Canadian City Skyscraper Proposals (150m+)

[rbt]

Originally Posted by Biff

Wow, tough sell on those apartments on the inside corner behind that office building.

Agreed. Lots of market here for discount student rentals though, both OCAD and TMU. They'll tolerate quite a bit knowing it's only for a short duration, particularly if they're social and just need a nearby bed.

North side is going to be loud. I lived in 633 Bay for a while and there were a surprising number of 3am helicopters passing over. Line-of-sight of the pad will be louder and longer.

[WhipperSnapper]

Most developments are going after the I just need a bed crowd to justify 12 metre spacing between buildings or terrible layouts.

[Maldive]

61 Brownlow | 196.6m | 59s | Menkes | Turner Fleischer l pre-construction

In a January resubmission, tower A remains at 196.6m but tower B (south tower) has been reduced from 59 to 55 storeys (now 184.4m+). Still a lot of height for Mount Pleasant and Eglinton.


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Originally twins (below), the tower on the left (south) is now 4 storeys shorter @ 55s.


steveve


QueenChurch | 185.9m | 57s | Tridel | Varacalli, Kirkor l site prep/heritage retention

No idea how they’re going to build this giant... staging-wise, with the heritage retention along Church Street and part of Queen (the site does back on to little more than an alley (Dalhousie St.), but even that has
an active construction site - 88 Queen - on its east side).

Either way this will overwhelm the heritage retention. Big steel arriving on site to shore up the heritage stuff.


skycandy

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skycandy

[Nouvellecosse]

Originally Posted by Biff

Wow, tough sell on those apartments on the inside corner behind that office building.

Yeah that's a bit odd. Not great for the office workers either. But the buildings themselves look decent. Maybe even good although I'd need to see more renderings.

QueenChurch seems a bit bland. But better bland then ugly I suppose.

[Maldive]

350 Bloor East | 209.07m | 63s | Osmington Gerofsky | Hariri Pontarini l Approval Recommended

Amazing location, amazing views* and a sweet HPA design (over 200 metres)… now recommended for Approval. Here’s hoping demand rebounds so this gets built in my lifetime ‘cause this could be one of the nicest skyscrapers in the city ;-).


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*Views to the south of the entire downtown and to the north across the tree canopy of Rosedale Ravine and the Don Valley.


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Northern Light


645 Yonge | 280m | 76s | KingSett Capital | AS + GG l pre-construction

Resubmitted with parking eliminated (except for 1 spot) and 4 underground levels now reduced to just 1!

One underground level for a 280 metre ‘scraper? Obviously I’m not an engineer! (I know this will be anchored in bedrock) but my un-informed skyscraper nerd brain still insists a 280 metre tower must have... a very deep hole... poured full with a gazillion tons of steel reinforced concrete... or she tips over lol.

But of course they built the 1/2 mile high Burj Kalifa on sand (using 194 friction piles 50 metres deep) so this should be ok ;-).


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[Maldive]

646 Yonge | 254m | 75s | KingSett Capital | AS + GG l recommended for Approval

645 Yonge’s sibling across the street to the south (centre of rending) also designed by AS+GG, is now recommended for Approval with only minor changes.


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steveve

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[Nouvellecosse]

Not bad but I'd like more variation in colour and materials. I don't see why we need buildings of such similar colour and material so close together. It's one thing to do that with lowrise and midrise buildings but it doesn't work with large skyscrapers.

[yaletown_fella]

645 Yonge won't get built as rendered, unless the design is significantly value engineered.

It's likely a zoning excercise/flip.

[WhipperSnapper]

There's more freedom to stand out with office towers. It's not just budgets are higher. Workers don't care over a dark tint or metallic film darkening the interior space like homeowners. It has come for nearly every residential tower attempting an identifiable colour.

Yeah, these will be sold.

[Gresto]

Originally Posted by yaletown_fella

645 Yonge won't get built as rendered, unless the design is significantly value engineered.

It's likely a zoning excercise/flip.

I wouldn't mind if strange little grey tip on the one side were lopped off. The rest of the building is sleek, but add that part and it's flipping the bird eastward.

[WhipperSnapper]

That finger will allow the next owner to add the rest of the hand with just a minor variance lol

[Nouvellecosse]

Originally Posted by WhipperSnapper

There's more freedom to stand out with office towers. It's not just budgets are higher. Workers don't care over a dark tint or metallic film darkening the interior space like homeowners. It has come for nearly every residential tower attempting an identifiable colour.

Yeah, these will be sold.

Yes but that also wouldn't be such a big factor if nearly every residential building didn't need to have wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling windows now which doesn't allow the opportunity for any facade material other than glass. It's certainly possible for buildings to not do that. Stuff like The Uptown Residences and even the fairly high-end One St. Thomas somehow get by without that. And even the 350 Bloor East proposal from a few posts up doesn't. But almost all do. Not only does it sabotage the aesthetics, but it's not great for energy efficiency either.

[Maldive]

123 Wynford Drive | 176.95m | 52s | Originate | Moriyama Teshima Architects l Approved

Now Approved, 52 and 48 (164m) storey towers on the site of the vacated Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre (that was originally designed in 1963 by renowned architect Raymond Moriyama). Moriyama had a hand in designing this project before his sad passing last September.

Much debate about a skyscraper stuck on top of his cultural centre which will be retained in part, but incorporated into the residential podium. So no new cultural life for this Moriyama gem. To make matters worse, it looks like the towers have been VE’d in the latest renderings.


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[GeneralLeeTPHLS]

This belongs in the Ugly Canada thread, jesus.

[Gresto]

Those renders look like they were thrown together in about 15 minutes by an 8th grade kid. I don't see enough to be able to determine whether the towers are ugly.

[Maldive]

On a happier note.... wow!

2485 Eglinton Ave West | 150.6m | 46s | Cityzen | gh3 l pre-construction

I’m over-wrought (and in love ;-). Gorgeous gh3 design on Eglinton West near Keele.


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[Nouvellecosse]

Originally Posted by Gresto

Those renders look like they were thrown together in about 15 minutes by an 8th grade kid. I don't see enough to be able to determine whether the towers are ugly.

Yeah same here. The mostly light-coloured buildings with a background of white sky makes it hard to see much detail. The 2nd image that shows them from a greater distance makes them look decent but the close-ups look more like budget-priced college dorms. Although usually poor-quality renderings isn't a good sign. Often they're either they're trying to hide something or the whole project is low-grade.

[Nouvellecosse]

That last one yes. That is very cool. Gives me a sort of tropical vibe for some reason. Not tropical resort, but higher-end residential of a tropical country like Indonesia or Colombia. The surroundings in the renders reinforce that as well.

[Maldive]

543 Yonge Street | 228.85m | 68s | CentreCourt | Arcadis l pre-construction

CentreCourt busts through the 200 metre mark (and then some) for the first time with this one south of Wellesley, not far from their 8 Wellesley currently u/c. Bit too busy imo but hopefully will be refined (I'm know this is just an early sketch... but I’d vote for a change in architects ;-)… and we know now CentreCourt means materials and build will be good. CentreCourt continues to transform the city skyline with 6 projects u/c and 8 more in the development pipeline.


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[MonkeyRonin]

Originally Posted by Maldive

123 Edward | 189.05m | 59s | Crown Realty Partners | Turner Fleischer l pre-construction

Resubmitted shorter at 59 and 53 storeys and the 2 towers appear to be fused together now. Located just north of City Hall. A little better materials-wise ... but no-one wants these photo-bombing their snaps of City Hall. ;-)

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This would also involve the demolition of a handsome mid-century office tower:


https://www.acotoronto.ca/building.php?ID=567


Of course, as developments like this and this demonstrate, architectural heritage counts for little in Toronto. A reconstructed facade at the base of a condo tower is about the best we can hope for.

It's wild that some amongst us (the Nite's and Goodgrowth's of the world) will see stuff like the above yet still think that heritage designations are an impediment to housing affordability. Also wild that we'll purport to care about sustainability and the environment while allowing for perfectly functional, existing high-rise buildings to be demolished and replaced with new builds instead of encouraging less carbon-intensive renovations & upgrades to existing building stock.