycandy

Over two years later, all the buildings mentioned above have wrapped up construction, including the long-awaited removal of the L Tower's temporary derrick and work platform. In the meantime, more buildings have popped up: between Harbour Plaza Residences and L Tower, Ten York Street has added a 65-storey condo tower to the mix, while a pair of cranes and a sliver of the rising tower core can be seen for the 49-storey south tower of the CIBC SQUARE office complex near Union Station. In the lower right area of the image, a pair of tower cranes mark the location of the Yonge & Rich Condominiums development, set to ascend 46 storeys into this view.

Toronto skyline from Regent Park, March 2019, image by Forum contributor skycandy

We will return next week with another look at the changing face of Toronto.

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Construction has been underway for over a year now at the fourth and final phase of Urban Capital Property Group's River City community in Toronto's West Don Lands. Named Harris Square in reference to its address on Lawren Harris Square—a new street named for the Group of Seven painter—the 13-storey Saucier + Perrotte Architects and ZAS Architects-designed building crossed a milestone this month with the start of forming for the project's ground floor.

Looking west over Harris Square site, image by Forum contributor mcornett

Shoring for the project commenced in January 2018, while excavation wrapped up when a tower crane was erected last summer. Roughly nine months later, forming of the three-level underground garage has been completed, and work has since moved on to the first structural elements of the building's ground floor.

Ground level forming at the Harris Square site, image by Forum contributor drum118

The first walls and columns are now in place for the ground floor, which is set to contain a mix of residential lobby and retail spaces, as well as building services rooms. The wider floor plates of the residential levels above will be cantilevered over the ground floor in places, with an angular soffit on the cantilever’s underside helping to form a dramatic entrance to the building.

Parking ramp surfacing on ground floor of Harris Square, image by Forum contributor drum118

Harris Square's irregular massing and exterior finishes will tie the building in with the avant-garde style of the three previous phases. Lower levels will feature ample cast in place concrete to form a relationship with the supports of the Eastern Avenue flyover to the north, with a green glass section fronting the Lawren Harris Square public space to the southeast. Upper levels will feature a mix of clear and dark smoked glazing, with white metal panel accents.

Harris Square at River City, image courtesy of Urban Capital

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 field provided at the bottom of this page.

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Following on the success of the initial three phases of SmartCentres and CentreCourt's Transit City community at SmartCentres Place, the 100-acre masterplan community and home to the new Vaughan Metropolitan Centre TTC station, marketing is getting underway for the next phases of the high-rise condominium community. The new phases will introduce three more buildings to the site beside the subway station, including 45 and 50-storey condominium towers known as TC4 and TC5.

Transit City 4 & 5, image courtesy of CentreCourt/SmartREIT

In advance of a Spring launch, the initial rollout of marketing material for the community's fourth tower, TC4, is revealing details of the 45-storey Diamond Schmitt Architects-designed development. The project will bring 495 new condo units to the rapidly-developing area around Vaughan Metropolitan Centre area, with many suites priced in the $300,000s and $400,000s.

Transit City 4 & 5, image courtesy of CentreCourt/SmartREIT

Despite the competitive pricing, the project will feature luxury offerings that start in the lobby, which will feature furniture by Hermes. Most amenities are focused on the sixth floor, however, in the form of The Training Club, a 24,000 ft² indoor/outdoor facility which will offer a squash court, a full indoor running track, cardiovascular training, yoga spaces, an infinity pool, cabanas, and a spa area. Complementing the fitness amenities, The Library Room will provide residents with a double-height co-working space. 

Transit City 4 & 5, image courtesy of CentreCourt/SmartREIT

TC4 residents will also be given access to Tesla electric cars when they're heading somewhere the nearby subway can't take them.

The new phases of Transit City are part of the 100-acre masterplan of the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre Area, which features a growing collection of residential and office buildings centred around the new subway terminus. The community will feature a 9-acre central park designed by Claude Cormier + Associés, who is also handling landscaping for the planned and under construction Transit City towers. A YMCA and Library are also among community amenities.

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 field provided at the bottom of this page.

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Station Street is a bit of an odd site for an office tower.

Not because of its proximity to Union Station, however: just west of Union Station, it makes perfect sense for more density to be added to Toronto's skyline here, within such a short walk of Canada's busiest transportation hub. What's odd about the privately owned Station Street—essentially a laneway that allows vehicles to access the parking and loading facilities of a couple of buildings bordering it—is that it screams back alley, while major Toronto office towers typically announce themselves along prominent streets with wide sidewalks and pedestrian plazas that lead to expansive, double or triple-height glass-fronted lobbies.

Station Street in Downtown Toronto, image from Apple Maps

Another thing that major Toronto office towers typically do not have in front of them is an eight-storey brick building. In this case, that's what's between the Station Street building site and a frontage on a prominent Toronto street. To be specific, the eight-storey brick building is a data centre through which pours the bulk of Toronto's voluminous internet traffic, a building that has to keep doing what it's doing, no interruptions, ever. It's staying.

Looking southeast to the Union Centre tower from Simcoe Street with the Data Centre on Front, image courtesy of Allied REIT

If you own Station Street, as Allied Properties REIT does, and also own the data centre, and the SkyWalk beside it which the PATH system runs through—connecting the site to Union Station and the larger PATH network to the north with attractions like the Rogers Centre, CN Tower, and Ripley's Aquarium, plus Toronto's burgeoning South Core in the other direction—then you have prime real estate upon which to build an office tower even if the street frontages are atypical.

Looking east across Lower Simcoe to the Union Centre entrance, image courtesy of Allied REIT

Partnered with Westbank Corp of Vancouver (with which Allied is currently building 19 Duncan and KING Toronto, plus another three projects in Western Canada), the joint venture developers have hired the renowned Bjarke Ingels Group to design a skyscraper that works on this atypical site.

And first thing to address? Fix Station Street. As shown above, the building's Lower Simcoe Street entrance will fit next to the elevated rail corridor and offer escalators and elevators to take people two flights up to the lobby above. Station Street will be run through a green-scaped tunnel, only traveled by vehicles heading to parking, with this section closable to traffic altogether on occasion. Shops built into the base of Union Centre will open onto Station Street throughout most of the street's length.

East of the tunnel through the building, Station Street, shown below with some artistic license in a closed-to-traffic situation, will essentially be a landscaped woonerf designed by Public Work. (Most vehicles accessing parking and loading will arrive from York Street and be underground before the area depicted below.) Most pedestrians accessing Union Centre will arrive either from the York Street sidewalk, in through doors and up an escalator to the SkyWalk, or via the SkyWalk itself, coming from Union Station and points beyond, crossing over York Street on a bridge. 

Looking west along Station Street under Union Centre, image courtesy of Allied REIT

The Skywalk, currently covered by a long arched skylight running most of the length from York to Lower Simcoe, will be mostly rebuilt and incorporated into Union Centre's podium, coursing through the building's lobby. Nestled beside the data centre, the podium lobby spaces will cover the somewhat unsightly back of that building, while providing above it some uniquely designed space, including green roofs and terraces, and a 2,000-person performance venue. Above that, the towers next few floors will provide space for data centre expansion (with its own dedicated vertical access).

Three floors up: Union Centre's lobby, connected to the overhead PATH system, image via submission to the City of Toronto

Narrow north-south, but wide east-west owning to the shape of the property, Union Centre's lobby will eschew the central core elevator banks that face each other in more typical office towers, instead lining them up along the north wall of the tower. The 30 elevators will face a glazed north wall and will be lit so that their travels up and down the building will be legible from the north, reading something like a VU metre on a stereo, but moving a little more slowly. Taking the cue from the elevators, LEDs are also proposed for the building's envelop as a whole, so that Union Centre could create colourful nighttime shows.

Looking south along University Avenue to the Union Centre, image courtesy of Allied REIT

The 30 elevators will travel in 5 banks, as shown below. With a half dozen elevators each, the banks will service about 10 floors—basically the teens, the 20s, the 30s, and the 40s—and then also service the lowest floor of the next highest bank so that transfers can be made. Where each bank of elevators ends, the building will step back, providing a spot for a landscaped terrace above them. At the east end of the building, the last bank of elevators will have special functions. One will be added to the bank of elevators that covers the 40s, making up for the extra time those elevators are travelling, three of them will be service elevators for moving equipment and furniture to all floors, and two of them will be shuttles to the top two floors, also stopping on every level.

Elevator banks at the Union Centre, image via submission to the City of Toronto

The top of the building is terraced and landscaped, wth deep, plumbed planters, and with both glass or trellis walls sheltering plants and trees from direct wind. Public Work is again responsible for creating an urban forest up here. Inside, the two uppermost public levels of the tower (before some mechanical in the northeast corner peak) will be amenities, including a gym on the 51st level, and a restaurant on the 52nd level. Both will have spectacular views of the area around the CN Tower, Harbourfront, The Toronto Islands, and across the Lake.

Looking northeast to the terraced Union Centre crown, image courtesy of Allied REIT

Union Centre, despite its atypical location behind the data centre and on top of a narrow private street, will have a prominent spot on Toronto's skyline nevertheless. With about 1.7 million square feet of space, it's about 400,000 square feet larger than what's approved for the site already, so the application to the City seeks zoning bylaw amendments that would be required for its approval. There are a number other features of the building to cover, so we will be back with more in future articles.

Looking northeast to the Union Centre tower from Roundhouse Park, image courtesy of Allied REIT

In the meantime, 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 field provided at the bottom of this page.

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Today's Photo of the Day features a view of new high-rise growth in Toronto's Garden District. From left to right, this view from Forum contributor innsertnamehere shows recent and under construction towers Core Condos, Pace Condos, Dundas Square Gardens, the Ryerson Jarvis Residence, Grid Condos, and a portion of the rising 88 North at the far right.

New towers in the Garden District, image by Forum contributor innsertnamehere

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. 

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Property owners and Toronto officials spar over King-Spadina heritage designation; The Alphabet of Sidewalk Labs’ plan for Toronto’s waterfront; Mayor’s executive committee wants province to release subway upload advice; and more news:

Predictions for Toronto in 2033 (Spacing Toronto)

TTC commuter presses alarm over smelly subway passenger, prompting police reminder about emergencies (Toronto Star)

Developer appeals ruling in Toronto condo presale contract dispute (Globe and Mail)

The Alphabet of Sidewalk Labs’ plan for Toronto’s waterfront (Toronto Star)

Property owners and Toronto officials spar over King-Spadina heritage designation (Globe and Mail)

Mayor’s executive committee wants province to release subway upload advice (Toronto Star)

TTC 2019 Fleet and Capacity Plans Part II: Streetcars and Buses (Steve Munro)

Waterfront Toronto ‘frustrated’ over Sidewalk Labs publicly speaking on financial plans, board chair says (Toronto Star)

Global news from our sister site, SkyriseCities.com:

BIG's 75 Eleventh Avenue Tops Out in New York (New York)

M2 Block Gets its First Touch of Grey (Calgary)

Hat at Five Corners Continues to Impress (Edmonton)

Looking Back at River District Town Centre Plaza (Vancouver)

In the little over eight months since Great Gulf and Hullmark celebrated ground breaking for their home: Power and Adelaide development, shoring and excavation have prepped the site of the new 21-storey Core Architects-designed development at Parliament and Adelaide in Toronto's Corktown area. With space carved out of the earth for the 3.5-level garage, a tower crane was recently erected to start hoisting in materials to form the underground levels.

Looking north across the home: Power and Adelaide site, image by Forum contributor drum118

With the pit bottomed out—other than where an earthen ramp remains for the moment—the crane was installed earlier this month at the north end of the excavated pit, closest to Richmond Street. A portable crane was spotted las Monday, parked on Power Street, and assisting in the early stages of the crane assembly. The operation wrapped up later that day.

Crane installation for home: Power and Adelaide, image by Forum contributor richsherb

Now, crews can begin laying rebar and pouring concrete into forms for the building's foundations and the start of the garage floors. Forming of the underground levels will take several months to complete. Once complete, the garage will provide 248 parking spots.

Looking northeast across the home: Power and Adelaide site, image by Forum contributor drum118

The completed development will bring 507 condominium units to the regenerating area, ranging in area from 450 ft² to 1,300 ft² in one through three-bedroom layouts. At street level, 60,000 ft² of retail space and an enhanced public realm designed by landscape architects Ferris + Associates will knit the building into the surrounding urban fabric.

home: Power and Adelaide, image courtesy Great Gulf/Hullmark

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 field provided at the bottom of this page.

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A few weeks since the big reveal of Hines' T3 Bayside project planned in Toronto's East Bayfront community, newly uncovered renderings are offering more insight into the pair of 11- and 10-storey office buildings coming to Queens Quay East. The competition-winning design entry by Copenhagen-based architectural firm 3XN aims to add 51,840 m² of new commercial/office space to the waterfront, which would be built with sustainable timber construction.

T3 Bayside, image via 3xn.com

Referred to by 3XN as “The Steps”, the buildings have been designed to blend with the existing master plan for the Bayside community, responding to the architecture of the Aqualina and Aqualuna condominium buildings to the west and east with a series of stepped roof terraces. Between the two office buildings, these same terraces step down to frame an “urban gateway” central plaza connecting to Aitken Place Park—now under construction—and the waterfront promenade.

Central plaza at T3 Bayside, image via 3xn.com

The project would activate the public realm along this stretch of Queens Quay East with a full retail frontage, as well as retail wrapping around all sides. No underground garage is planned for the buildings, while much of the second storey would be given over to parking, space that could in future be converted for office use: Hines is looking to the future TTC Waterfront East LRT to bring most workers and visitors to the building.

Queens Quay frontage at T3 Bayside, image via 3xn.com

A section of the Queens Quay frontage framing the central plaza would feature a mix of community and shared spaces capable of accommodating exhibition and gallery spaces, flexible office space, as well as community and co-working facilities. Spaces lining the plaza's edge would have moving glass walls, allowing them to open up and engage with the public space during warmer months.

Central plaza at T3 Bayside, image via 3xn.com

Inside the buildings, flexible co-work and community spaces step up in staircase patterns, forming dynamic double-height interior spaces as well as the buildings’ main exterior expression. Each of these co-working spaces will be accessible via corridors in the buildings’ central cores, allowing for tenants across multiple levels to share access to the spaces.

Co-working space at T3 Bayside, image via 3xn.com

The two buildings are among many in the East Bayfront area proposed to be constructed with sustainable timber, along with George Brown's The Arbour and the many structures planned within the controversial Sidewalk Labs digital community. According to an article from The Globe's Alex Bozikovic, "Hines is considering both cross-laminated timber, in which layers of wood are glued together, and dowel-laminated timber, in which hunks of wood are pierced and held together by dowels."

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 field provided at the bottom of this page.

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This week, George Brown College’s School of Architectural Studies hosted Tony Reich, Whit Petch, and others from the team at Reich + Petch for an architecture lecture as part of the school's 2019 series. Students, local architects, and other industry professionals came out in droves for a full house event to listen to representatives from the Toronto-based firm speak about their work as a multi-disciplinary architecture & design concern. In addition to speaking about their past and ongoing projects, the firm took the time to speak to the value of designing spaces from an integrative approach, ensuring all aspects of the project work together to provide the best experience possible for the visitor. 

Tony Reich (left) and GBC graduate Gonzalo Martinez (right) address the crowd, image by Ryan Debergh

Tony Reich, senior principal architect at the firm, spoke alongside associate Gonzalo Martinez and designer Rudra Chauhan, about the firm's projects around the world. As a multi-disciplinary architectural firm, the group views their museum exhibit design, retail planning, and master planning projects through an architectural lens. This allows them to look beyond just the interior design or built form aspects of a project but rather integrate them to create a cohesive experience for the visitor. The firm's projects include; the Smithsonian Hall of Human Origins, Fallsview Casino, the Sporting Life retail chain, and The Art Gallery of Windsor, just to name a few. As the firm's associate Gonzalo Martinez was an alumnus of George Brown's School of Architectural Studies, he had plenty of wisdom and advice for the aspiring architects in the room, reminding them to stay humble and ask questions.

Students admire work displayed at the Reich + Petch exhibition, image by Ryan Debergh

Following the lecture, Reich + Petch presented The George Brown College Foundation with a $5,000 donation to be used as a $1,000 annual scholarship for the next five years. An exhibition featuring a selection of the firm’s work was also unveiled at the college and will run until April 18th at the School’s Casa Loma Campus.

Reich + Petch present their donation to the George Brown College Foundation, image courtesy of George Brown College

In the photo above, Reich + Petch present their donation to the George Brown College Foundation: (L-R) Pauline Dolovich, Principal at Reich+Petch; Tony Reich, Senior Principal at Reich+Petch; Dr. Cindy Gouveia, President, George Brown College Foundation; Dr. Adel Esayed, Dean, Centre for Construction and Engineering Technologies; Whit Petch, Senior Principal at Reich+Petch.

The Architectural Lecture Series has been running at the School of Architectural Studies since 2012 and speakers have included Moshe Safdie and Eb Zeidler. Program Director Pietro Ferrari noted that 2019 will be a big year for events, as it will be the 35th anniversary of the program's inception.

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Dotted throughout Toronto's older neighbourhoods lie hundreds of historic churches, standing tall amid the low-rise houses clad in characteristic brick or limestone. But look closer, and many of these churches may not be what they appear to be. More and more, underused church properties are being converted into residential units or redeveloped into mid-rise or high-rise condo towers, each keeping some remnant of the building and its use that once occupied that site.

One such redevelopment is currently in the works at 300 Bloor West on the northwest corner of Bloor and Huron Streets: the Bloor Street United Church (BSUC), first constructed in 1886 with several later additions, is now the subject of a high-rise development proposal. This situation is unique, however, as the BSUC is retaining ownership of the property and will continue to operate on the site while allowing the construction of a 28-storey condo tower above. The BSUC has partnered with developers Collecdev and Northrop Developments to bring the high-rise density, and have enlisted KPMB Architects as their lead designers.

Rendering of the current version of 300 Bloor West, image courtesy of Collecdev and Northrop.

300 Bloor West was originally proposed back in 2017 as a 38-storey 259-unit tower that retained the majority of the church building in situ, but following a series of community working groups and meetings with City planners, the plan was scaled back to a 27-storey 254-unit tower, which was presented to the Toronto Design Review Panel (DRP) in Fall 2018.

Original version of the tower from January 2018, image courtesy of Collecdev and Northrop.

The biggest adjustment was the shifting of the tower southward, which meant the demolition of the church in its entirety save for two facades to facilitate the relocation of the parking garage from above grade to underground. A new worship space will be built in the same location and in the same likeness as the original, and the church's original entrance will be restored onto Bloor Street, albeit sporting a flashy contemporary design from KPMB. The tower's massing also bulked up with larger floor plates due to its reduction in height. These adjustments were a response to height and shadowing concerns from local residents, and heritage concerns from the City, as the tower intruded into the protected view corridor looking north along Spadina to the University of Toronto Daniels Faculty building (the former Knox College).

When the DRP reviewed the development last year, they expressed concerns over the bulkier massing of the tower and the demolition of the church building, saying that they actually preferred the earlier iteration of a thinner, taller tower pushed further north. They also criticized the Huron Street elevation as being too imposing, and suggested that the designers modify the facade with less glazing.

Previous Huron Street facade from September 2018, image courtesy of Collecdev and Northrop.

Earlier this month, the development team submitted updated documents to the City for 300 Bloor West, which now sports a slightly modified appearance but similar massing to its previous version.

The height has been increased slightly to 28 storeys, but its floor plates—which exceed the City's recommended 750 square metres—have not been modified. Contrary to the DRP's recommendations, the location of the tower is still at the centre of the site and has not been pushed back north, meaning that the church will still be demolished and only the south and east facades will be retained. The residential unit count has been reduced to 249, with office spaces occupying the podium levels.

What has changed though is the architectural expression of the building, particularly along Huron Street. The height of the Huron podium has been reduced to be less imposing, and grey-brown brick has been introduced to better match the material palette of the adjacent historic buildings.

Current rendering of the Huron Street facade, image courtesy of Collecdev and Northrop.

As well, the exterior cladding of the tower has been modified, and now features thicker, more pronounced mullions and vertical fins, some of which have a distinctive angled profile. The depth and profile of the mullions and fins differs between the different volumes of the building, helping to break up the massing. The renderings still indicate a bronze-coloured finish on the accentuated mullions, helping the building to fit in with its historic context.

Current rendering of the Bloor Street facade, image courtesy of Collecdev and Northrop.

The development is currently seeking rezoning at the City, so it is still some ways off from seeing shovels in the ground. We will continue to provide updates on 300 Bloor West as the design evolves, but in the meantime, additional information and images can be found in our database file for the project, linked below. You can tell us what you think by checking out the associated Forum thread or by leaving a comment in the space provided on this page.

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Today's Photo of the Day features a dusk view of Toronto's Bloor-Yorkville neighbourhood as seen from the top of Uptown Residences on Balmuto Street. Captured by Forum contributor Benito, this southeast-facing view shows the moon rising over the area's growing cluster of condominium towers.

Aerial view of condo towers in the Bloor-Yorkville area, image by Forum contributor Benito

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. 

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Why is Sidewalk Labs so Interested in Your Health?; The Hidden Cost of Subway Capacity Relief; Create new land transfer tax bracket on home sales over $3-million, Toronto councillors propose; and more news:

Why is Sidewalk Labs so Interested in Your Health? (Spacing Toronto)

TTC pulls Nova Bus hybrid buses after Quebec transit agencies take their fleets out of service (Toronto Star)

Does Drake do enough for Toronto? (Globe and Mail)

The Hidden Cost of Subway Capacity Relief (Steve Munro)

Death knell for basic income: How participants will spend their last cheque (Toronto Star)

Create new land transfer tax bracket on home sales over $3-million, Toronto councillors propose (Globe and Mail)

Sandra Shamas will have a Toronto laneway named in her honour (Toronto Star)

Global news from our sister site, SkyriseCities.com:

Europe's First Underwater Restaurant Now Open (Linsdesnes)

MacKimmie Tower Retrofit Taking Shape (Calgary)

New Urban Farm Opening this Weekend at the Edmonton Valley Zoo (Edmonton)

Escala Tower and Towns Close to Completion (Vancouver)

At the leading edge of a small wave of timber-framed buildings coming to Toronto, Hullmark's project at 80 Atlantic Avenue will serve as the city's first wood-frame office building in a generation. The five-storey, Quadrangle mass-timber design in Liberty Village has been underway since 2017, and the latest photos show the project racing towards a completion date mid-this year.

We last checked in on the project in the final weeks of 2018, when the building had just reached structural completion and installation of exterior finishes had begun. In the months since, the crane used to construct the building has been taken down, while the ongoing installation of exterior finishes is bringing the project closer to the aesthetic shown in preconstruction renderings.

Looking northwest to 80 Atlantic, image by Forum contributor ProjectEnd

The bulk of the curtainwall glazing has since been installed on the building's north and south elevations. The 'high-visibility' glazing allows views through the exterior facades under certain lighting conditions, offering glimpses at the building's nail-laminated timber (NLT) superstructure. The structural skeleton's NLT components are made from multiple layers of lumber stacked together and fastened with nails. In contrast to the glazed areas, the east facade over Atlantic Avenue is being finished with a natural limestone cladding framing punched windows.

Looking west to 80 Atlantic, image by Forum contributor ProjectEnd

Such a building would not have been approved under pre-2015 Ontario Building Code (OBC) regulations, which limited timber construction to a four-storey maximum. A change in the OBC to permit timber buildings as high as six storeys paved the way for 80 Atlantic. Even taller timber projects are being proposed across the city which will require either site-specific exemptions or further OBC revisions to move forward.

80 Atlantic Avenue, image courtesy of Hullmark

Once complete, 80 Atlantic will introduce 79,758 ft² of commercial office space and 7,719 ft² of retail space to the Liberty Village area.

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 field provided at the bottom of this page.

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At 15 Leswyn Road lies a blank canvas—from fitness recreational to a retail warehouse, self-storage, or last-mile delivery depot—a rare and unique chance for an Investor or User to own a large block of space in Central Toronto.

This property offers a stable cash flow and opportunity to add value over time. Currently it is fully leased to two tenants, however, there is an opportunity for almost immediate occupancy.

Exterior of 15 Leswyn Road, image via Cushman & Wakefield

Well maintained, featuring 79,882 square feet situated on 3.08-acres, the building comes with above average ceiling heights for this neighbourhood. MC (Industrial Commercial) zoning permits a variety of different uses, including recreational, retail, warehouse and distribution as well as self-storage.

It is located within the Caledonia and Castlefield Design Décor District, just north of Lawrence Avenue West between Caledonia Road and Dufferin Street with excellent connections to Highway 401 and Allen Road, Yorkdale Mall and two subway stops at Lawrence Avenue West and Yorkdale.

This site may also be of interest to e-commerce, 3PL and logistic users as a "Last Mile" delivery centre given its close proximity to the urban core.

Aerial overview of the property, highlighted in yellow, image via Google Maps

The neighbourhood is set to welcome an influx of new residents as numerous developments navigate the planning process. Mixed-use intensification is occurring at Dufferin and Lawrence with the delivery of multiple highrise towers, and just steps from that, Lawrence Heights is undergoing a major revitalization. Retail expansions and new land uses are also on the way around Yorkdale Mall, located less than a kilometre away.

For more details, please contact goran.brelih@cushwake.com or diana.mckennon@cushwake.com.

UrbanToronto collaborated closely with Cushman & Wakefield on this feature for the purpose of sharing details on commercial and industrial properties for sale or alternative use. For more information, contact us here.

A new development on Toronto's Broadview Avenue a couple blocks north of the Danforth is looking to uncover a forgotten heritage gem, and bring an 18-storey seniors residence to the area. Retirement home developer Revera Living first proposed an Official Plan amendment for the site in 2018, and have recently filed a rezoning application with the Planning department. 

View of the restored Chester Public School Building, image courtesy of Revera Living

Designed by Montgomery Sisam with heritage aspects overseen by ERA Architects, the redevelopment would completely restore the east facade of the 1891-built Chester Public School Building that has been hidden behind an unflattering addition for decades. Behind it, the accompanying new residence would be clad in glass and spandrel window wall, beige-colour precast accent panels, and feature projecting balconies.

The site in 2018, image retrieved from Google Street View

Rising 60 metres, the 214 unit building would house 61 bachelor apartments, as well as 127 one-bedroom and 26 two-bedroom units. All of the units would be available on a rental basis and offer both assisted and independent living options to tenants.

The tower at 954 Broadview, image courtesy of Revera Living

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 field provided at the bottom of this page.

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UrbanToronto has a new way you can track projects through the planning process on a daily basis. Sign up for a free trial of our New Development Insider here.