Sumitomo Group wants to celebrate their 350th anniversary in a big way. Sumitomo Forestry Co. Ltd. is planning on building a 350-metre-tall wooden tower in Tokyo filled with residences, office space, a hotel, and retail. Targeting a 2041 completion, W350 would become the tallest building in Japan, and the tallest wooden skyscraper on the planet.

W350, image via Sumitomo Corporation

Japanese firm Nikken Sekkei is responsible for the design of the latticed building, which is proposed as a wood and steel hybrid. Boasting an interior made entirely of wood, the 70-storey development could remove roughly 100,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide from the air. It would cover 6,500 square metres and encompass 455,000 square metres of floor place. The braced tube structure requires 6.5 million cubic feet of wood.

W350, image via Sumitomo Corporation

Renderings show the structure penetrated by swaths of vegetation. The developer hopes the project will inspire similar buildings that promote reforestation initiatives in urban areas. 

W350, image via Sumitomo Corporation

Vancouver's Brock Commons Tallwood House currently holds the record for tallest primarily wooden building. The student residence at the University of British Columbia stands 53 metres above the ground.

W350, image via Sumitomo Corporation

Additional images and information can be found in the Database file linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion or share your photos? Check out the associated Forum thread or leave a comment in the field provided at the bottom of this page.

A proposal to redevelop part of the site of Bloor Street United Church at 300 Bloor Street West in Toronto's Annex neighbourhood evolved through an extensive series of meetings and consultations before being submitted with the City last December. After four meetings with City Staff, seven community consultations, and the submission of the proposal, developers Northrop Development Inc. and Collecdev continue to work with the community to refine their proposed 38-storey residential development. The companies say their aim is to work through issues with community groups and locals to develop a socially, economically, and environmentally sustainable solution for the site.

300 Bloor West site, image retrieved from Apple Maps

Designed by KPMB Architects with heritage elements overseen by specialists ERA Architects, the project preserves the 19th-century church building at the corner of Bloor and Huron, while connecting it to a new 38-storey, 259-unit condominium tower via an enclosed three-storey atrium. Due to the proposal's position above active TTC subway tunnels, the project proposes a four-level, above-grade parking garage, wrapped by amenity spaces to present an attractive face to the surroundings. More details about the proposal's density and design can be found in a recent article written following the project's December submission.

Podium, 300 Bloor Street West, image via submission to City of Toronto

Feedback from locals and community groups have led Northrop and Collecdev to create a list of six community benefits in an effort to give back to the surrounding area. These proposed benefits include ensuring the long-term viability of Bloor Street United Church as a place of worship and a centre for community outreach; enhancing and revitalizing existing historic and cultural elements on site; contributing to a thriving streetscape along Bloor Street West; providing retail and commercial spaces; introducing new residents to The Annex; and improving the connectivity of the Annex with the Bloor Street corridor.

Facing north at 300 Bloor Street West, image via submission to City of Toronto

As the project continues to work its way through the planning and approvals process, the developers are encouraging community feedback on the project's website, stating that the process should be "a conversation, not a monologue." The developers also say that transparency is also an important for community collaboration, so the website also includes status updates on the planning process and access to planning documents, all to make community engagement more effective.

300 Bloor Street West, image via submission to City of Toronto

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.

The 13-storey office component of Reliance Properties' mixed-use Burrard Place development is now under construction. The swooping glass building proposed for Burrard and Drake Streets is the last commercial development designed by late architect Bing Thom, whose respected practice has posthumously been renamed to Revery Architecture.

Burrard Place, image via Reliance Properties

The massive Burrard Place project also includes a major residential element in the form of 54- and 36-storey towers totalling 810 units — the highest skyscraper is set to become the tallest all-residential building in the city. IBI Group has designed the residential component, and Reliance is partnering with Jim Pattison Group to execute the development in its entirety.

Bing Thom's office component, image via Reliance Properties

The office building, anticipating 2020 completion, will contain ground-level restaurant and retail space and a three-storey Toyota dealership. Residents and workers will enjoy access to a 30,000-square-foot amenities level in the tallest tower, which will be packed with a fitness centre, lap pool, children's play spaces, and lounging areas. Altogether, the one million-square-foot development is the largest being built in Downtown Vancouver.

Burrard Place, image via Reliance Properties

The project is moving forward without pre-leasing in a downtown office market short for space. Current numbers put the vacancy rate in the core at 5.2 percent, the second lowest in North America. Over the past year, rents have spiked by as much as 20 percent because of the extremely low vacancy rates.

Additional images and information can be found in the Database file linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion or share your photos? Check out the associated Forum thread or leave a comment in the field provided at the bottom of this page.

A dual-branded hotel proposed in the downtown core is scheduled to face the Edmonton Design Committee on March 6. Outside a blurb on the APX Hotels Group website, details about the development remain guarded. But the write-up reveals that Intercontinental Hotels Group intends to install Holiday Inn & Suites and Candlewood Suites facilities at the site, totalling 218 rooms.

A rendering of the proposed hotel, image via APX Hotels Group

Located a few blocks north of the ICE District, the development is addressed as 10604 101 Street, where a surface parking lot and single-storey Chinese restaurant currently stand. The land is currently owned by Quinco Financial Inc., who has entered into a joint venture agreement with 3G Equity Inc. to develop the property.

A sign advertises development at the site, image retrieved from Google Street View

Hodgson Schilf Evans Architects is the listed architect of the mid-rise project. APX Hotels Group's real estate portfolio includes the Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites in West Edmonton. 

Additional images and information can be found in the Database file linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion or share your photos? Check out the associated Forum thread or leave a comment in the field provided at the bottom of this page.

Battistella Developments celebrated a major milestone in style on Wednesday with the topping out of INK, the developer's 14-storey East Village project. Construction crews attached a pink evergreen tree to a steel beam and hoisted the contraption to the apex of the tower, where a fireplace-equipped rooftop patio will be located.

INK construction, image by Forum contributor Surrealplaces

The tree-hoisting was a sight to behold, and while it may seem like an unorthodox way to mark a building's final height, the ritual is rooted in history and tradition. It is widely believed that the practice traces back to the ancient Scandinavian religious rite of placing a tree atop a new structure to appease the tree-dwelling spirits that were displaced by its construction. Other explanations date back to ancient Egypt when slaves would honour those who died during construction. The North American version points to an early Indigenous belief that no manmade structure rise taller than a tree, thus, placing one on the building's highest point. 

The pink tree hoisted to the top, image via Battistella Developments

The 119-unit condominium at 622 8th Avenue SE is approximately 75 percent sold. S2 Architecture's colourful design paints a collage of spandrel panels in blue, orange, red and pink across the angled elevations of the building. Additional visual interest comes in the form of offset floor plates and balconies. Residents are expected to begin moving in by the fall.

View from the rooftop, image via Battistella Developments

Additional images and information can be found in the Database file linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion or share your photos? Check out the associated Forum thread or leave a comment in the field provided at the bottom of this page.

On February 7, the City’s Planning Department hosted a community meeting to discuss the Bloor-Dufferin redevelopment as part of the City’s formal development application review process. The proposal began in 2016 when the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) sold the site to Capital Developments and Metropia, and the City held the first of many subsequent community meetings. While the proposal hasn’t changed since its formal rezoning application submitted to the City in September 2017, the meeting was an opportunity to gather feedback from the community before the City delivers a response to the applicant.

Community members and City Planning Staff meet at the Bloor-Dufferin Community Meeting.

Capital Developments and Metropia's proposed redevelopment of the southwest corner of Bloor and Dufferin streets would densify the 2.94 hectare property. Designed by Hariri Pontarini Architects and Giannone Petricone Associates, with landscape architects gh3 and heritage specialists ERA Architects, the Bloor-Dufferin redevelopment would see the construction of 9 new buildings ranging in height from 6 to 47 storeys, aiming to create a complete mixed-use community with residential, retail, office, and community spaces proposed. The existing historic Kent Senior Public School would be largely retained and would house a proposed community hub. While the City is reviewing Bloor Collegiate Institute’s Heritage Impact Statement, current plans are that it will not be retained.

A staggering 2,219 residential units are proposed for the neighbourhood, along with 15,780 square metres of retail space, 4,900 square metres of office space, roughly 2,800 square metres of community space, and a public park in the southwest corner. Two new north-south streets are proposed: a public street along the western edge of the site that would be an extension of Pauline Avenue, and a private street through the middle of the site that the design team has dubbed a new 'High Street'. The central High Street would be the main retail strip in the development, with the potential to be closed to vehicular traffic for special events. Pedestrianized “mews” are proposed between each block.

View of the redevelopment looking southwest, image courtesy of Capital and Metropia.

Speaking to a full house of concerned community members, the meeting was led by Local City Councillor and Deputy Mayor Ana Bailão and City Planner Kirk Hatcher—who explained the proposal from a city planning perspective—along with David Pontarini and Ralph Giannone who spoke to the architectural design of the buildings. Bailão gave a short introduction to the history of the site, noting that it was identified as surplus property by TDSB, and that increased density brings a great potential to create a thriving neighbourhood.

Hatcher explained the policy framework that dictates the usage of a redevelopment. Bloor-Dufferin lies within the Official Plan’s boundary for “Avenue” development, where reurbanization is anticipated and encouraged to create new housing and job opportunities while improving the pedestrian environment, the look of the street, shopping opportunities and transit service for community residents. He explained that while the proposal’s height is different from the existing density, the “street walls” fronting the street will make the towers unnoticeable. Hatcher was followed by Pontarini who clarified that the renderings are only meant to show the materiality of the proposal, and that the density and programming is still open to comments from the community.

Hariri Pontarini Architects was tasked to design the master plan, and they approached this proposal by breaking the large property into several blocks, which were then broken down into a mixture of low-rise and high-rise towers. Each block has its own characteristics: the park block limits shadows, Block E buffers Kent School from Dufferin Mall, the central High Street acts as an anchor for the retail units. Following the City’s Tall Building Design Guidelines, the towers are limited to a maximum of 750 square metre floor plates and there is a minimum of 25 metres between towers. This allows sunlight onto the public realm, maintains views of the sky, and provides privacy between facing units.

Giannone ended the presentation with a summary of Giannone Petricone’s role on the projects, which was to design the first 30’ of each building. He expressed sincere gratitude for the neighbourhood, and was very excited about the potential that could enhance Bloordale Village. The design intends to activate the public realm with programming that respects the vitality of the neighbourhood. Central to this idea are the “mews” located in the east-west connectors that will provide space for small scale retail and opportunities for public art to be displayed in the storefronts. It is intended that the mews would accommodate users that “want to be in odd spaces.”  

Rendering of the public park and Block B, image courtesy of Capital and Metropia.

After the presentation, attendees were invited to join self-guided roundtable discussions where they could write their feedback onto a document that was later collected by city planning staff. Representatives from the City walked around to answer questions as these discussions took place.

Many were concerned with the provision of affordable housing in the proposal, and how the development will define affordable housing. This definition could range from affordable rental units, affordable ownership, units dedicated to artists, subsidized rentals that vary by income, affordable units operated by the City, affordable units subsidized by the developer, etc.

There was also concern about park size, and the burden the proposal will place onto the existing Dufferin Grove Park. As it was explained, large scale developments are required to reserve a portion of land relative to the size of the new development (0.4 hectares per 300 units is required for downtown Toronto), but for this property there is a 15% cap on this ratio (i.e. 15% of the total building size will be parkland). There is an acute need for parkland in central Toronto that will be intensified by this development.

Other concerns included building height in relation to the surrounding low-scaled residential areas, the provision of non-profit daycare needed to replace the existing Kinder Grove Infant and Child Care Centre, and the increased demand that will placed on transit, including the already heavily burdened Bloor-Danforth subway line.

A City representative commented that the community should be asking for more in return to ensure that community services, parkland, affordable housing, and investment back into the public realm are provided by the developer.

View down the new High Street, image courtesy of Capital and Metropia.

After the City has processed the feedback from the consultation, they will publish a formal response to the Applicant, and the proposal will continue its journey through the rezoning process.

We will keep you updated as more information about the Bloor-Dufferin redevelopment emerges. In the meantime, additional information about the area's redevelopment is available in our database file, linked below. Want to share your thoughts about the project? Leave a comment in the space below, or add your voice to the ongoing discussion in our associated Forum thread.

Now over a third of the way through our annual Growth To Watch For series, this instalment picks up from where we ended our previous Downsview and York University trek, and continues eastward into North York where we explore two major transit corridors that are currently seeing a remarkable amount of development activity. Heading south on Yonge, we cover the booming North York City Centre area before turning east and exploring the rapid densification along Sheppard Avenue East all the way to Highway 404. Below we have compiled all developments nearing completion or currently under construction; all proposals currently working their way through the planning process; and all planning initiatives and pending development applications that might impact this rapidly transforming area of the city.

The North York Centre and Willowdale Boundary, image courtesy of Apple Maps

Beginning where we left off last time at Steeles and Bathurst, we head east on Steeles then turn south on Yonge Street, arriving at a major development proposal for 5959 Yonge Street Condos, situated at the northeast corner of Yonge and Cummer Avenue. First proposed in 2014, the Ghods Builders Inc development consists of four residential mixed-use buildings, at heights of 43, 31, 29, and 25 storeys which comprise a total of 1,542 residential units and are designed by Kirkor Architects. In addition to the four towers, a conceptual master plan submitted with the rezoning application reveals future plans for an additional three towers of 13, 18, and 29 storeys along with some townhouse blocks, bringing the total residential unit count of the entire development to 2,108. The existing 15-storey apartment tower would remain on site. The project is currently undergoing mediation at the OMB, with the City opposed to this amount of density at this location. Phase One of the project, which involves the 31 and 43-storey towers, has been in sales over the past couple years despite not yet receiving the necessary rezoning approvals, while Phase Two, involving the 25 and 29-storey towers, would follow pending results of the OMB mediation. Being cautiously optimistic, a resolution is expected this year.

Rendering of 5959 Yonge Street Condos, image courtesy of Ghodes Builders Inc.

On the southeast corner of Yonge and Cummer, another massive redevelopment is planned for Newtonbrook Plaza, where Aoyuan Property Holdings is proposing to replace the existing mall with a mixed-use residential complex of significantly higher density. Initially proposed by Silvercore Properties in late 2011, the project is designed by Wallman Architects and consists of residential towers ranging in height up to 44 storeys, while lower mid-rise buildings would be built adjacent to the existing neighbourhoods east of the plaza. The development was appealed to the OMB in 2015, and a settlement was apparently reached in 2016, but details of the final proposal have yet to be revealed. The initial proposal, consisting of five towers rather than four, is shown below. Silvercore sold the property to Aoyuan in 2017, and it is believed that Aoyuan plans to develop the site as previously agreed upon in the OMB settlement. Demolition has reportedly begun on the site, and a marketing announcement is expected shortly.

Rendering of Newtonbrook Plaza, image courtesy of Silvercore Properties

Across the street from Newtonbrook Plaza, the City is playing Tetris with a pair of developers on two adjacent sites on the west side of Yonge Street. First, Conservatory Group is proposing a pair of residential towers at the east end of the dead-end Inez Court. Designed by Richmond Architects, the towers are dubbed Ruby Condominiums and would rise 11 and 32 storeys atop a shared 2-to-5-storey podium. This site does not front onto Yonge Street, but rather fronts onto a proposed northward extension of Beecroft Road from Finch to Drewry Avenue. The City has acknowledged that this extension is necessary to support further development in the immediate vicinity, but its implementation depends on the City acquiring a few key properties, particularly those held by the Conservatory Group on Inez Court. In short, the Beecroft extension is hypothetically dependent on this development getting built. Ruby Condominiums was approved at the OMB in 2014, and Conservatory Group is currently collecting registration for sales, so a lot is depending on the outcome of this planning saga.

Site plan of Ruby Condominiums, image courtesy of Conservatory Group.

The second development contingent on the results of the Ruby Condominiums/Beecroft Road extension is located immediately adjacent to that property, fronting onto Yonge street to the east at 5840 Yonge. Plaza is looking to replace the existing one-storey commercial buildings on the site with a 32-storey condo tower designed by Quadrangle and comprised of 374 residential units. The proposal also calls for a new 2-storey car dealership fronting onto Yonge, with the tower located to the west edge of the site, while new parkland would be situated at the southeast corner of the property. The project is currently being worked out at the OMB, with a hearing held last month. No results of the hearing have been posted yet.

Model of 3840 Yonge, image courtesy of Plaza.

Continuing south, we enter into the North York Centre district, where the Reimagining Yonge Street study is causing quite the stir. Spurred by the need for repairs, the City is proposing a makeover of Yonge Street by reducing the road from six to four lanes between Bishop Avenue in the north and Sheppard Avenue in the south, while removing on-street parking, implementing bike lanes, installing a landscaped median, and widening the sidewalk on both sides, which would provide patio space for the various businesses. The community has been, for the most part, supportive of the initiative, but the proposal has been met with significant political resistance. The final report recommending the changes is slated for a showdown at City Council in the coming months, so stay tuned for news of the high-profile makeover.

Rendering of Yonge Street opposite Mel Lastman Square, image courtesy of the City of Toronto.

Turning back eastward along Finch and crossing to the east side of Yonge, we come to Ava Luxury Residence, on the northeast corner of Kenneth Avenue. Designed by A & Architects Inc., the building would rise 10 storeys and would contain 56 condo units with retail integrated at grade level. The project is currently working its way through the planning process.

Rendering of Ava Condos, image retrieved via submission to the City of Toronto

Turning south onto Doris Avenue, Fieldgate Homes is currently constructing a townhouse development on the north side of Holmes Avenue dubbed Kenneth & Holmes. Designed by Kirkor Architects, the townhouses will rise 3 storeys and will have a total of 29 units. Construction is well underway, with a targeted completion date in 2018.

Rendering of Kenneth & Holmes, image courtesy of Fieldgate Homes

On the south side of Holmes Avenue at Doris, a rezoning application was submitted just last month for an 18-storey condo tower on a vacant lot at 35 Holmes. Designed by Icon Architects, the building would add 154 new residential units just east of the busy Yonge corridor. Having just begun its journey through City Planning, expect some design tweaks over the coming year.

Rendering of 35 Holmes Avenue, image courtesy of Icon Architects.

Heading west on Holmes Avenue back to Yonge and turning south, Fieldgate Homes submitted a rezoning application last month for a 32-storey mixed-use condo tower at 5400 Yonge Street on the southwest corner of Horsham Avenue. Featuring an edgy design from Kirkor Architects, the tower sits atop a 4-storey podium containing replacement office space and grade-level retail, while the remainder of the building would house 324 new condo units. Having just been submitted for City review, expect some design changes over the coming year.

Rendering of 5400 Yonge, image courtesy of Fieldgate Homes.

One block south and just to the west of Yonge on Churchill Avenue, The Diamond Condominiums on Yonge are soon to get underway on the corner of Canterbury Place and Churchill. Recently given the go-ahead at the OMB, the Diamante Development project is designed by Scott Shields Architects and will rise 30 storeys, adding 385 new residential units to the busy neighbourhood. Having entered sales and marketing last year and now having cleared the final planning hurdle, expect construction activity to begin on site later this year.

Rendering of Diamond Condominiums on Yonge, image courtesy of Diamante Developments 

A little further south on Yonge Street, Diamante Development has once again enlisted Scott Shields Architects for a proposal at 5300 Yonge, where Diamante is looking to construct a 33-storey condo tower on the site of an existing retail plaza. The building would contain 328 new residential units with grade-level retail fronting onto Yonge. The project was just submitted to the City last year, so stay tuned for updates as it works its way through the planning process.

Rendering of the east elevation of 5300 Yonge, image courtesy of Diamante Development.

Further south on Yonge, Ellie Condos is slated to replace a surface parking lot and low-rise commercial buildings at 5220 Yonge Street. The design by Kirkor Architects was created for G Group Development, but the project now appears on Lalu Canada's website. The project would see a 31-storey 309-unit condo tower constructed on the north end of the site and a 10-storey office building occupying the south end of the site, both atop a shared 3-storey podium with retail included at ground level. The project is currently moving through the planning process, with rezoning approved and Site Plan Approval still in the works.

Rendering of Ellie Condos, image retrieved via submission to the City of Toronto

Immediately to the south of Ellie Condos, Beacon Condos is currently under construction and is topping off shortly, with cladding installation currently midway up the tower. Developed by the Sorbara Group, the 35-storey mixed-use condo is designed by Wallman Architects with Rafael + Bigauskas as Architect of Record, and once complete, will add 375 new condo units to the area along with retail integrated at grade. Look for significant progress to be made on the tower as construction continues over the course of the year.

View of Beacon Condos under construction, image by Forum contributor sunnyraytoronto.

Continuing south, the Conservatory Group is proposing Pearl Place Condos to replace a surface parking lot on the northeast corner of Yonge and Spring Garden Avenue. Designed by Zeidler Partnership Architects, the building received OMB approval in 2016 for a 34-storey condo tower comprised of 478 residential units, office space on the second and third floors of the 4-storey podium, and retail at grade level. The project was relaunched for sales and marketing late last year, so if all goes well, construction should start late 2018 or early 2019.

Rendering of Pearl Place Condos, image courtesy of Conservatory Group.

Continuing south, we come to the busy intersection of Yonge and Sheppard, where the Yonge Sheppard Centre is currently under renovation and expansion on the northeast corner. Led by RioCan and KingSett Capital, the project is designed by Quadrangle and will significantly increase the available retail space, extending the mall out to the street while providing much-needed streetscape improvements. Currently, construction on the mall expansion is well underway, with exterior cladding now being installed. Construction has also begun on a new 35-storey 359-unit rental tower at the north end of the site. Look for work to progress significantly over the course of the year.

View of Yonge-Sheppard Centre under construction, image by Forum contributor sunnyraytoronto.

On the southwest corner of Yonge and Sheppard, Menkes Developments is proposing to redevelop the surface parking lot at 4800 Yonge with a curving 49-storey condo tower. Designed by Arquitectonica with Turner Fleischer as Architect of Record, the tower would contain 549 residential units with office space and ground-level retail in the 5-storey podium. The development would also include a new TTC entrance to Yonge-Sheppard subway station. The rezoning application for 4800 Yonge is currently appealed at the OMB, with a hearing scheduled for November 2018.

Updated rendering of 4800 Yonge, image courtesy of Menkes Developments

Taking a short detour west on Sheppard, we arrive at 53-63 Sheppard Avenue West, where a mid-rise development was recently approved for rezoning at the OMB. First proposed back in 2015, the Pellow & Associates-designed development consists of a 14-storey 182-unit condo building with ground floor commercial space, while 4-storey townhouses will be situated along Bogert Ave. The project survived its OMB hearing last year, but there has been no activity since, so perhaps a Site Plan Approval application will surface in the coming year.

Rendering of 53-63 Sheppard Ave W, image retrieved via submission to the City of Toronto

Turning back east along Sheppard and crossing Yonge, we come to 101-103 Sheppard East, where a proposal for a 3-storey office building is nearing the end of the planning process. Designed by Kave Architects, the Site Plan Approval application has been recommended for approval by City Staff in the final report and will go before City Council in March, so if all goes well, look for shovels to dig into the ground in the near future.

Rendering of 101 Sheppard East, image retrieved via submission to the City of Toronto

Just to the east on the northeast corner of Sheppard and Kenneth Avenue, the Metrontario Group is looking to redevelop the property at 120 Sheppard East that currently contains three 4-storey rental apartment buildings. Phase One of the project has been submitted to the City for Site Plan Approval and would replace the northernmost building with a pair of 4-storey IBI Group-designed rental apartment buildings containing a combined total of 74 residential units. Future phases would replace the two southernmost buildings with what Metrontario Group describes as "345,000 square feet of condominium units, rental apartments, and retail space", which includes the current Phase One proposal. It remains to be seen what these future phases might look like.

Rendering of 120 Sheppard East, image courtesy of Metrontario Group.

Just next door, Marpake Holdings is looking to build a 6-storey mixed use building at 180 Sheppard Avenue East, replacing an existing one-storey commercial building currently on the site. Initially proposed in 2013 featuring a design from Teeple Architects, the development was completely redesigned last year, with a new proposal being resubmitted to the City from HOK. The 6-storey building will contain retail on the ground level, commercial space on the second and third floors, and 7 condo units on the fourth through sixth floors. Check back for updates as this project works its way through the planning process.

Rendering of 180 Sheppard Avenue East, image courtesy of Marpake Holdings.

Further down the street, an application was submitted to the City last year for a redevelopment proposal at 145 Sheppard Avenue East, currently the site of a 3-storey office building. Zentil Property Management is looking to replace the structure with a new 11-storey condo building designed by Graziani + Corazza Architects. The new building would add 55 new condo units to the neighbourhood along with ground-level retail.

Rendering of 145 Sheppard Avenue East, image courtesy of Zentil Property Management.

Just next door, a proposal for 181 Sheppard Avenue East by Stafford Homes is currently working its way through the planning process. The development would replace the current retail structures and parking lot with a 10-storey mid-rise condo building designed by the IBI Group, and would add 230 new condo units and grade-level retail to the neighbourhood. The project was appealed to the OMB last year, and had a hearing scheduled for March 2018; however, the hearing has since been adjourned with no reasons given, so it is unknown what the current status of this development might be.

Rendering of 181 Sheppard East, image retrieved via submission to the City of Toronto

Continuing east on Sheppard, we arrive at the busy intersection of Bayview Avenue, where we take a quick detour north on Bayview (don't worry, we'll be back to Sheppard shortly) and come to TeaGarden Condos at the corner of Bayview and Teagarden Court. Led by Phantom Developments and designed by Kirkor Architects, the 12-storey building will add 111 new condo units to the quickly densifying area. The project was well into the sales and marketing phase last year when it was appealed to the OMB, inevitably delaying its start of construction. The City and the developer have now agreed on a settlement, and the OMB is allowing the necessary zoning once a few loose ends are tied up. Watch for construction to begin later this year.

Rendering of TeaGarden Condos, image courtesy of Phantom Developments

Heading further north on Bayview, a townhouse development is proposed at 3057 Bayview Avenue, which would see four blocks of 3-storey townhouses replacing a series of single detached dwellings. Designed by Richard Wengle Architect, the development will add a total of 21 townhouse units to the area. Originally submitted in 2015, rezoning and Site Plan Approval applications were resubmitted just last month, so the project is still working its way through the planning process.

Rendering of 3057 Bayview Ave, image retrieved via submission to the City of Toronto

Continuing north on Bayview to the hydro corridor, construction is underway at the site of The Bennett on Bayview. Developed in partnership by First Avenue Properties and Latch Developments, the project will add a 12-storey condo building to the area featuring architecture by RAW Design. The building will add 167 new residential units, including 7 at-grade townhouse units, to the neighbourhood along with grade-level retail. The crane has now been erected on site and work is progressing on the below-grade levels, so look for this building to rise out of the ground over the coming year.

Rendering of The Bennett on Bayview, image courtesy of Latch Developments

We now turn around and head back south to the intersection of Bayview and Sheppard, where QuadReal submitted a rezoning application last year for a major redevelopment of the Bayview Village Shopping Centre. The proposal would see two towers of 28 and 33 storeys constructed in the southwest corner of the site, while two 6-storey mid-rises and a 19-storey tower on a 6-storey podium would be constructed in the northeast corner of the site, replacing much of the surface parking around the mall. Designed by Hariri Pontarini Architects with DIALOG, the plan also includes an outdoor retail promenade to the north and a new TTC entrance to the adjacent Bayview subway station to the south. The development is currently working its way through the planning process, so check back for updates over the course of the year.

Rendering of the Bayview Village Redevelopment, image courtesy of QuadReal.

Across the street on the south side of Sheppard, Lotus Condos is is under construction and has recently topped off, with the exterior cladding now installed on the lower levels. Developed by Chestnut Hill and Fortress Real Developments, the 12-storey building is designed by Kirkor Architects and will add 244 new residential units to the area, along with grade-level retail. Look for substantial completion of the building before the end of the year.

View of Lotus Condos, image by Craig White.

Just to the east of Lotus Condos, construction is now underway at The Village Residences, with pouring of the concrete structure now poking above grade. Headed by Liberty Developments and designed by Wayne Long Architect, the 9-storey building will contain 186 new condo units, with grade-level retail and commercial space on the second floor. Work has been completed for a new building onsite for the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Canada, on whose former property this development is being built. Look for the condo building to top off before the end of the year.

View of the Village Residences under construction, image by Craig White.

One block east, construction on Vida Condos is well underway, as the 8-storey condo building has now completely erased the tiny street of Cusack Court and its eight single-detached homes from the map. Led by Castle Group Developments and designed by HCA Architecture, the building will add 163 new residential units to the quickly densifying area once complete. Pouring of the concrete structure is now reaching the third floor above grade, so look for this building to rise further out of the ground over the coming months.

Rendering of Vida Condos, image courtesy of Castle Group Developments

Immediately to the east of Vida Condos, Haven Developments is proposing to construct SIX25BV Condominiums, an 8-storey mid-rise building on the southwest corner of Sheppard and Greenbriar Road. Designed by Teeple Architects, the building would add 146 condo units to the area along with grade-level retail. Demolition is complete, however, the project has been appealed to the OMB, and revisions have been made to the initial design since the application was submitted to the City. As well, Haven as acquired more land to the south, where they are proposing a 3-storey townhouse development along with a new park. The OMB hearing is scheduled for later this month, so check back for updates as this project navigates the final stages of the planning process.

Rendering of SIX25BV Condos, image courtesy of Haven Developments.

Continuing east on Sheppard, we come to Concord Adex's second major neighbourhood in Toronto with Concord Park Place, a massive development situated between Bessarion and Leslie subway stations, north of the 401 and south of Sheppard. A couple phases of the project are concurrently underway, each in various stages of design and construction. First off, construction on the new Bessarion Community Centre and Park for the neighbourhood is slated to begin later this year along the east edge of the Park Place district. The 12,300-square-metre 4-storey Community Centre is a City of Toronto initiative designed by MacLennan Jaunkalns Miller Architects and will house a Toronto Public Library branch, a fitness centre, a gymnasium, a pool area, classrooms, and multi-functional community spaces, among others, while the new 8-acre park will add some much-needed recreational green space.

Rendering of the Bessarion Community Centre, image courtesy of Concrod Adex.

Next up, four new proposed towers in Concord Park Place will add hundreds of new residences along the south edge of the park, providing a buffer between the park and Highway 401. Seasons at Concord Park Place is a pair of towers designed by the IBI Group that will rise 36 and 33 storeys at the east and west phases respectively, comprising a total of 692 new condo units. Immediately west of Seasons, Saisons will add another pair of towers, though not much is yet known about this next phase other than the renderings available on the developer's website. Both Seasons and Saisons are currently in sales and marketing, however, only Seasons has been submitted for Site Plan Approval at the City. In the south-llooking rendering below, Saisons is the two buildings to the right, Seasons is the next two buildings in the middle, while the building on the left is Omega, described below.

Rendering of Seasons and Saisons at Concord Park Place, image courtesy of Concord Adex.

Just east of Seasons, Opus and Omega on the Park Condos at Concord are well under construction, and are set to top off in the coming weeks. The 35 and 36-storey towers are designed by the IBI Group and will add 350 and 374 new condo units respectively to the dense neighbourhood. Look for construction to wrap up on these before the end of the year.

View of Opus (right) and Omega (left) at Concord Park Place, image by Forum contributor steveve.

Leaving Concord Park Place, we head east to the sparse plot of land on the north side of Sheppard across from Leslie subway station, where plans for a new mixed-use community dubbed Central Park were proposed back in 2011 by Amexon Development Corporation. Designed by Core Architects, the original plan included six residential towers as high as 43 storeys, but after moving through the planning process, the OMB approved a scaled down version in 2013 that featured five towers ranging in height from 12 to 31 storeys, comprising nearly 1,500 new residential units. The proposal also includes large open space, significant ground floor retail, and two 4- and 8-storey office buildings set to be retained and retrofitted along the north end of the site. Despite having received rezoning approvals, Amexon have not moved forward with the massive development yet, so this one remains dormant for the time being.

Rendering of the Central Park development, image courtesy of CORE Architects

Eastward across the ravine from Central Park, and just a bit north on Leslie Street, we come to Tridel's Scala. Designed by Wallman Architects, the terraced 18-storey condo building will contain 536 residential units, with a unique stepped-back aesthetic overlooking the ravine. The project endured a successful sales and marketing campaign, the site has been cleared of older buildings, and construction is now project to begin in spring or summer 2018.

Rendering of Scala, image courtesy of Tridel

Continuing east on Sheppard, we come to our next major rapidly-densifying crossroads at Don Mills Road, where a proposed tower-in-the-park infill development has been submitted for 1650 Sheppard East to the northwest of the intersection. Designed by Rafael + Bigauskas Architects, the 35-storey residential tower would be tucked behind the existing 15-storey slab style apartment tower on the site, and would contain 343 residential units, a new 3-storey parking garage to the east of the existing building, and new retail space fronting Sheppard. The project was appealed to the OMB last year, with a pre-hearing scheduled in June and a full hearing scheduled in January 2019.

Rendering of 1650 Sheppard Avenue East, image via submission to the City of Toronto

Just to the northeast of 1650 Sheppard East, another tower-in-the-park development is proposed at 2600 Don Mills Road, where Compten Management is looking to build a 39-storey rental tower adjacent to the existing 19-storey apartment tower currently on the site. The building is designed by Quadrangle and would add 364 new units to the dense neighbourhood. The development was submitted to the City for rezoning just last year, so stay tuned as it works its way through the planning process.

Rendering of 2600 Don Mills Road, image courtesy of Compten Management.

On the southeast corner of Sheppard and Don Mills, we arrive at ELAD Canada's massive Emerald City development, a new mixed-use community that is adding thousands of new residents at the terminus of the Sheppard subway line. Emerald City consists of three blocks: Block A is closest to Sheppard Avenue and completed a couple years ago, with three towers and associated townhouses; Block B is located just to the south, with one complete tower and two towers now under construction; and Block C, the furthest south, is adding three additional towers, with construction on each just getting underway. All Emerald City condominium towers are designed by WZMH Architects.

We start our tour of Emerald City with Fifth On The Park, ELAD's second Block B phase. The 24-storey 363-unit condo building is nearing completion, having topped off last year, and is set for occupancy within the coming months. Just next door, The Park Club is also slated for completion this year, as the 33-storey 344-unit has also topped off, with work now moving into the interiors. Look for construction crews to wrap up on both buildings in the coming months.

View of Fifth on the Park (left) and Park Club (right) in October 2017, image by Craig White.

Moving south to Block C of Emerald City, a trio of towers are just beginning construction this month. The Peak is the tallest of the three and will rise 33 storeys with 372 condo units, while next door, The Point will rise 24-storeys and will add 279 new condo units. Rounding out the bunch, Lumina, the shortest of the three, will rise 15 storeys with 254 condo units, and will be the final building constructed in Emerald City. Look for shoring and excavation to be underway for these three buildings in the coming weeks.

Rendering of The Peak, image courtesy of ELAD Canada.

Rendering of The Point, image courtesy of ELAD Canada.

Rendering of Lumina, image courtesy of ELAD Canada.

Crossing to the north side of Sheppard, TCHC is redeveloping yet another of their outdated neighbourhoods with the Allenbury Gardens Redevelopment. Located northeast of CF Fairview Mall, a series of five rental and market condo towers along with new townhouse blocks are being constructed along Fairview Mall Drive, replacing the existing stock of mid-century townhouses. Working with development partner Fram Building Group, construction on the redevelopment has already begun, with all phases now at least in the planning pipeline. All buildings are designed by Core Architects.

Site Plan of the Allenbury Gardens development, image courtesy of Fram Building Group

Phase One of the Allenbury Gardens Redevelopment involved the construction of two market condominium towers by Fram, along with a series of townhouses on the western block of the site. Dubbed Soul and Connect Condos, the two towers rise 17 and 16 storeys, housing 216 and 210 condo unit respectively. Soul Condos, the easternmost of the two, completed in 2017, while the finishing touches are being put on Connect Condos next door, which will wrap up construction this year.

View of Soul (right) and Connect (left) Condos in December 2017, image by Forum contributor Salsa.

Phase Two of the Allenbury Gardens Redevelopment is the centre block and features two towers, one market condominium and one TCHC rental tower, along with more townhouse blocks. The condo tower is dubbed Vivo Condos, and would rise 17 storeys containing 213 units, while the rental tower would rise 10 storeys and contain 75 rental units. Both towers were submitted for Site Plan Approval last fall, with Vivo Condos now in the sales and marketing phase. There is no word on when the park, located between Blocks 1 and 2 as part of the Allenbury Gardens master plan, will be constructed.

Rendering of the Phase Two rental tower (left) and Vivo Condos (right), image courtesy of Fram Building Group.

The final phase of the Allenbury Gardens Redevelopment was submitted for rezoning last year, and features a 23-storey building containing 371 residential units constructed at 21 Allenbury Gardens on the eastern block of the site, adjacent to Highway 404. At this point, the building appears to be rental, but it is unclear how many units will be market rentals and how many will be subsidized; the breakdown of the units will be determined at the Site Plan Approval submission. Stay tuned as this last building makes its way through the planning process.

Rendering of 21 Allenbury Gardens, image courtesy of Core Architects.

We now head north on Don Mills all the way to Finch Avenue, and turn east to our final building on our list at Seneca College's Newnham Campus, where construction is currently underway on the institution's Centre for Innovation, Technology, and Entrepreneurship (CITE). Designed by Perkins + Will, the facility will reach 5 storeys in height, and will become the newest hub for Seneca's innovation and entrepreneurship activities, while also providing additional space for the mechanical engineering technology and mechatronics programs. The building is now approaching its final height, and is targeted for a September 2018 opening.

View of the CITE under construction in December 2017, image by Forum contributor salsa.

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That's all for this instalment, but check back next week when we cross the 404 and explore all the development happening in North Scarborough. In the meantime, you can find out more about the developments covered in this Growth to Watch For article by clicking on the Database links below. You can also get in on the discussion by checking out the associated Forum threads, or by leaving a comment in the space provided on this page.

After almost a year of public engagement consultations, the City of Vancouver and its municipal partners have revealed three options for the Britannia Renewal Project. This project is a Master Plan for the renewal of the 18-acre Britannia Community Services Centre (BCSC), and brings together the City of Vancouver, the Britannia Community Services Society (BCSS), Vancouver School Board (VSB), Vancouver Public Library (VPL) and Vancouver Park Board (VPB).

Britannia site, image via City of Vancouver

A community-led movement created the current Britannia Centre over 40 years ago, but the complex is showing its age and the need to renew the facilities was voiced by the community as early as the mid-1990s. After several fits and starts, in 2015 the Capital Funding package for Britannia was approved by Vancouver voters.  

šxʷqʷeləwən ct Carving Centre, image by Alissa Reed

Reconciliation is the encompassing theme in the renewal process, and an indigenous lens will be applied to all of spaces and program areas. Through public engagement the following key program areas were identified: shared public space; food hub with kitchen, garden and distribution centre, childcare, youth and seniors spaces, spaces for arts and culture, a library for life-long learning, recreation opportunities, an inviting and inclusive public realm, and the possibility of social housing.

On the evening of February 13th, the three renewal options were presented for public review and feedback. All options include a common gathering and event space, a greenspace connection to Grandview Park, pedestrian promenades, and as a gateway to the site.

Master Concept 1 (William) offers a consolidated footprint of operations and services for the community and is visibility from Grandview Park.  It does, however, have several drawbacks, including increased traffic impact on the residential neighbourhood, replacement of all VSB fields, reduced opportunity for housing, and difficult phasing.

Master Concept 1 (William), image via City of Vancouver

Master Concept 2 (Commercial) has key spaces, such as the library and the gym, surrounding the central commons and a connection to the Napier Greenway. Some of the drawbacks of the plan are the pool and rink not being directly adjacent, making it more difficult to use heat energy recovery, and a smaller common space.

Master Concept 2 (Commercial), image via City of Vancouver

Master Concept 3 (Parker) offers an increase in the public realm and green space, wider Parker Greenway, pool and rink adjacent to each other, the easiest phasing, and opportunity for an aquatics outdoor space. One of the major drawbacks is the rink being more remotely located from other community centre facilities.

Master Concept 3 (Parker), image via City of Vancouver

Community feedback on the three plans will inform the final master plan, which will be presented to the partner Boards and Council. Redevelopment is scheduled to begin in spring/summer 2018. Feedback can be submitted via an online questionnaire.

Britannia site, image by Alissa Reed

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.

ELAD Canada's Emerald City community is growing again as another block of three towers gets underway at the site within walking distance of Don Mills subway station. With the community's first three towers and townhomes in 'Block A' at the corner of Don Mills and Sheppard complete, and the three towers of 'Block B' in varying stages of completion, construction has officially begun for 'Block C' south of Helen Lu Road, set to be the community's final phase. To mark the occasion, a ground breaking ceremony was conducted on Wednesday, February 14th, attended by several ELAD Canada executives and representatives of the sales, design, and construction teams.

Emerald City with Block C visible on the right, image courtesy of ELAD Canada

Block C will continue the revitalization of the area with three new towers: The Peak (33 storeys), The Point (24 storeys), and Lumina (13 storeys). Sales were brisk in 2017 for the first two towers, so a prompt start for construction of all three buildings was made possible. Sales recently began for third towerLumina, which will add 254 units to the block, along with new retailers for the neighbourhood. 

From left to right in the image below, the ground breaking was attended by Len Abelman, Principle at WZMH Architects; Barbara Lawlor, the President and CEO of Baker Real Estate; Netanel Ben-Or, Executive Vice President Development & Business Development, ELAD; Bruce Sonnenberg, Vice President and District Manager, PCL Construction Canada Inc.; Rafael Lazer, CEO, ELAD; Dror Duchovny, VP Marketing and Business Development, ELAD; and Hanan Amor, Director of Development and Construction, ELAD.

L-R: Len Abelman; Barbara Lawlor; Netanel Ben-Or; Bruce Sonnenberg; Rafael Lazer; Dror Duchovny; Hanan Amor, image courtesy of ELAD

Together, The Peak (372 units), The Point (279 units), and Lumina (254 units) will combine to add just over 900 new homes to the former under-developed site. Lumina represents the 9th and final tower in the community, and will consist of a thirteen-storey tower (13 storeys along Forest Manor Drive and 15 storeys above Don Mills Road) and the 7-storey Oasis Suites. Lumina's 254 suites are being offered in a range of 1 and 2-bedroom layouts with flex options, as well as 3-bedroom suites.

Additional information and images can be found in our database files for the various buildings within the Emerald City community. 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.

Hard Rock International and the Rideau Carleton Raceway Casino are moving forward with plans to invest $318 million into the South Ottawa entertainment facility. The six-year, multi-phased project is expected to produce approximately 4,000 direct and indirect jobs and will add new venues, gaming tables, and a hotel to the complex.

Rendering of the upgraded gaming complex, image via Hard Rock International

The first phase of the project, to begin this year pending zoning approvals, will renovate the existing casino and redesign the parking area. While the number of slot machines will stay the same, 35 gaming tables are to be added.

Rotunda of the casino, image via Hard Rock International

The second phase digs deeper, expanding the casino facility over a period of four years. This $205 million stage will include the addition of 750 slot machines, another 20 gaming tables, a steakhouse restaurant with 150 seats, a Hard Rock Cafe with 200 seats, and a 2,500-seat Hard Rock Live venue. The final phase, to be completed by 2024, will see the construction of an eight-storey, 200-room hotel and a parking garage.

Casino floor, image via Hard Rock International

The gaming destination is expected to lure Ottawa-area residents and tourists, who are spending approximately $60 million annually at gambling facilities across the river in the province of Quebec. The City of Ottawa receives annual revenues of $6 million from the Rideau Carleton Raceway Casino. The expansion and additional plans are estimated to generate $43 million in additional revenues for the City over its first ten years of operation.

Internal casino renovations will come in phase one, image via Hard Rock International

Additional images and information can be found in the Database file linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion or share your photos? Check out the associated Forum thread or leave a comment in the field provided at the bottom of this page.

Final plans for Nobu Toronto are getting closer to being realized following recent resubmissions of planning documents to Toronto City Planning. Planning of the twin 45-storey towers from the Madison Group and Westdale Properties has been underway since 2015, with an early 2018 resubmission for Site Plan Approval (SPA) finalizing details for the project in advance of construction. 

Nobu Residences Toronto, image courtesy of Madison Group/Westdale Properties

The project's exterior design remains unchanged since minor revisions introduced in a late 2017 resubmission, so updated plans by Teeple Architects and Turner Fleischer Architects cover minor changes from earlier versions sought by City staff, mostly of a technical nature, such as tweaks to the water and drainage systems. Also included in the revisions are plans for the de-watering system that will be employed during construction.

Podium, Nobu Residences Toronto, image courtesy of Madison Group/Westdale Properties

At the same time, the design team have been filing permit applications for the partial demolition, partial retention of buildings currently on the site, for construction of the new building, and for plumbing, drainage, and HVAC systems. The permit applicatons are currently under review by City staff.

Once the newest SPA submission and the permit applications are approved, construction activity can proceed. When complete a few years later, Nobu Residences will add 660 new condominium units and 36 hotel suites to the Entertainment District.

Nobu Residences Toronto, image courtesy of Madison Group/Westdale Properties

We will be back with more on the Nobu Toronto project as further information becomes available. In the meantime, you can find out more about this development from our database file, linked below. Want to talk about the project? You can get in on the conversation in the associated Forum threads, or leave a comment in the field provided on this page.

A derelict stretch of Toronto's waterfront is quickly being transformed into he city's newest neighbourhood. Construction of Tridel and Hines' Bayside community has been progressing for a few years now along Queens Quay, east from Sherbourne Common towards the Parliament Street Slip. The community's first phase Aqualina is now complete, and second building Aquavista will wrap up construction this year immediately to its east. 

The East Bayfront, image by Forum contributor Razz

Following on the heels of those buildings—both designed by Arquitectonica working with Kirkor Architects Planners—work has now started for the next two phases of the community. Known as Aquabella and The Waves at Bayside, the projects, with avant-garde designs by Copenhagen-based architects 3XN—both buildings will have two peaks—will be the final market condominium buildings in the community. 

Aquabella (L) and The Waves at Bayside (R), images courtesy of Tridel/Hines

Successful sales for the community's third residential phase, Aquabella (90% back in October), means that the project is all set to get underway, and shoring has now begun. Shoring is also being conducted simultaneously for The Waves, but work for that building is not planned to continue past the stage until September 2018, according to a Waterfront Toronto document issued last October. 

L-R: Waves at Bayside, Aquabella, Aitken Place Park, image by Forum contributor Razz

Work is also beginning for Aitken Place Park which will provide green space between Aquabella and Aquavsta. Upon completion, Aquabella’s 14 stepped storeys and The Waves’ 19 and 16-storey peaks should become landmarks in Toronto skyline views from the Port Lands.

Additional information and images can be found in our databases file for the community's buildings. 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.

A proposal from earlier this month seeks to redevelop a line of five low-rise apartment buildings on Bathurst Street in Midtown Toronto's Forest Hill South area. The plan from Starlight Investments at 1637 Bathurst calls for a new 4-storey residential rental building to rise along the east side of the street between Burton and Ardmore roads. Proposed is an 8,190 m² building with a total floor space index (FSI) of 1.97 times the area of the lot, and an 18.65-metre height measured to the top of the mechanical penthouse level. 

1637 Bathurst site, image via submission to City of Toronto

A change in grade above Bathurst Street—highest at the south end of the site—is currently addressed with a stone retaining wall beside the sidewalk. While the retaining wall would be largely maintained, the proposal aims to improve connection to Bathurst with a plan by Marton Smith Landscape Architects that would replace portions of the wall with new landscaping surrounding the main entrance, while also replacing an access staircase.

Northeast-facing areal view, 1637 Bathurst, image via submission to City of Toronto

All of the space within the proposed building would be dedicated to residential uses, with the plan by RAW Design calling for 67 rental units, including replacements for the 25 existing units (in accordance with Toronto’s Rental Housing Demolition & Conversion policy). The units are proposed in a mix of 9 one-bedroom suites, 22 two-bedroom suites, and 36 three-bedroom suites.

Southeast-facing areal view, 1637 Bathurst, image via submission to City of Toronto

Residents would have access to indoor and outdoor amenity spaces, totalling 250 m². 119 m² of indoor amenity space would be housed on the building's ground floor above the lobby and main entrance, consisting of a lounge area and gym. Two outdoor amenity areas are proposed, one a 79 m² outdoor terrace with seating, dining, and barbecues overlooking Bathurst Street. The second space, at 52 m², would be a fourth-floor terrace with seating, planters, and north-facing views over the neighbourhood.

Southwest-facing areal view, 1637 Bathurst, image via submission to City of Toronto

A total of 86 parking spaces would be housed underground in an automated stacker parking system, with additional visitor and accessible parking spaces found at grade to the rear of the building. 64 resident bicycle storage spaces would also be provided in the garage, while an additional 8 visitor spaces would be located at grade.

Northeast-facing areal view, 1637 Bathurst, image via submission to City of Toronto

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.

Westbank's proposal for 400 West Georgia Street, shaped like a Japanese lamp designed by artist Isamu Noguchi, has received unanimous approval from Vancouver city council. A rezoning application for the 24-storey office tower designed by Merrick Architecture lists the height at a relatively modest 92 metres, but its exterior vocabulary is its real showstopping feature.

400 West Georgia, image via Westbank

To rise from the former site of a shuttered Budget car rental just across the street from the Vancouver Public Library, 400 West Georgia will be architecturally composed of stacked rotating cubes. By projecting outwards, the glass-faced modules are separated from one another, leaving large triangular voids that will be filled with vertical gardens. 

400 West Georgia, image via Westbank

Designed to attract the best in tech talent, the building boasts interior plans with glass floors that allow users to hover above the streetscape, which will feature ground-level retail space, a water feature, and a terrazzo platform for spontaneous gatherings.

400 West Georgia, image via Westbank

The 375,000-square-foot office tower is going for LEED Platinum certification and will contain an underground parking garage with 235 stalls. 

400 West Georgia, image via Westbank

Additional images and information can be found in the Database file linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion or share your photos? Check out the associated Forum thread or leave a comment in the field provided at the bottom of this page.

The 12-storey rental tower poised to climb above the Brentwood Village shopping centre now has a name: Brio. A joint venture between RioCan and Boardwalk will develop the lot formerly housed by a bank and car wash, located immediately east of the University City development.

Brio, image via RioCan

Renderings for the 163-unit project posted to the RioCan website portray an at-grade retail podium totalling approximately 10,000 square feet. Two levels of underground parking would be provided, and the images also show a rooftop amenities deck surmounting the southern setback of the L-shaped building. 

Brio, image via RioCan

The project is RioCan's first rental residential development in the Calgary market. The real estate investment trust, which owns and manages Canada's largest portfolio of shopping centres, is also in the midst of executing the massive mixed-use 5th and Third project in East Village. RioCan will manage the retail component of Brio when completed in 2019, with Boardwalk overseeing the residential element.

Lobby and concierge, image via RioCan

The development is located a stone's throw away from the Brentwood Co-op redevelopment to the west, where Quarry Bay Investments has proposed multiple residential towers and office spaces to intensify the suburban property.

Additional images and information can be found in the Database file linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion or share your photos? Check out the associated Forum thread or leave a comment in the field provided at the bottom of this page.

Roughly 30 months have passed since the Gupta Group celebrated with a ceremonial ground breaking of their 50-storey Dundas Square Gardens (DSG) project at the intersection of Dundas and Jarvis. Nearly a year after that milestone on the east side of Downtown Toronto, and following interior gutting of the former building on the site, demolition began to clear away the old Hilton Garden Inn to make way for the 50-storey, IBI Group-designed condominium tower. By September of 2016, the building had been reduced to rubble and cleared away, allowing for the start of the tower's shoring and excavation phases to begin.

With a year and half of excavation and construction in the books, DSG's substantial nine-storey podium is now making its presence felt at the northeast corner of Dundas and Jarvis. Forming is now underway for the 9th and final podium level before the tower portion begins to take shape. The first 10 levels above the podium will be set back only slightly, with floorplate sizes similar to the podium levels below. The slender tower floors will follow from levels 20 through 50.

Dundas Square Gardens viewed from the west on Dundas, image by Forum contributor toast_and_tea

The image above shows that the earliest stages of cladding installation have begun, where white precast concrete panels have begun to form vertical piers along the south and west facades of the podium, hinting at the building's ultimate exterior expression. A window wall cladding system with vision glass and gray aluminum panels will begin installation in the coming weeks. Inset balconies along these elevations will be finished in fritted glass guardrails framed with gray aluminum railings. A large double-height section wrapping around the building's southwest corner can be seen in the image above. It will house a 377.7 m² residential amenity space, to be enclosed with curtain wall glass with rear-mounted aluminum mullions. Dark grey stone cladding will frame street-level glazing.

Precast cladding on Dundas Square Gardens, image by Forum contributor toast_and_tea

Once complete, the development will add over 1,000 new condominium units to Toronto's Garden District, coming in a mix of 257 bachelor units, 412 one-bedroom units, 233 two-bedroom units, and 102 three-bedroom units. The building was marketed as investor-friendly, its location close to Ryerson and many smaller units being perfect for students of the school looking to rent in the area. At a height of 156 metres, DSG will fall just shy of the under-construction Grid Condos’ 158-metre height to the south, but will be taller than Pace Condos’ 142 m height, kitty corner from it to the southwest.

Dundas Square Gardens, image courtesy of Gupta Group

Additional information and images can be found in the project's database file, 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.

This instalment of our Growth to Watch For series follows our North York Centre and Willowdale instalment and continues our eastward push into Scarborough, exploring the northern half of the former borough (including a chunk of eastern North York) east of Highway 404 and north of the 401. Density is indeed spreading into the inner suburbs, with a host of new proposals along the Sheppard corridor banking on the promise of a future LRT, and more projects planned along Finch and Steeles. Beginning in the northwest corner, we zigzag our way south, summarizing every project nearing completion, all developments currently under construction, and every proposal currently making its way through the planning process.

Map outlining the area covered, image via Google Earth.

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We begin our adventure in the far northwest corner, with redevelopment plans announced in 2016 for the SteelesTech Campus, a commercial office complex bounded by Highway 404 to the west, Steeles Avenue to the north, and Victoria Park Avenue to the east. An intensification of the site is planned by owners North American Development Group that would see eight new buildings designed by Giannone Petricone Architects added to the four existing office buildings of the complex. The new structures would include a 12-storey hotel, several single-storey restaurants, and a new office tower, totalling 1,169 square metres of retail, 74,139 square metres of office space, 20,644 square metres of industrial space, and 13,252 square metres of institutional/other spaces. Notice of Approval Conditions was achieved on February, 27, 2017 for this site, but its Site Plan Approval is still under review.

Rendering of proposed expansion of SteelesTech Campus, image courtesy of STC Investments Nominee Inc.

Heading east on Steeles, the Splendid China Mall just east of Kennedy Road is the site of an intensification proposal that would see three residential towers of 17, 26, and 28 storeys constructed adjacent to the mall, leveraging the property's close proximity to the Milliken GO Station. Designed by Graziani + Corazza Architects, the towers comprise 793 new condo units, and include grade-level retail in their podiums, with some retail and office spaces integrated on the second and third floors. The existing mall will be retained, and all surface parking being replaced would be relocated indoors or underground in the new development. Plans have been appealed to the OMB in regard to complicated rezoning issues for the area, with hearings scheduled for July and September of this year.

Site plan of the proposed Splendid China Mall redevelopment, image via submission to the City of Toronto.

Jumping southeast, a mixed-use proposal by Ideal Developments dubbed Ideal Square is planned for a vacant site adjacent to the Scarborough Convention Centre at Morningside Avenue and Neilson Road. The development is designed by Atif Aqeel Architect and encompasses two retail buildings, a 5-storey office building with grade-level retail, a 40,000-square-foot (3,700-square-metre) banquet hall, and a church. Ideal continues to market the site to retailers.

Rendering of Ideal Square, image courtesy of Ideal Developments.

Turning westward on Finch, a tower-in-the-park infill project is proposed for 25 Thunder Grove near the intersection of Finch and McCowan Road. The 12-storey Kirkor Architects-designed mid-rise would abut against the east wall of the existing 1984-built 18-storey apartment tower currently occupying the site. The new building would add a further 176 rental units in a variety of sizes. Zoning amendments were applied for in 2016, and its Plan Approval was applied for in October 2017.

Rendering of 25 Thunder Grove, image via submission to the City of Toronto.

Continuing westward, a proposal by CIM Kennedy Creek Inc. at 3000 Kennedy Road, just north of Finch, represents a rare type of development nowadays in Toronto: the transformation of a commercial property into single detached dwellings. The site is currently occupied by the Valleyview Garden Centre, but the application proposes to replace it with 41 single-family houses designed by Cube Architects Inc. The houses are proposed at three storeys in height and would be located on an extension of Fort Dearborn Drive. Revised Zoning Bylaw Amendment (ZBA) and Subdivision applications were submitted to the City in December 2017.

3000 Kennedy Road proposal, image by Cube Architects Inc. for CIM Kennedy Creek Inc.

Returning to Finch and continuing westward again, a rezoning application was submitted in 2016 for a 12-storey condo development at 3268 Finch Avenue East on the southwest corner of the Bridlewood Mall site. The mid-rise, designed by SRN Architects, would replace an existing strip mall occupying the site at the corner of Finch and Bridletowne Circle with 242 residential units and retail at grade. There were no updates to the application in 2017, but plans by Malibu Investments to redevelop on some of the adjacent mall property itself have disappeared for the time being.

Rendering of 3268 Finch East, image obtained via submission to the City of Toronto.

At Victoria Park we turn south and head past Sheppard. At 2450 Victoria Park Avenue at the southwest corner with Consumers Road, a proposal was submitted to the City in October 2017 to redevelop the site, currently containing a 7-storey office building and surface parking lots, with 11, 39, and 44-storey residential towers with 1,247 total suites and retail at ground level. The Collecdev development is designed by gh3 and would include a park in its southwest corner.

Looking northwest to 2450 Victoria Park Avenue, designed by gh3 for Collecdev

If we follow Consumers Road west and then north, we eventually come to Sheppard Avenue. At the southwest corner of Sheppard and Consumers, a development by Tribute Communities called Parkside Square is under construction. The project is comprised of three Turner Fleischer Architects-designed residential towers of 26, 34, and 43 storeys along with a 4-storey mall and a new public park. Construction of the 26-storey Phase 1 rental tower is underway. It should rise above ground level shortly.

Rendering of Phase 1 of Parkside Square, image courtesy of Tribute Communities.

To the east of Consumers Road on Sheppard, Tridel and Dorsay's Atria Condos development is continuing with construction. The four-tower project designed by Turner Fleischer Architects includes the 43-storey Alto and 8-storey Parkside towers, both now complete. The 26-storey Trio and its podium are under construction and will complete in 2018. The excavation for the 19-storey Parfait and construction will get underway this year.

Looking southwest to Atria condos in October, 2017, image by Craig White

Continuing east, we cross Victoria Park again. Just to the east of the corner, Opearl Developments was selling an 18-storey tower, but it did not make sales targets and was cancelled. A block and a half further at the northwest corner of Sheppard and Pharmacy avenues, Averton Homes had proposed a 14-storey condo, but ran into high water table issues. The application has been withdrawn, and no new plan has yet surfaced.

At the southeast corner of Pharmacy, a Site Plan Approval application was submitted n September, 2017 for Wish Condos. An 18-storey tower from Liberty Development, it will replace a strip mall currently on the site. Designed by Turner Fleischer Architects, the building—now in sales—will add 274 new units to the densifying Sheppard corridor.

Rendering of Wish Condos, image courtesy of Liberty Development.

A long block to the east on the north side of the road, a condo development by Quadcam Development Group called East 3220 is in sales. Designed by Burka Architects and KFA Architects and Planners, the 18-storey tower with 234 units will be built on a vacant property east of Bridlewood Boulevard. Documents for Site Plan Application were filed with the City in September and October, 2017.

Looking northeast to East 3220 Condos on Sheppard, designed by Burka and KFA for Quadcam

Two properties to the east, City Core and Fortress Real Developments' were selling a seniors-oriented condominium development called Harmony Village Sheppard, but the plan for two 30-storey towers ended up in receivership. The property has since been bought by Pinnacle International, but a new plan has not yet appeared.

On the next block to the east, on the southwest corner at Warden, is a mid-rise development is proposed at 3445 Sheppard East that would see buildings of 10 and 14 storeys with grade-level retail constructed along Sheppard, plus three blocks of 4-storey stacked townhouses constructed to the south. Designed by Architecture Unfolded, the development totals 371 units. A rather stale 2014 Site Plan Approval application is still active on the City's development applications webpage.

Rendering of 3445 Sheppard East, image courtesy of Architecture Unfolded.

Two kilometres to the east on the north side of Sheppard at Kennedy is an aging suburban shopping centre, most of the lot taken up by surface parking. Now considered an outdated and underused space in a city that is charged to intensify by the provincial government, the transformation of Agincourt Mall others like it is going to be the trend for in coming decades. Now owned by the North American Development Group, they submitted an Official Plan Amendment in June, 2017 to start the process of planning for a mixed-use community here, to include retail streets, residential towers, podiums, and townhomes with about 5,000 total housing units, office space, and new parkland. A zoning bylaw amendment for the first buildings is still to come, but last night a public consultation was held at the mall to get feedback from locals. The master plan concept design for the redevelopment is by Giannone Petricone Associates.

Retail streetscape with residential towers in the Agincourt Mall Redevelopment, image from the North American Development Group

Turning south on Kennedy Road, we cross under a railway corridor them come to Village Green Square. At the southeast corner, suites in the first phase of a condo community called The Kennedys were up for sale in 2017. To have been a five-tower complex from SAMM Developments, word came of financial impropriety by one of the development partners in October 2017, and it seems that development has since ceased, with no updates having yet followed. The 14-storey Delta Toronto East hotel on the site was to be expanded as part of the development, while an 8-storey office building was part of the development mix.

At the east end of Village Green Square is Tridel's Metrogate community. The multi-phase development is mostly built-out now, with the sixth tower, the 35-storey Avani2, rising above ground as of January, 2018. The 363-unit building is designed by Graziani + Corazza Architects will top out this year beside its sister tower which opened in 2016.

Rendering of Avani and Avani2, image courtesy of Tridel.

The seventh and final tower at Metrogate is dubbed Selene, is sold out, and will be located to the east of Avani in the image above. Originally slated to be a commercial development when a Sheppard subway station was planned for the site, Tridel applied to have it changed to a residential building, receiving permission for that from the City in 2016. Selene, another Graziani + Corazza Architects design, will rise 31 storeys and will add 296 more units to the neighbourhood, and is slated to go under construction this year.

Rendering of Selene at Metrogate, image courtesy of Tridel.

Earlier phases of the Metrogate development include the two Solaris and two Ventus tower complexes. Leaving the area requires us to return westbound along Village Green Square. We then turn back north on Kennedy Road and continue to Sheppard, where we resume our eastward trek again. Just shy of 1 kilometre along, Glen Watford Drive meets Sheppard before the Sheppard dives under the CP Rail corridor. On the properties to the north of Sheppard at 23 and 25 Glen Watford Drive are a pair of redevelopment proposals which have been making their way through the planning process for a few years.

Both currently low-rise commercial plaza sites, the two share a driveway off of Glen Watford, so the City requested that redevelopment proposals for both sites be accompanied by a joint proposal of subdivision to provide for a new public road between them. That subdivision submission from September 2017 came with architectural plans—but no Site Plan Application yet—for 23 Glen Watford. Here, Shiu Pong has a plan designed by Kirkor Architects Planners for two 28-storey condo towers with 551 suites in total. The development is not yet being marketed.

Looking northeast to 23 Glen Watford, designed by Kirkor for Shiu Pong

To the immediate north, just across the new was-west road separating them, 25 Glen Watford has applications in for both a Zoning Bylaw Amendment and for Site Plan Application, resubmitted with updates in October 2017. This development from KBIJ Corporation, is seeking permission for an 11-storey retirement home, with retail at grade at the west end. Designed by CXT Architects Inc., the life-lease retirement residence would have 301 seniors units. Its north and east sides would face Agincourt Park.

Looking southwest to 25 Glen Watford Drive, designed by CXT Architects for KBIJ Corporation.

Further along at the northeast corner of Sheppard and Markham, a rezoning application was submitted in July 2016 for a 26-storey condo tower at 1771 Markham Road. Designed by Henry Chiu Architect, the multi-peaked stepped slab tower was proposed to contain a total of 372 units, with surface parking occupying the eastern portion of the site. No final report to this proposal has been tabled by Toronto Planning, and the application has been dropped from the City's Development Applications map.

West and south elevations of 1771 Markham Road, image obtained via Preliminary Staff Report to the City of Toronto.

Just across the street, on the south side of Sheppard, Daniels First Home: Markham Sheppard broke ground in September 2017. This development, designed by Quadrangle for The Daniels Corporation and Diamond Corp will see three 6-storey mid-rises and four blocks of 3-storey stacked townhouses constructed on the vacant lot, with a total 343 residential units, 30% of which are earmarked for affordable housing.

Rendering of 5131 Sheppard East, image courtesy of The Daniels Corporation and Diamond Corp.

Another block east and we are at the intersection with Progress Avenue. Way back in 2007, a three-tower proposal was put forth by Ballantry Homes, branded as Blossom Condos and featuring a design by Richmond Architects, to be constructed in three phases on the vacant site. Despite site clearance and the construction of a sales centre, the plan fell through, and was re-introduced in 2011 as a series of townhouses. This, too, apparently never went very far, and the site has lain vacant ever since. Perhaps with activity immediately to the west now, we might see another attempt to develop this dormant property.

Rendering of the failed Blossom Condos, image courtesy of Ballantry Homes.

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Further east on Sheppard Avenue there are more townhome developments coming, but nothing else tall yet, so we are ending this part of our journey where Sheppard ends at Kingston Road, and where our next Growth to Watch For story will turn back west to explore development happening in Central Scarborough. In the meantime, make sure to check out the Database files for each of the projects mentioned for more information. You can tell us what you think of all the developments happening in the city by joining the discussions in the associated Forum threads, or by leaving a comment in the space provided on this page!

The Sydney suburb of St Leonards will soon be home to a $1.6 billion mixed-use development that will produce three skyscrapers when the dust settles. The sales launch for Eighty Eight By JQZ this past weekend registered 200 people, who quickly grabbed 70 percent of the 180 apartments offered in the first stage of the three-tower development.

Eighty Eight By JQZ, image via JQZ

Sydney developer JQZ is leading the project at 88 Christie Street, where two residential towers of 47 and 26 storeys will be accompanied by a 15-storey commercial office and retail building fronting the Pacific Highway. With 654 apartments across the site, prospective buyers will have a wealth of housing options to choose from, including one-, two- and three-bedroom units. The property will also feature five floor plans that contain five bedrooms, with residents enjoying private lifts.

Eighty Eight By JQZ, image via JQZ

The project is outfitted with a number of private and public amenities, with residents having access to a rooftop pool. On the ground, a retail and dining precinct is planned to accompany a new library for St Leonards. A total of 30,000 square metres of commercial and retail space will be provided, adjoining a future civic plaza that will partially crown the neighbouring railway line.

Eighty Eight By JQZ, image via JQZ

Construction on the PTW-designed development is expected to begin in August 2018 and complete by 2022. 

Residents will be afforded unobstructed views of the Sydney skyline, image via JQZ

Additional images and information can be found in the Database file linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion or share your photos? Check out the associated Forum thread or leave a comment in the field provided at the bottom of this page.

The City of Calgary and YMCA Calgary are readying another brand new recreation facility following the official February opening of the Shane Homes YMCA at Rocky Ridge. Located in the southeastern community of Seton, the Gibbs Gage-designed complex takes design cues from its local landscape, much in the same way as the Rocky Ridge facility.

Rendering of the completed facility, image via Gibbs Gage Architects

Construction of the 330,000-square-foot Seton Recreation Facility has been moving swiftly, coming in on-time and on-budget as it approaches early 2019 delivery. The project's list of recreational amenities is vast, and includes a 50-metre, 10-lane competition pool, a water park and leisure pool, a surf simulator, two ice rinks, 3 gymnasia, a fitness centre, a 200-metre running track, a 250-seat theatre, and artists' studio spaces. The development also comes with an integrated 25,000-square-foot regional library branch.

Exterior under construction in late 2017, image via City of Calgary

A City of Calgary document describes the project's design narrative, taking inspirations from its regional setting: "The form alludes to the rugged land swept and formed by the dominant Chinook winds that in turn shape the way Calgarians live."

The main atrium under construction, image via City of Calgary

The grounds will eventually be surrounded by a high school, a regional park and a stop at 45th Street SW for the Green Line LRT. The building is the last of four new recreational facilities overseen by the City, representing a total investment of $480 million. The first two, the Great Plains Recreation Facility and Remington YMCA, opened in 2016.

View from the top of the waterslide, image via City of Calgary

Additional images and information can be found in the Database file linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion or share your photos? Check out the associated Forum thread or leave a comment in the field provided at the bottom of this page.

The Turner Dairy buildings at 6 West 17th Avenue have been a fixture in the Riley Park neighbourhood since 1913 and have undergone several reuses, including a luggage factory, a candle factory and a furniture warehouse. On February 20th, the City of Vancouver approved a rezoning application by ASIR Studio and Birmingham and Wood Architects on behalf of Durabilt Holdings Ltd. to allow the conversion of the dairy building and infill residential development for a total of 13 units. The application also includes the designation of the dairy complex as a heritage property.

Rendered look at the development, image via City of Vancouver

The proposal will include two one-bedroom, five two-bedroom, five three-bedroom, and one four-bedroom units. There will be a central communal courtyard and breezeway. Because the application was received prior to May 1, 2017, it will satisfy the preceding version of the Green Buildings Policy for Rezonings, which requires a minimum of LEED® Gold rating. The Turner Dairy site is located in a well-established neighbourhood within walking distance of multiple parks, schools and many shops and restaurants located on Main Street.  

Proposed elevations, image via City of Vancouver

The initial proposal included only seven parking spaces, later revised to 13. After concerns were raised by the public that the number of parking spaces was still insufficient, the number was raised to 20. Both car and 18 bike parking spaces will be accessed through a car elevator from the rear lane. 

Turner Dairy building, image by Alissa Reed

Turner Dairy, image by Alissa Reed

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.