Union Station's GO Bay Concourse closes this Saturday for two years. When it reopens — after being completely gutted, dug down, and rebuilt — it will look much like the new GO York Concourse on the west side of the huge station which opened earlier this year. The new GO Bay Concourse will also boast a new shopping mall beneath it to serve the thousands of people who course through Union every day… so things are never going to be the same.

Before all the demolition and construction craziness that's about to hit the station again, photographer Vik Pahwa took his camera to the existing concourse at a quiet time to capture the essence of what we have had until now, and are about to say goodbye to. Here is Vik's report.

Although many are bidding good riddance to this 37-year-old regional transit hub — it opened in 1978 — there is still beauty to be found in Union Station's GO Bay Concourse. These images attempt to celebrate the space rather than focus on its yellowy decline. Look closely enough and you may see that this was once a modern, shiny new commuter rail station. Perhaps one day many of us will look back at the old Bay Concourse with nostalgia as we consider the history of Toronto's transit.

The concourse is quite spacious towards the Bay street exits and there are many ways to get up to the platforms.

Towards the Bay Street exits, image by Vik Pahwa

There are elements of design throughout the station like this line of fluorescent lighting spanning the concourse perpendicular to the lines underneath the platform gangways.

Fluorescent light strip, image by Vik Pahwa

The gangways feature exposed ceilings and the lighting disappears into the distance, once again spanning the concourse.

Gangways, image by Vik Pahwa 

The diagonal grid drop ceiling remains impressive. The ceiling has aged and the materials may feel outdated but the design is solid.

Diagonal grid drop ceiling, image by Vik Pahwa

The old school way-finding signage doesn't feel as aged as its surroundings. The orientation of these large square boxes complement the fancy drop ceilings. Notice the PATH signs on the bottom of these sign boxes.

Old-school way-finding signage, image by Vik Pahwa

There is a design logic to the stairways. Rather than two sets of stairs converging at one spot, commuters turn to the left and right rather than run into each other and the signs can be seen as one descends.

Stairway design logic, image by Vik Pahwa

These elevated vestibules where stairs go up to the platforms are appealing. They are reminiscent of other city architecture constructed in the same era, like at the Eaton Centre and Ontario Place.

Elevated vestibules, image by Vik Pahwa

The colour scheme of the stairwells is bright and there is plenty of room, although the tiling on both the walls and floors are similar to older buildings.

Stairwell tiling, image by Vik Pahwa

In many areas the ceilings are well-crafted with reflective paneling that offer a sense of motion in a place all about movement.

Design that's about movement, image by Vik Pahwa

Not unlike the concourse whose time has gone, a circular bank of payphones surround a pillar. We may not see such a bank of telephones again.

Payphone bank, image by Vik Pahwa

Come bid the concourse farewell and be a part of Toronto history in the making!

Vik Pahwa is a Toronto-based urban photographer. View more of his work here.

CBRE has released their second quarter figures for the Toronto commercial real estate market, with the numbers revealing increased vacancy rates in Class A office space, as major tenants relocate to new office towers coming online in the city centre.

The second quarter of 2015 was marked by a continued upward trend in vacancies, as a negative spike in net absorbtion of Class A office contributed to a city-wide 10-year high vacancy rate of 9.7%. In Downtown Toronto, rising vacancies in Class A space were largely offset by strength in the Class B and C office space markets, meaning that the overall downtown vacancy rate remains unchanged at 5.4% quarter-over-quarter.

This change in Class A vacancies is largely attributed to companies moving into recently completed towers and leaving behind their older space, for example March & McLennan's recent move to 120 Bremner Boulevard from 161 Bay Street where over 178,000 square feet of space is now available. More space will be coming on the market Downtown over the few years with six office buildings currently under construction adding approximately 3.6 million square feet, of which 76.2% has been pre-leased. 832,528 square feet of new office space will be completed in 2015 alone, of which over 400,000 square feet is located Downtown. 

The Downtown South area - referred to by many as the South Core - is the most in-demand submarket right now, with over almost 156,000 square feet absorbed during Q2 2015, as many tenants relocate from the Financial Core to newer office space.

Full details are available from CBRE Market Watch.

A major new addition is gearing up to transform the Bloor and Islington area of Toronto, as sales progress for the first phase of Tridel's Islington Terrace. Designed by Kirkor Architects Planners, the 45-storey first phase will eventually be joined by 38 and 35-storey towers rising from a shared podium. Besides condominium suites, Islington Terrace will include extensive amenity space, ground level retail, and public realm upgrades.

We recently took a trip to the project's presentation centre at 3326 Bloor Street West in Etobicoke to examine the Islington Terrace scale model for a better understanding of how the development's various elements fit together.

Islington Terrace scale model, image by Marcus Mitanis

The scale model gives us a much better idea of what to expect in terms of building envelope compared to renderings of the development, showing punched windows with contrasting sections of light and dark precast concrete, adding texture to complement the dark-tinted main cladding, with window wall cladding covering remaining areas.

Detail shot of cladding on Islington Terrace, image by Marcus Mitanis

Islington Terrace will offer its residents 50,000 square feet of indoor/outdoor condominium amenities known as the Terrace Club. Along with renderings released for the project, the scale model does a great job in illustrating Islington Terrace's lushly landscaped outdoor spaces which include spaces programmed for all sorts of rest, relaxation, and recreation—with some spaces specifically designed with kids in mind.

Podium-top outdoor amenities on the Islington Terrace scale model, image by Marcus Mitanis

An animated commercial patio area, fronting the corner of Cordova and Mabelle Avenues at the northeastern edge of the site, will help anchor the new development to the surrounding community, with potential coffee shops and convenience retailers expected to populate the spaces.

Retail area fronting the corner of Cordova and Mabelle Avenue, image by Marcus Mitanis

The landscaped retail patio area leads to another of the development's key public realm improvements; a switchback-style grand staircase and ramp with seasonally-changing plantings to connect the project with the nearby Islington Subway Station on the TTC's Line 2.

Landscaped staircase and ramp leading to Islington Station, image by Marcus Mitanis

In addition to generous outdoor amenity offerings and public realm contributions, residents at Islington Terrace will also enjoy a wide range of indoor lifestyle spaces, including a party room with bar and lounge areas, a games room, a screening theatre, a private dining room, and spaces custom-tailored to families like a Children’s Play Zone featuring a splash pool and playroom. The development will also feature a courtyard entrance, framing the residential entrance.

Courtyard and entrance to Islington Terrace, image by Marcus Mitanis

There is more to see at the Islington Terrace presentation centre, and we will return for a look at the suite vignette currently on display there. You can see the presentation centre for yourself from Monday to Thursday between 11 AM to 7 PM, or Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 12 PM to 6 PM.

Additional information, including floor plans and renderings, can be found in our dataBase file for Islington Terrace, linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Check out the associated Forum threads, or leave a comment using the space provided at the bottom of this page.

For many years, the vibrant blue, white, and pink of the Global Backpackers Hostel had become an eyesore at the intersection of King Street West and Spadina Avenue, but a recent project by Allied Properties REIT has restored it and the linked buildings to the north to their former glory, and provided a new lease on life for the quirky structures. The restoration work on the listed heritage buildings, headed by Gensler, is nearly complete and should be ready for occupation in the coming months. UrbanToronto had the opportunity to tour the site and take a look around, led by Hugh Clark of Allied Properties and Michelle Park, project manager from Gensler.

A view of the restored exterior of 460 King West, image by Craig White.

Allied purchased the property at 460 King West in August 2014 after the Global Backpackers Hostel permanently closed its doors. The two structures have had a complex history, undergoing numerous renovations over the past 140 years. Originally constructed in 1873 as a two-storey house by Samuel Richardson, the building was converted to the Richardson House Hotel in 1875, which saw a third storey—the iconic mansard roof—added to the Tudor-style base. The hotel was expanded in 1885 and 1887, when the four-storey brick structure, built in two sections, was added to the north of the building. Since then, the hotel has undergone several reincarnations under various names and subsequent renovations, eventually becoming the Global Backpackers Hostel which it was commonly known as until just recently.

A view of the restored exterior looking east, image by Craig White.

Over the past year, the exterior of the building has been meticulously restored to its original appearance. After stripping away layers and layers of accumulated cladding—so much so, Clark says, that the edge of the sidewalk along the east facade had been absorbed into the wall of the building itself—the original Tudor design was reinstated onto the southern portion of the building, and the original mansard roof fully restored. The refurbished buildings feature sleek new windows and their original brick, exposed after sandblasting and stripping off the layers of garish paint.

A closer look at the mansard roof of the south building, image by Craig White.

On the west facade, a new three-storey glass-clad addition serves as the main entrance, located at the junction of the two buildings. Park explained that one of the challenges in redesigning the property was to unify the two separate structures, a task that is aided by the new shared main entrance. Once completed, the three-storey entrance will feature a suspended light sculpture, which will bring attention to the building from the street and create visual interest along the largely unadorned brick facade.

A view of the new shared main entrance on the west facade, image by Craig White.

Plagued by serious structural issues, the foundations and exterior walls needed to be stabilized, while the interiors were completely gutted and rebuilt. Clark described some of the curiosities discovered while removing the interiors, including old newspapers from the 1930s used as underlay for the flooring, remnants of fake rugs (possibly fabricated from linoleum or a similar material) underneath the layered floors, and even a secret room between the two buildings that contained some of the only remaining traces of the original Tudor cladding.

An old staircase is preserved in its entirety at the junction between the two buildings, image by Craig White.

Moving to the interior, the newly rebuilt rooms present some remarkable spatial qualities, visible even before many of the final finishes are put in place. The third floor of the south building has been removed, creating a spectacular double-height space featuring exposed (new) glulam beams and the original wood frame ceiling above. This space will become the sales centre for Allied, Diamondcorp, and RioCan's The Well project, before eventually being leased out to a new tenant.

A view of the double-height second floor space in the south building, image courtesy of Craig White.

The remainder of the building will be leased to the Konrad Group, a multi-city technology innovation company, who will transform the north portion of the building into office space and an innovation hub. The ground floor of the south building will become a cafe and event space for the company. The four-storey north portion has also been gutted, with exposed brick walls and a timber structure throughout allowing for open spans flooded with natural light. The interiors are currently being designed by Reflect Architecture, and have not yet been revealed.

The north building features exposed brick and plenty of natural light, image by Craig White.

To the west of the building, a new courtyard will occupy a portion of the parking lot. Imagined as an auxiliary space to the future cafe, the courtyard will become a new social area serving both the tenants and the public. The courtyard as well as the adjacent lot, also owned by Allied, are viewed as potential future development sites that will densify the area. But Clark assures us that for now, the lot will remain vacant, and the historic buildings will be the sole occupiers of the property.

A view of the courtyard and west elevation, image by Craig White.

Allied Properties is no stranger to heritage preservation in Toronto. Owners of a slew of historic buildings both locally and elsewhere in Canada, they have become experts at converting derelict historic properties into remarkable urban spaces. Down the street from the Backpackers site is 485 King Street West, a property acquired by Allied in November 2014 that is currently undergoing restoration and rehabilitation. The building will become new offices and retail, adding to the rich urban culture along King West. Also in the area, Allied has partnered with Westbank Corp to redevelop the string of properties from 489-539 King West, a project recently announced to be designed by Danish starchitects Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG).

A closer look at the restored facades and the junction between the two buildings, image by Craig White.

As Allied and Gensler put the finishing touches on the revitalized building, we look forward to the grand opening of the historic property. For now, we can be assured that the gaudy colours and haphazard cladding of the Global Backpackers Hostel are a thing of the past, and the rejuvenated site at 460 King West will once again proudly stand in all its former glory.

For more information about this building or more of Allied's projects, visit their company profile page, linked below. To get involved in the discussion, check out the associated Forum thread or a leave a comment in the space provided at the bottom of the page.

Completed in 1983, Citigroup Place rises 20 storeys above Front Street West. The building's location at the foot of University Avenue makes it a highly visible and easily recognizable landmark for motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists travelling southbound on Toronto's grand Boulevard. In today's Photo of the Day, which was submitted to the UrbanToronto Flickr Pool by ashtontekno, we are shown a less familiar angle of the office complex, captured from a neighbouring high-rise. This angle provides us a unique vantage point over the BMU and track on the roof, used for servicing the exterior of the building.

Citigroup Place, image by ashtontekno

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 the new and improved UrbanToronto Flickr Pool for your chance to be featured on our Front Page!

Toronto HOV lanes disappear, but Gardiner construction reappears; Meet the photographers capturing our city; Why Boston said no to the 2024 Olympic Games (and what that means for Toronto); and more news...

Toronto HOV lanes disappear, but Gardiner construction reappears (Metro News)

Historicist: The Right Side of History (Torontoist)

Why Boston said no to the 2024 Olympic Games (and what that means for Toronto) (National Post)

Instagramming Toronto: Meet the photographers capturing our city (Globe and Mail)

Zombie Walkers plan "funeral" for defunct annual event (Toronto Star)

With the sales centre relocated, the Bloor and Lansdowne area site of Aragon Properties' Enigma on the Park is primed for the start of construction. The 9-storey, Quadrangle Architects-designed mixed-use development in Toronto's West End will soon rise on St Helens Avenue, adding 86 condo and townhome units to the recently rediscovered neighbourhood.

Enigma on the Park pictured from the southeast at night, image courtesy of Aragon Properties

With ever-changing floor plates, Enigma features over 50 different suite plans in sizes ranging from 420 square feet up to 1,567 square feet, and prices ranging from $231,900 up to $999,900. Now that the start of construction is imminent, we flew a drone to the area to capture aerial views of the site to help us better understand how Enigma will fit into its surroundings.

Enigma on the Park site and surrounding context, facing southeast, image by Michael Muraz

The development site, seen to the left of MacGregor Park's greenery in the image above, sits across the street from the homes of the established low-rise residential neighbourhood, and south of smaller industrial buildings, many of which have recently converted to art galleries. To the west of Enigma is a GO rail corridor, best seen in the straight-down view below, against which Enigma's integrated office component will be built, acting as a buffer for the homes.

Enigma on the Park site (north at top of image), image by Michael Muraz

Besides the private galleries opening up to the north of Enigma on the Park, not far away is the Art Deco Tower Automotive building, which was recently revealed as the new permanent home of MoCCA, the Museum of Canadian Contemporary Art. That property is being restored and revitalized in anticipation of a 2017 opening for the gallery, all part of a wave of redevelopment that is transforming this once under appreciated part of town into one of Toronto's more intriguing areas with numerous places to eat, shop, and enjoy nightlife now pooping up on both Bloor and Dundas Streets. 

Enigma site viewed from the southeast, Tower Automotive Building visible left of centre, image by Michael Muraz

From the image, you can get an idea of the site's proximity to transit. The two red brick towers visible at the far left of the image—The Crossways—mark the site of both Dundas West subway station on the TTC's Line 2 and the Bloor GO Station with its new UP Express stop, a third of the way from Downtown to the Airport. 

To the south, the open green space of MacGregor Park already serves as an important neighbourhood amenity for the local residents. The park, and the grounds of the French language public school to the south—École secondaire Toronto Ouest—mean that skyline views for south-facing residents at Enigma are protected.

MacGregor Park and École secondaire Toronto Ouest, image by Michael Muraz

With the presentation centre now relocated to 1346 Bloor Street West, we look forward to the start of construction on Enigma on the Park. Additional information and renderings of the development can be found in our dataBase file, linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Check out the associated Forum threads, or leave a comment in the space provided at the bottom of this page.

Two of Downtown Toronto's most important thoroughfares were transformed into "paved parks" over the weekend, as Open Streets TO returned for another year with the first of two events meant to foster physical activity and community involvement. The August 16th event featured a number of activity hubs scattered along Bloor Street from Spadina to Parliament, and along Yonge Street from Bloor to Queen, while for much of the day, vehicular traffic was entirely replaced by pedestrians and cyclists. 

Street hockey and cycling on Yonge at Dundonald, image by Marcus Mitanis

In Matt Cohen Parkette at Bloor and Spadina, the hub offered demos of different bike varieties, low-carbon street games, an unstructured-play jungle gym, and Zumba classes, while urban geeks and members of the community could get involved in a public planning consultation, as well as a Draw Your Neighbourhood event hosted by the Ryerson Association of Planning Students.

Map of the August 2015 Open Streets TO event, image courtesy of Open Streets TO

To the east, pedestrians were treated to musical performances, or could sit down at a Play-Me piano, or enjoy music class demos in the area surrounding the Royal Conservatory of Music near Bloor and Bedford.

"Play-Me" piano near the Royal Conservatory of Music, image by Marcus Mitanis

The Downtown Yonge hub featured activities including a try-it-out DJ booth, science experiments, a bike service clinic, and other family-friendly activities.

Downtown Yonge activity hub, image by Marcus Mitanis

The Yonge and Wellesley hub offered bocce ball, slow-bike races, as well as yoga, road hockey, and art installations.

Slow bike races in the Yonge and Wellesley activity hub, image by Marcus Mitanis

The St. James Town hub included a mobile dental clinic, flash mob dances, button making, arts & crafts, Rangoli street painting, a walking challenge, and healthy food colouring, while the nearby Bloor and Sherbourne hub offered dance space, face painting, chess, dominoes, and street hockey.

A few blocks away at Bloor and Ted Rogers Way, the Bloor East Neighbourhood Association and City Planning took advantage of the increased community presence, and held an Open Streetscape charrette.

Open Streets TO will return once again on Sunday, September 6th, from 9AM to 1PM. While the westernmost point for the August event was Spadina, the September event will be extended further west, to include the Bloor and Christie area.

Quadrangle Architects has announced today the passing of one of the firm's co-founding principals, Brian Curtner, from cancer. Curtner was responsible for some of the flourishing firm's signature projects. He was 64. The company's announcement follows.

BMW Facility, image courtesy of Quadrangle Architects

Corus Entertainment Headquarters, image courtesy of Quadrangle Architects

State Street Financial Centre, image courtesy of Quadrangle Architects

130 Bloor West, image courtesy of Quadrangle Architects

Yonge Sheppard Centre redevelopment, image courtesy of Quadrangle Architects

It has been several months since we last visited the Queen West site of BSäR Group Of Companies' 12 Degrees for an update on the construction of the 11-storey, Core Architects-designed condominium development. In the time since our previous update in March of this year, installation of the building's clear window wall and grey spandrel cladding has been completed, and the exterior hoist has been removed from the building's western elevation.

12 Degrees, viewed from the southwest on Beverley Street, image by Marcus Mitanis

With the upper floors fully clad now, the building's 12 degree rotation of three floors is more obvious, (with a fourth rotated floor partially hidden by an overhang), providing a little eye candy for those going past the building: looking up here delivers more than the typical rewards.

Looking up at 12 Degrees from the southwest corner, image by Marcus Mitanis

With the hoist down and window installation complete, the only major exterior element left to finish before the exterior reaches apparent completion is the installation of the remaining dark "Wiarton black" split-faced limestone on the building's lower floors. A scaffold covers roughly one third of the lower three floors' Beverley Street frontage to allow installation of the final sections of stone.

Ground level masonry work at 12 Degrees, image by Marcus Mitanis

Though the building's unconventional design sets it apart from its surroundings, the stone cladding found on the lower floors of 12 Degrees acts as a contextual bridge, creating a dialogue between the Victorian homes to the north and the modern condominium building above. 

12 Degrees, viewed from the north on Beverley Street, image by Marcus Mitanis

If you have noticed that the rotated three floors have had a slice taken out of them at their northwest corner, you are not the only one. The architect's plan was to complete the 12 degree rotation at the corner, having the sides meet at a 90 degree angle, but the City insisted upon a step back, not compromising on building rules for fear of setting a precedent.

12 Degrees, viewed from the southwest on Beverley Street, image by Marcus Mitanis

Additional building information and renderings can be found in our 12° dataBase file, linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Check out the associated Forum threads, or leave a comment in the space provided at the bottom of this page.

Completed in 1988, Scotia Plaza stands as one Toronto's tallest and most distinctive office towers. Rising over 900 feet above King Street West, the office building's red Napoleon granite finish and postmodern details set it apart from the modern International Style and historic Art Deco built form of the surrounding Financial District. In today's Photo of the Day, which was submitted to the UrbanToronto Flickr Pool by Giulio Calisse, we are given a unique acrophobia-inducing view down the southeast corner of the building, mirrored by the building's dark reflective windows.

Downward-facing view from an upper floor at Scotia Plaza, image by Giulio Calisse

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 the new and improved UrbanToronto Flickr Pool for your chance to be featured on our Front Page!

Toronto Union Station commuters go hungry as Bay concourse closed without food options; Goodbye Pan Am HOV lanes, hello Gardiner construction; Should Toronto charge for parking on side streets?; and more news...

Mississauga's first poet laureate pens poems to city (Toronto Star)

Should Toronto charge for parking on side streets? (Metro News)

Toronto the kingmaker: A handful of GTA ridings will likely decide the election (National Post)

TTC rolls out talking buses (Toronto Star)

Toronto Union Station commuters go hungry as Bay concourse closed without food options(Metro News)

Goodbye Pan Am HOV lanes, hello Gardiner construction (CityNews)

High-end grocery retailer Whole Foods Market is adding another location to the GTA as the brand continues to increase its Canadian presence. The new midtown location is taking shape at Bayview and Broadway, just a couple blocks north of Eglinton, and between the affluent Leaside and Lawrence Park neighbourhoods.

View of the Whole Foods building, captured from the southeast on Bayview, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor Roundabout

Being developed by Old Stonehenge with opening targeted for the Spring of 2016, the Turner Fleischer Architects-designed building features two levels of retail and two levels of below-grade parking, offering 193 spaces for patrons of the shopping centre. 

View of the Whole Foods building, captured from the north on Bayview, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor Roundabout

The building's first floor will include a TD Canada Trust bank branch, a Shoppers Drug Mart location, a Compassionate Beauty location, and two more retail spaces on the building's ground floor. Above them, the development's over 54,000-square-foot Whole Foods Market will provide a high-end alternative to the Metro supermarket located a short distance to the south at Bayview and Eglinton.

View of the Whole Foods building on Bayview, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor Roundabout

Floor plan for the development, image courtesy of Old Stonehenge

Cladding installation is well under way with the inner layers and most of the glazing now up, while renderings indicate that we will soon see brick applied to the exterior.

Rendering of the completed development, image courtesy of RioCan/KingSett

You can follow along with the construction of this location, plus news about Whole Foods' GTA expansions, by visiting the associated Forum thread. You can also get involved in the discussion by leaving a comment using the space provided at the bottom of this page.

The TTC's Blue Night bus and streetcar network, which operates nightly between 2 and 5 AM, is set to undergo a significant expansion, with several new or expanded routes entering into service in September and October of this year. For Toronto's system, which is the largest dedicated night transit network in North America, the expansion is expected to bring significant new ridership to the network, providing important service to less accessible parts of the city, and putting 99% of Toronto within a 15 minute walk of overnight bus service.

The current Blue Night network, image courtesy of the TTC

The changes are set to proceed in two stages, beginning with the addition of new routes—as well as re-numbering of some current routes—in September. The map below shows the added, modified, and re-named routes which are set to enter into service in September, with changes to the existing network highlighted in orange. New routes include a bus from Keele Station to York University (341 Keele), as well as new all-night service along the 504 King Route, set to be called 304 King during Blue Night hours.

A map of the September expansion, image courtesy of the TTC

In October, an additional set of routes will be added to the network (below), including an extension of the 300 Bloor-Danforth bus to Kennedy Station, as well as an expansion of the 352 Lawrence West route, which will now travel between Sunnybrook Hospital and Pearson Airport. All overnight services are expected to eventually operate on predictable 30 minute headways, though this goal is expected to be achieved in the longer term. 

The October expansion, image courtesy of the TTC

According to the TTC, these services improvements are projected to increase overnight ridership to approximately 5.2 million over the coming year, a substantial increase from the network's current 4.7 million. A full list of route changes and additions can be found here. 

The ongoing restoration and reworking of Toronto's Union Station has already had quite the positive impact on Front Street. The new plaza fronting the station's Great Hall has been animated every weekday for most of the summer, with a food market offering treats from some of the city's best cafes, restaurants, bakeries, and even juice bars.

Sir John A. Macdonald Plaza, image by Jack Landau

The plaza, located in front of the country's busiest transportation hub, was officially renamed today in honour of Canada's first Prime Minister, Sir John A. Macdonald. The naming of the plaza stemmed from an earlier, ill-fated attempt by Deputy Mayor and Ward 34 Councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong to have all of Union Station renamed after Sir John, based on his importance to Canada's rail history. This proposal was met with resistance from heritage activists and others on City Council, which inevitably led to the compromise proposal to rename the station's Front Street-facing plaza.

Crowds gather for the dedication of Sir John A. Macdonald Plaza, image by Jack Landau

Councillor Minnan-Wong was in attendance for the renaming ceremony this afternoon, and was joined by Yves Desjardins-Siciliano, President and CEO of VIA Rail Canada, and Jane Hilderman of Friends of Sir John A. Macdonald, to officially unveil a new plaque commemorating the space, commissioned by Heritage Toronto.

Denzil Minnan-Wong, Yves Desjardins-Siciliano, and Jane Hilderman, image by Jack Landau

After brief remarks, the three unveiled the commemorative plaque.

Unveiling the plaque at Sir John A. Macdonald Plaza, image by Jack Landau

The plaque, which will be permanently installed a few feet to the west of where it was unveiled, can be seen and read below.

Plaque commemorating Sir John A. Macdonald Plaza, image by Jack Landau

For a touch of theatrics, frequent Sir John A. Macdonald impersonator Brian Porter took to the podium in full period costume after the plaque's unveiling to make remarks about the plaza in character as our first Prime Minister. He was joined by his wife Renee Porter, who stood by his side playing the role of Lady Agnes Macdonald.

A Sir John A. Macdonald impersonator took to the podium after the unveiling, image by Jack Landau

What is your opinion on the plaza's new name? Share your thoughts using the space provided at the bottom of this page.

Ten weeks ago today we last ran a story on construction progress at Tridel's Ten York Street Condos construction site, when the wedge-shaped 67-storey building was just about to hit ground level. The Wallman Architects-designed building is now fully at grade as the ground floor slab was poured over the last couple of days. Frequent UrbanToronto Forum contributor drum118 got extensive photography of the work, with shots giving a comprehensive idea of what is involved.

Concrete trucks line up ready to deliver their loads at Ten York's unique site, image by drum118

Ten York's uniquely shaped triangular wedge of a site is immediately south of the Gardiner Expressway, and north of Harbour Street and the Gardiner's Yonge-Bay-York off-ramp. The off-ramp is planned to come down next year, to be replaced by a new, less invasive off-ramp at Simcoe Street. South of the off-ramp is a parking garage which provides a great spot to perch above the site. 

The concrete placing boom extends from a truck, image by drum118

From above the site, drum118 was able to catch dump trucks lining up to provide the material needed to pump through the concrete placing boom. It extends many metres from a truck to where the concrete is needed.

The boom extends across the site to where the concrete will be placed, image by drum118

In the image below, with a close-up following it, we can see one construction work guiding the concrete delivery pipe to right above the rebar-filled form. Steel reinforcing bars, or rebar for shot, runs through the concrete slabs, holding the concrete in tension and giving the slabs incredible tensile strength.

The boom extends across the site to where the concrete will be placed, image by drum118

Seen more easily in the close-up below, the rebar runs two ways in the slabs, tying them together. Transversal ribs on each rod bond the two materials tightly. A construction worker in the centre of the shot smooths and levels the surface of the newly curing slab.

A construction worker directs the flow where it's needed while another levels, image by drum118

Since filled with concrete, a construction worker stands to the side of another wooden form, filled with rebar and ready for its pour.

Wooden forms and rebar await the placing of more concrete, image by drum118

In the middle of the construction site, the forms for the elevator core for the 735 foot tall tower are ready for their concrete too. Rebar sticks up above where the concrete is placed on the current level, and will stick up above the next floor slab to be poured too. The tops of the rods can then be tied into rebar for the floors above, creating strong, bonded walls throughout the building.

Rebar extends above the elevator core, ready to be tied into forms for the next floor, image by drum118

For more information on Ten York Condos, see our linked dataBase file below. If you want to get in on the discussion, choose the associated Forum thread, or leave a comment in the space provided on this page.

The lights, sounds, and big city atmosphere of the Yonge and Dundas make it one of the hottest tourist destinations in the city.  In today's Photo of the Day, which was submitted to the UrbanToronto Flickr Pool by Abdulkadir A, we are shown the north facing view from an upper floor at the 139.6 metre, 45-storey Pantages Tower at Shuter and Victoria that overlooks the popular square. In the foreground, we can see the construction of the HNR Dundas Square Tower, which will soon block out much of this view. Further away, the lighting feature on the upper floors of the 78-storey Aura at College Park is faintly visible at the centre of the photo. 

View north from high above the Yonge and Shuter intersection, image by Abdulkadir A

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 the new and improved UrbanToronto Flickr Pool for your chance to be featured on our Front Page!

New Markham temple rises above NIMBY negativism; Downtown Toronto businesses booming, thanks to Blue Jays; GO proves a winner during Pan Am Games; and more news...

New Markham temple rises above NIMBY negativism: Hume (Toronto Star)

Downtown Toronto businesses booming, thanks to Blue Jays (Globe and Mail)

GO proves a winner during Pan Am Games (Toronto Star)

The two worlds of my Etobicoke (Spacing Toronto)

Beyond the TTC, waiting for the streetcar is now an international game (Toronto Star)

#LivingArchTOur Guides You to the City’s Green Roofs (Torontoist)

A few months since the ceremonial groundbreaking for Great Gulf Homes' Monde Condominiums, shoring and excavation equipment has recently been delivered to the site, marking the official start of the project's construction. Designed by Israeli-Canadian architect Moshe Safdie in partnership with Quadrangle Architects, the 44-storey condominium tower will rise from the intersection of Queens Quay and Bonnycastle in Toronto's burgeoning East Bayfront district, adjacent to the popular Sherbourne Common public space.

Shoring and excavation equipment at the site of Monde, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor ElDee

Excavators and shoring rigs are now working away at the development site, as crews begin to drill down into the land around the perimeter of the site, the first metres of which is fill which was dumped into the lake to create new port land many years ago. The drilling will gradually create a wall of piles to hold back the ground around the excavation.

Shoring rig at the site of Monde, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor ElDee

As shoring work proceeds, excavation for the site's garage and foundation will begin the dig, going 15.2 metres or 5 storeys down. Once they've hit bottom and created a concrete raft for it to sit on, a crane will be erected, and the rest of the building's foundation slab will be poured, marking the project's first upward construction.

Excavation equipment at the site of Monde, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor ElDee

Once completed, residents of the development's 552 units will enjoy amenity spaces with interiors by Toronto-based design firm Cecconi Simone, including a yoga and pilates room, and a theatre room. Residents will also have access to outdoor spaces with landscaping by Janet Rosenberg + Studio, including an infinity edge pool with cabanas, and outdoor lounge spaces.

Shoring and excavation equipment at the site of Monde, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor ElDee

Additional information and renderings can be found in our dataBase file for the project, linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Visit the associated Forum threads or leave a comment in the field provided at the bottom of the page.

A new residential development is adding to the community surrounding Davisville Station in Toronto's thriving Midtown area, as construction progresses at the site of Life Condos by Chestnut Hill Homes and A2A Capital Management. We last checked in on the progress of this development back at the start of 2015, when work was well under way on the building's below grade levels. In the time since, the 13-storey development has risen above street level, and now stands four storeys above Merton Street.

Life Condos, viewed from the south side of Merton Street, east of Yonge, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor Roundabout

The Quadrangle Architects-designed development is rising in a T-shape, incorporating a vehicular entrance to the east of the building's main volume, and a light well to the west. Fly forms are now in place to create the building's fifth level slab. Above it will be the first of Life Condos' many step backs, to be followed by step backs on the eighth, tenth, and all remaining levels.

Life Condos, viewed from the south side of Merton Street, east of Yonge, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor Roundabout

The completed development will bring 149 new residential units to the area, with sizes ranging from 463 square feet up to 1,342 square feet. Residents will have access to a number of amenities, including a catering kitchen, boardroom, party room and a fitness centre.

Rendering of Life Condos, image courtesy of Chestnut Hill Homes

Additional information and renderings can be found in our Life Condos dataBase file, linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Check out the associated Forum threads, or leave a comment using the space provided at the bottom of this page.