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.

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!

Today's Photo of the Day features a skyline view of Toronto, captured from a condominium unit several floors above the Distillery District. Submitted by Forum contributor Razz, this northwest-facing view shows a number of new high-rise developments adding to the city skyline. 

Toronto skyline, image by Forum contributor Razz

Want to see your work featured as Photo of the Day? Head over to the City Photos & Videos section of the Forum, or submit your images to our Instagram or UrbanToronto Flickr Pool for your chance to be featured on our Front Page. 

On the waterfront, Toronto’s next great park takes shape; Metrolinx to test Wi-Fi on GO Transit vehicles this spring; Cancelled GTA West highway would have eased congestion, Caledon mayor says; and more news:

On the waterfront, Toronto’s next great park takes shape (Globe and Mail)

It's time to bring Bike Share to Scarborough, says local councillor (Inside Toronto)

Mississauga’s Hershey Centre to be renamed Paramount Centre (Toronto Star)

Wi-Finally: Metrolinx to test Wi-Fi on GO Transit vehicles this spring (Metro News)

Cancelled GTA West highway would have eased congestion, Caledon mayor says (Toronto Star)

Cold, snowy winter is creating a bumper crop of potholes (Toronto Star)

Global news from our sister site, SkyriseCities.com:

New York Firm Reimagines Crumbling Pier 40 (New York)

RioCan and Boardwalk Bring Rental Tower to Brentwood Village (Calgary)

Two Designs Released for North Shore Promenade (Edmonton)

Rezoning Application Approved for Westbank's Rotating Cube Tower (Vancouver)

This week's Throwback Thursday takes us to University Avenue and Dundas Street in Downtown Toronto, where an 18-storey, 1968-built office building is having 37 new residential levels constructed above. Back in December 2015, construction had recently started for Residences of 488 University Avenue, a 55-storey tower designed by Core Architects for Amexon Development Corporation. First job: crews had begun removing the office tower's crumbling mid-Century concrete grille facade. A new structural frame to carry the new weight—designed by Sigmund Soudack & Associates—was just starting to be installed were the grille was gone.

Re-cladding and structural work for The Residences of 488 University Avenue, December 2015, image by Forum contributor Towered

Two years and some months have since passed, and the scene now looks entirely different. The structural steel exterior frame now surrounds the office tower (occupied throughout the work), and carries the load of the new levels around the original building and down to the foundations. The frame has been enclosed in curtainwall glazing, and now connects with a thick concrete transfer slab atop the old building that will support the new levels. The residential levels are now beginning to rise above the transfer slab, and over the next several months the tower will climb to a height of 207 metres.

Construction of The Residences of 488 University Avenue, February 2018, image by Forum contributor Towered

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

A two-year study and extensive consultation have shaped the plan to "REimagine" Yonge Street in North York Centre, and the public is being given one last chance to voice feedback and concerns next week. In the latest City report on the plan to reshape North York's central thoroughfare, staff have again recommended the ambitious “Transform Yonge” option. If approved, this plan would remove a lane of traffic from each side of the street, turning the stretch of Yonge between Sheppard and Finch avenues into a wide boulevard with protected bike lanes, trees, a widened pedestrian realm, and better opportunities for outdoor cafes and patios. 

Looking north up Yonge Street opposite Mel Eastman Square, image courtesy of the City of Toronto

In addition to being repeatedly pushed forward by City planning staff, the Transform option has been endorsed by some big names in the world of urban planning, including city building experts Ken Greenberg and Richard Peddie and Director of Cities at U of T, Richard Florida, and received the support of former Toronto City Chief Planners Jennifer Keesmaat and Paul Bedford.

The staff recommendation for the Transform option went before the Public Works & Infrastructure Committee (PWIC) in January, though the meeting had to finish before all members of the public were able to deliver there feedback. That meeting will continue on Tuesday, February 27th, beginning at 9:30 AM in Committee Room 1 at City Hall, giving people one final chance to have their say.

Aerial view of North York Centre, image courtesy of the City of Toronto

Following the PWIC meeting next Tuesday, the plan will next face City Council at its March 26-27 meeting. Despite the overwhelming support from planning staff, local Ward 23 Councillor John Filion, industry experts, and various organizations, the Council vote is expected to be quite close. Some of the firmly entrenched suburban councillors will likely treat this as another battle in the supposed "war on the car" rather than seeing it for the rare opportunity it is, while Mayor John Tory also seems to be bowing before the perceived suburban voting block.

Let us know what you think using the comments section provided below.

A 35-minute drive west of Toronto, at the southwest corner of the Trafalgar Road and Dundas Street East in Oakville's "Uptown Core”, the Cortel Group is gearing up to launch a new four-building condominium development. Dubbed Oak & CO, the project will celebrate its Grand Opening at an on-site presentation centre (278 Dundas Street East, Oakville) on Saturday, March 3rd, where the Zeidler Partnership Architects-designed community's first two towers will be introduced to the public.

Oak & CO Condos, image courtesy of Cortel Group

Guests attending the Grand Opening will have the chance to look at the range of suites available in the first two towers. The units are sized from 542 ft² up to 1,175 ft² and are available in 1 to 3-bedroom layouts, with prices starting from the low $300,000s.

Oak & CO Condos, image courtesy of Cortel Group

Saturday's event will provide a look at the development's amenities, which will feature spaces appointed by interior designers Tomas Pearce. In the first tower, they will include a Wifi Zone, a fitness centre, a party lounge, and a space known as the "Discovery Den", with full information on that to come at the opening. Other amenity spaces in the first tower will offer more serene settings, including a Zen space and an outdoor terrace overlooking the adjacent Morrison Creek.

Party lounge at Oak & CO, image courtesy of Cortel Group

Oak & CO will place its residents within walking distance of grocery stores, coffee shops, and restaurants, as well as the nearby Uptown Core Bus Terminal. The community will also be less than 15 minutes driving distance from a number of destinations including Sheridan College, Downtown Oakville, U of T Mississauga, and Oakville GO Station. From Oakville GO, the travel time to Union Station in Downtown Toronto is just 33 minutes.

Those interested in attending Saturday's Grand Opening are encouraged to RSVP at oakandco.ca, where other details about the project including floor plans are available.

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

Shoring and excavation are already well underway at what's called "Block 16S" in Toronto's Regent Park neighbourhood. The development site on Dundas Street East is part of The Daniels Corporation and Toronto Community Housing's long-term mixed-income rebuild of the community. Dubbed 'Daniels DuEast,' the two-building condominium development designed by Core Architects began sales in 2017 with a 29-storey tower offering over 300 condominium units. Following brisk sales, Daniels has begun marketing of the 11-storey mid-rise component, known as Daniels DuEast Boutique – East Residence.

Daniels DuEast with Boutique – East Residence in the foreground, image courtesy of The Daniels Corporation

To launch this Spring, the project will add another 119 condominium units to the neighbourhood, offering one to three-bedroom layouts priced from the mid-$300,000s. Residents will have access to the shared amenity spaces in the complex's podium. With interiors appointed by Mason Studio and outdoor spaces by landscape architects Brook McIlroy, the amenities include family-oriented spaces and podium rooftop spaces overlooking the area. 

Daniels DuEast Boutique – East Residence, image courtesy of The Daniels Corporation

Unlike most new condominium launches, construction is already active at the project's Tubman and Dundas Street East site. Daniels has a history of beginning construction while projects are still early in marketing, which has occurred multiple times in the Regent Park neighbourhood alone; it assures purchasers of a more reliable future move-in date, not as far off in the future as most developments. Excavation of the site was already generating steam as of three weeks ago, and is expected to progress quite a bit by the time of the upcoming sales launch.

Shoring and excavation at the future site of DuEast, Boutique - East Residence site in foreground, image by Jack Landau

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

Just to the northwest of Toronto City Hall, a new home for many of the city's courthouses will soon be under construction. Today, Infrastructure Ontario (IO) and the Ministry of the Attorney General (MAG) has announced that a fixed-price contract has been awarded to EllisDon Infrastructure to build the new 17-storey Ontario Court of Justice Toronto. The building is designed by the world renowned Renzo Piano Building Workshop, their first project in Canada, working with NORR Architects and Engineers of Toronto.

Looking northwest to the Ontario Court of Justice Toronto, designed by Renzo Piano Building Workshop & NORR

Shorter than the 135 metre maximum height (approximately 23 or 24 storeys) which was established when the site was rezoned last year, the building is meant to complement the monumentality of the architecture in the area around City Hall, and not compete with the famed Viljo Revell-designed building for attention. The building faces Nathan Philips Square, completing a view corridor found between Osgoode Hall and City Hall, is carved out n the corner closest to the square, and offers an inviting, warm-hued atrium to those approaching from the southeast.

Looking northwest to the Ontario Court of Justice Toronto, designed by Renzo Piano Building Workshop & NORR

IO and MAG awarded the contract, valued at $956.4 million, to EllisDon Infrastructure following an evaluation of two short-listed pre-qualitifed teams identified after a Request For Proposals was issued in October 2016. The EllisDon Infrastructure team is made up of:

• Developer: EllisDon Capital Inc.
• Constructor: EllisDon Design Build Inc.
• Design Team: Renzo Piano Building Workshop and NORR Architects & Engineers Limited
• Facilities Management: EllisDon Facilities Services Inc. and SNC Lavalin O&M
• Financial Advisor: EllisDon Capital Inc.

The building will bring together many of Toronto's current Ontario Court of Justice criminal courts operating across the city into one facility, reducing costs, and making operations more efficient and organizationally more effective. The plan will also provide for equal access to services in a state-of-the-art building. The building's design targets Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Silver certification, focusing on energy efficiency, healthy indoor environments, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

Improvements that those using the new courthouse can expect over current facilities include a barrier-free environment, video conferencing to allow witnesses and/or defendants to appear from remote locations when necessary (or a private room when children or vulnerable witnesses are called to testify), and systems to allow for video evidence to presented in court.

Courtroom in the new Ontario Court of Justice Toronto, designed by Renzo Piano Building Workshop & NORR

The building is designed with a single point of entry with a comprehensive security checkpoint to ensure the safety of all users of the facility, but at the same time as it will be a bit of a fortress, it is also meant to be welcoming to the public, and will include a learning centre—a first for an Ontario court facility. From the press release, the learning centre will be "a safe, inclusive place of dialogue and host to interactive exhibits, teaching opportunities, and will house reference materials relating to justice, injustice, truth and reconciliation, as well as Indigenous legal traditions and systems."

Site preparation for construction has already taken place, with an archaeological excavation that commenced in 2015 which uncovered about 15,000 artifacts from the 19th and early 20th centuries when the site was part of St. John's Ward. Also known simply as 'The Ward', the area was an early immigrant settlement quarter for Toronto. Regarded by many as a slum, it was substantially cleared in the 1960s for construction of the new City Hall. While a commemorative art installation was installed on the hoarding around the site, planing for the permanent commemoration of the site's history will be designed into the new Toronto courthouse. To that end, IO has struck a Heritage Interpretation Working Group, with representation from government and various community groups, "to provide a forum for information sharing, feedback, guidance and advice regarding appropriate considerations and suggestions for public interpretation themes and approaches."

Atrium in the new Ontario Court of Justice Toronto, designed by Renzo Piano Building Workshop & NORR

Construction is targeted to start shortly, with completion planned for the Spring of 2022.

Want to know more about the development? UrbanToronto's database file for the Ontario Court of Justice, linked below, includes several more renderings. Want to talk about it? Our associated Forum thread will allow you to get in on the conversation, or you can leave a comment in the space provided on this page.

Today's Photo of the Day features a north-facing view of Toronto's Yonge and College area. Submitted by Forum contributor Larissa Doherty, this shot shows Canderel Residential's 66-storey YC Condos rising next to Lifetime Developments and CentreCourt Developments' 50-storey Karma Condos.

YC Condos and Karma, image by Forum contributor Larissa Doherty

Want to see your work featured as Photo of the Day? Head over to the City Photos & Videos section of the Forum, or submit your images to our Instagram or UrbanToronto Flickr Pool for your chance to be featured on our Front Page. 

Local non-profit Park People seeks pilot ideas to rethink Toronto’s outdoor spaces; Province moves ahead with pursuit of trains powered by hydrogen fuel cells for GO Transit; Mayor Tory announces food discount aimed at increasing King St. foot traffic; and more news:

Local non-profit Park People seeks pilot ideas to rethink Toronto’s outdoor spaces (Globe and Mail)

Province moves ahead with pursuit of trains powered by hydrogen fuel cells for GO Transit (Toronto Star)

Advocates for Yonge Street bike lanes fail to impress Mayor John Tory (Inside Toronto)

Mayor Tory announces food discount aimed at increasing King St. foot traffic (Metro News)

Halton launches legal action to gain control over rail project (Toronto Star)

Problems With Trolley Shoes on Flexity Cars (Steve Munro)

A day in the life of a Scarborough transit commuter (Inside Toronto)

Global news from our sister site, SkyriseCities.com:

Summer Construction for Mixed-Use Development in Sydney Suburb (Sydney)

New Life for Century-Old Turner Dairy (Vancouver)

Seton Recreation Facility to Open in Early 2019 (Calgary)

Belvedere, Jasper Place, Castle Downs Transit Centres Undergoing Makeover (Edmonton)

The Government of Ontario is getting closer to determining whether hydrogen fuel-cell technology is a viable means to power GO Transit and Union Pearson Express trains—or whether the plan is just so much, well, gas. Kathryn McGarry, Ontario's new Minister of Transportation visited the MaRS Centre in Toronto this week to release the government's hydrogen rail (or "hydrail") feasibility study.

Metrolinx chief executive officer Phil at MaRS with Minister McGarry at right, image, Metrolinx

"The potential benefit of hydrogen fuel cells compared to overhead wires makes exploring hydrogen rail technology worthwhile. Our government is taking the next step in assessing how this important technology could work for our own transit system," she said.

She also announced that Ontario proposes developing prototype rail vehicles to pilot the technology.

The province plans to "electrify" its rail network by 2025 as it transforms GO from a commuter transit system to a regional rapid-transit system. In December, regional transportation agency Metrolinx engaged CH2M HILL Canada Limited (now Jacobs Engineering Group Inc.), Ernst & Young Orenda Corporate Finance Inc., and Canadian Nuclear Labor to examine the feasibility of building and operating electrified rail service with hydrogen-powered trains at a cost comparable to conventional electrification with overhead wires.

With regional express rail, Metrolinx would operate frequent all-day, every-day service along GO rail lines, image, Metrolinx

The study's authors investigated the scale of a hydrail system, its costs and safety, the implications of implementing this system—and its risks and opportunities.

A software simulation model used data such as the types of trains and service patterns. The model generated results that included the amount of hydrogen that the system would need every day and the costs to set up and operate the system.

The study determined that the technology was indeed technically feasible for the trains and that the overall costs of building and operating a hydrail system are equivalent to the more conventional overhead electrification system. A number of potentially beneficial opportunities would result if Metrolinx implements hydrail, instead of electrifying the rail network through the conventional overhead catenary system.

Those opportunities would allow Metrolinx to:

• start some electrified rail commuter services earlier than the 2025 target date;
• operate electrified rail services over the whole GO Transit network;
• share some of the costs with other users of hydrogen in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area; and
• be a catalyst for expanding businesses with a hydrogen-technology focus and creating high-skill jobs.

Metrolinx intends to elecrify UP Express and large parts of the GO rail network, image, Metrolinx

However, the study's authors also warn that implementing hydrail on this scale and complexity, while innovative and offering benefits, also presents a different set of risks, when compared to other methods of powering trains. No one has yet developed as large a hydrail service as the province and Metrolinx have proposed for Southern Ontario.

With hydrail, the study investigators conclude, Metrolinx can achieve the frequent, all-day, two-way GO train service pattern it proposes for 2025 if it also considers key design factors. The factors include:

• hydrail vehicles meet the expected power, range and reliability targets;
• refueling the vehicles is efficient to meet the daily service schedule of the entire rail network; and
• enough quantities of hydrogen are available to meet the daily needs of the system.

The map indicates the infrastructure Metrolinx would require with traditional overhead wiring on rail lines, image, Metrolinx

How would developing hydrail affect the network infrastructure, particularly rail vehicles? Currently, diesel engines power GO rail vehicles. A hydrogen fuel-cell locomotive would generate electricity to power the trains from hydrogen that is stored aboard the train.

Metrolinx plans to commission concept designs for such a locomotive and will then consider building a prototype that it could introduce into service on the GO Transit rail network. The prototype would gather valuable feedback on operations, performance, and reliability.

Alternatively, an electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the power that drives the train. An EMU requires no separate locomotive. Ontario is working with train manufacturers Alstom and Siemens to produce concept designs that incorporate hydrogen fuel cells into bi-level trains similar to those GO currently uses.

Alstom has piloted its Coradia iLint trains, powered by hydrogen fuel cells, in Germany, image, Alstom

Metrolinx also intends to engage a contractor to upgrade the GO network using a design-build-finance-operate-maintain (DBFOM) model. As part of the tender process, bidders can to propose both hydrail and overhead-wire technology to electrify the GO network. According to Metrolinx, the benefit of this DBFOM approach is it allows a single party to manage all inter-related decisions and oversee each phase of the process from design to maintenance. This makes sure that the entire system achieves optimal performance, which, in turn, can create efficiencies.

So, how would the system work? Electrolysis is the process of passing an electric current through water to split it back into hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrail system would likely use electrolysis to produce the hydrogen it needs to operate.

A hydrogen fuel cell requires hydrogen gas and air to function. Oxygen from the air and hydrogen—when combined inside the fuel cell—creates electricity, water and heat. The fuel cell separates a flow of electrons to an external circuit that creates the electrical current. The electricity then charges batteries that are connected to electric motors which power the train.

The proposed hydrail system integrates all the elements to enable the trains to operate, image, Metrolinx, Hydrogenics

Then-transportation minister Steven Del Duca first revealed that his government intended to explore the possibilities of hydrogen fuel-cell technology to power trains last June. Since then, Ontario has taken several steps with the project, including commissioning this study and hosting a major symposium examining the technology.

The feasibility study report concludes by encouraging Metrolinx to undertake more exploratory work to reduce risks and gain a better understanding of the beneficial opportunities. The study investigators recommend that it:

• continue to move forward with the hydrogen fuel-cell EMU and locomotive projects;
• begin developing designs for the refuelling and hydrogen-production systems;
• work with regulators to clarify the safety rules that will apply to the hydrail system;
• develop a framework for bid proposals that it can use as part of the DBFOM procurement process; and
• work with the Ontario government to develop a cross-government business case for hydrogen (including the hydrail system).

GO train on the Lakeshore West line near High Park in Toronto, image, Metrolinx

We will keep you updated as more information becomes available and as Metrolinx proceeds. Want to share your thoughts? Leave a comment in the space on this page, or add your voice to the ongoing conversation in our GO Electrification Forum thread.

Ryerson University's campus is expanding again, with construction well underway for the new Centre for Urban Innovation (CUI) at 44 Gerrard Street East. The Moriyama & Teshima-designed educational facility is adding a five-storey, 5,970 m² (64,260 ft²) building incorporating the retained facades of an 1886-built structure that was heavily altered in 1940, the heritage element incorporation now overseen by ERA Architects.

Ryerson Centre for Urban Innovation, image courtesy of Ryerson University

We last checked in on the project in May 2017, when the existing building had been gutted down to its exterior facades, and shoring work had begun to form the site's below-grade earth retention system. Following that, forming began with the installation of two tower cranes in Summer 2017, and much of it has since been completed: the project's shorter north volume is now nearing its final height, while the five-storey south volume is well on its way to a final height of 26.3 metres.

Ryerson Centre for Urban Innovation viewed from the northwest, image by Forum contributor steveve

Upon completion, the building will add 40,000 ft² of research and fabrication spaces for faculty and students conducting research on urban energy, infrastructure, transportation and logistics, urban water, food production and nutrition, as well as data analytics. These spaces will include functional programming for Ryerson's Centre for Urban Energy, Urban Water Institute, Food Research Lab, the Nutrition and Exercise Testing (NExT) Lab, and The Science Zone.

Construction of the Ryerson Centre for Urban Innovation, image via RyersonBuilds webcam

Designed to meet LEED Silver standards, the project—made possible through a $19.8 million investment from the federal government—is expected to be complete by September.

Additional information and images can be found in our database file for the project, linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Check out the associated Forum thread, or leave a comment using the field provided at the bottom of this page.

We have been keeping a close eye on the construction of Plaza and Berkeley's The Met, one of the pioneering condominium developments in Vaughan's emerging Downtown. We last checked in on the 35-storey, Quadrangle-designed condominium tower and townhome community in December, when forming had risen to P1 of the three-level underground parking garage. Since the start of 2018, much of the remaining areas of the P1 level have taken shape, and the first above-grade forming is now underway.

Facing south across the site of The Met in Vaughan, image by David Ackerman

The latest photos of the site, captured on Thursday afternoon, show that the first walls and columns have been poured for the tower's ground floor at the west end of the site, fronting Jane Street. Only a small section has risen above grade so far, though, with the bulk of the P1 level now formed, the footprints of the tower and townhome blocks should be evident in the coming weeks.

First signs of above grade work for The Met in Vaughan, image by David Ackerman

Though concrete is now visible to motorists passing the site on Jane Street, it will take some time before the tower begins to make its mark on the local skyline. Once complete, The Met will stand as the first high-rise residential development in Vaughan's Jane and 7 area since the 2015 and 2016 completions of Cortel's Expo City 1 & 2, and the first built since the 2017 opening of Vaughan Metropolitan Centre Station on the TTC's Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension project. 

Construction for The Met in Vaughan, image by David Ackerman

Additional density coming to the surrounding blocks will further fill out Vaughan's nascent downtown, including the already under-construction Nord East towers at Expo City, while to the west of The Met, Vaughan Centre PwC Tower/YMCA/Library and the SmartCentres Terminal will add even more office space, public space, and infrastructure to the growing node.

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

This instalment of our Growth To Watch For series picks up from where we left off, heading southwest on Kingston Road from Sheppard Avenue's eastern terminus, and reviewing the various projects along the way, whether under construction or working through the planning and approvals process. Now in Central Scarborough, we will follow a route moving west on Ellesmere Road with a short diversion onto Progress Avenue through Scarborough Town Centre, then sweeping back east on Lawrence, before returning back onto Kingston Road and passing through the Guildwood and Cliffside neighbourhoods. 

Central Scarborough as Outlined, image courtesy of Apple Maps

About 200 metres west of the 401, our first project is at 6480 Kingston Road, where a proposal for a subdivision was submitted to the City in early 2016. The plan for 9 single-detached houses and 3 townhouse units from developer Valmount and Richmond Hill-based firm Uni-Vative Designs was resubmitted in late 2017, and more recently has been appealed to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB). An OMB prehearing is scheduled to take place on June 18th. 

Elevation diagram, 6480 Kingston Road, image via submission to City of Toronto

Slightly to the east is where Ellesmere Road starts, so we'll double back and then follow it west to the University of Toronto's Scarborough Campus (UTSC). Much of the space on this growing campus is still open, while surface parking lots take up much land too. On the north side of the road at 3300 Ellesmere, a proposal to rezone part of one of the parking lots for a new student residence was submitted to the City in September, 2017. Very early in the planning process (it won't be bizarrely green like this!), the Kearns Mancini Archtects design for the 10-storey building will be refined. The building will provide 750 beds, while removing far less than 750 parking spaces, putting more students on campus in total.

UTSC Student Residence concept plan by Kearns Mancini Archtects

Where to teach the new students? Just to the south on Military Trail, construction is in full swing on the Perkins + Will-designed Highland Hall, expected to wrap up this year. The building will introduce new lecture halls, classrooms, offices, and student common space to the growing campus.

UTSC Highland Hall under construction, October 2017, image by Forum contributor Leo_Chan

West of UTSC, a privately-led plan to introduce new student housing for it (and Centennial College—it has a campus here too) at 3070 Ellesmere Road appears to have hit a snag. LeMine Investment Group broke ground on The Academy Condos back in December 2016, but construction of the 26-storey Kirkor Architects-designed tower aimed at students renting from investors never progressed any further. The project site—just west of Morningside Avenue—has sat abandoned ever since, with the project-branded hoarding also having since fallen into disrepair. UTSC and Centennial students sill need more housing in the area, so another firm could revive a plan here in the future.

Abandoned site of The Academy, September 2017, image via Google Street View

Further west along Ellesmere again, and just south on Markham Road, construction is well underway at the first phases of Lash Group of Companies' ME Living Condos. Construction for the Turner Fleischer Architects-designed initial phases will continue throughout 2018. The whole community will eventually include 7 new buildings and well over 1,000 residential units.

Construction at ME Living Condos, October 2017, image by Forum contributor OneCity

A new phase continues to work its way through the planning and approvals process. Originally proposed at a height of 39 storeys, the plan was refused by the City and resubmitted at a 34-storey height last year.

Next phase of ME Living Condos, image via submission to City of Toronto

North of Ellesmere on the west side of Markham Road, the former parking lot of the Global Kingdom Ministries Church is being redeveloped with a 29 and 27-storey tower life-lease seniors' community called Trinity Ravine Towers. Construction of the development's first phase—designed by Reinders + Rieder—commenced in October, and work here will continue throughout 2018.

Trinity Ravine Towers ground breaking, image courtesy of TCGPR

Returning to Ellesmere and moving west of Bellamy, a proposal dating all the way back to 1995 was revived in 2017. The plan for 1744 Ellesmere Road seeks Site Plan Approval (SPA) for a 13-storey mixed-use building by CGL Architects, containing 150 affordable housing units and ground floor commercial. Following the May 2017 resubmission, the plan is now under review by City Staff.

1744 Ellesmere Road, image via submission to City of Toronto

Continuing west to Grangeway Avenue, we turn north, and dip under the east en of the Scarborough RT line. On the left side of the road, a pre-application plan by Gates of Scarborough Town Centre Inc—a subsidiary of the Goldman Group—calls for six towers constructed on two shared podiums measuring 34, 35, 45, 48, 50, and 52 storeys in height on a site formerly owned by Build Toronto. The Richmond Architects-designed plan for 120 Grangeway Avenue faced the Design Review Panel (DRP) in mid-2017, where it was met with criticism from panel members. We expect to see further refinements and a possible application to the City this year.

Rendering of 120 Grangeway, image courtesy of the Goldman Group

Turning east on Progress Avenue, one property along on the south side we come to the site of 675 Progress. A 7-building development by SvN Architects + Planners was approved for the site by the OMB in 2016, and the A.G. Simpson metal stamping plant occupying the site was demolished in late 2017. With approvals in place and the site cleared, there is a good chance we'll see the start of shoring and excavation happen this year.

Rendering of 675 Progress Ave, image courtesy of SvN Architects+Planners

Directly across the street from 675 Progress, a late 2017 proposal from Fieldgate Homes seeks to redevelop 670-690 Progress Ave with a collection of towers designed by TACT Architecture, reaching heights of 48, 35, 28, 26, 23, 14, and 14 storeys. The project's applications for rezoning and subdivision approval are currently under review by City staff, and a public consultation meeting is expected to take place in Q1 2019.

670 Progress Avenue, image via submission to City of Toronto

Moving west along Progress we cross McCowan Avenue and the site of the proposed Scarborough Centre Subway Station, we pass around Scarborough Town Centre, and then soon arrive at Brimley Road, where another large multi-tower development for the area, known as Brimley & Progress Towers, is planned by Atria Development and designed by A & Associates Architects. The proposal, seeking towers with heights of 36, 39, 44, and 47 storeys, containing a total of 1,591 residential units, was approved via settlement in an OMB decision dated October 25th.

Looking southwest to Brimley & Progress Towers, image courtesy of Atria Development

Moving south, we find ourselves at Ellesmere Road again. Here on the northeast corner, Zoning Bylaw Amendment (ZBA) and SPA applications were submitted to the City in November 2017 for a development by called Galaxy Condos. The 15-storey project from Galaxy Communities is designed by TACT Architecture, and is proposed to contain 262 residential units, with retail at grade.

Looking northwest to Galaxy Condos, designed by TACT Architecture for Galaxy Communities

We turn west again on Ellesmere Road and continue over 3 kilometres to Warden Avenue, before dipping south roughly 3 more kilometres to arrive to the site of 971 Warden Avenue. This 2016 plan for 27 single-detached houses by Turner Fleischer Architects was revised last year, resulting in a November 2017 resubmission for ZBA, now seeking 26 units. The plan is still under review by City staff.

971 Warden Avenue, image via submission to the City of Toronto

Doubling back just over a kilometre to the north, we reach Lawrence Avenue, and then head east to Birchmount Road, where VHL Developments' completed first phase 2150 Condos project is being joined by the second 19-storey second phase by architects Master Building Inc. Phase two of the development will be under construction throughout 2018, to be followed by a final 19-storey third phase in the future.

2150 Phase 2 as seen in September 2017, image via Google Street View

On the opposite side of Birchmount, a project formerly known as evo Condos + Towns was submitted to the City in early 2016 by Lalu Canada. The evo plan was dropped, however, and an updated plan was resubmitted last year. Now known by its address of 2180 Lawrence, the Kohn Partnership Architects-designed project would consist of 4, 7, and 21-storey buildings with a combined 288 residential condominium units. With the plan now under review by City staff, a public meeting at Community Council is being targeted for Q2 2018. 

Massing model for 2180 Lawrence, image via submission to the City of Toronto

Continuing east on Lawrence, we cross over the Scarborough RT and Stouffville GO Line before arriving at the expansive grounds of 1380 Midland Avenue. Currently occupied by 3 slab-style apartment towers from the 1970s and plenty of vacant greenspace, a Quadrangle-designed proposal for Arsandco aims to redevelop unused space with nine new buildings—fitting in six towers and three mid-rise buildings among the existing buildings—the new ones ranging in height from 8 to 27 storeys tall. The proposal has been appealed to the OMB, though no hearings have been scheduled yet.

Rendering of 1380 Midland Avenue, image courtesy of Quadrangle Architects

Just over one block to the north on Midland Avenue, the TDSB's Bendale Business and Technical Institute, along with David and Mary Thomson Collegiate Institute are being rebuilt into one new school at the current Bendale BTI site. Ground was broken for the new four-storey building in June 2017 to the rear of the existing school, which will remain operational until the new facility's completion in September 2019. The new facility will accommodate 1,500 students from grade 9 to 12. 

Bendale Business and Technical Institute and David/Mary Thomson Collegiate Institute ground breaking, image via TDSB

Returning to Lawrence, on the first block to the east there is a plan to redevelop a single-storey commercial building at 2655 Lawrence Ave East. It evolved in 2017 with a ZBA resubmission that included many revisions, now seeking zoning for two towers with heights of 18 and 28 storeys, and providing 412 condominium units. The new plan is designed by Scott Shields Architects, replacing the previous iteration by Stevens Burgess Architects.

2655 Lawrence Ave East, image via submission to City of Toronto

Just over 7 kilometres to the east, we arrive at the Collinsgrove Road and turn north, arriving at Kingston Road. Just east of Collingsgrove on Kingston, Mutual Development Corporation's plan for 4569 Kingston Road underwent some changes in 2017 culminating in a resubmission for SPA. The previous 2016 design for a 12-storey mixed-use condo by Onespace Unlimited has been replaced with an 11-storey design by Kohn Partnership Architects, containing 265m² retail space at grade and 101 condominium units above. The new plan is under review by City staff.

4569 Kingston Road, image via submission to the City of Toronto

Now we begin heading southwest on Kingston Road, arriving shortly after at the site of Your Home Development's SweetLife Condominiums. The Onespace Unlimited-designed proposal at 4434 Kingston Road was resubmitted for SPA last year, and then again in January, 2018 to finalize details for the 3 and 6-storey buildings with 120 condominium and townhome units. With the project in sales and building permit applications filed in late 2017, this project should begin construction this year.

Rendering of Sweetlife Condos + Towns, image courtesy of Your Home Developments

Just west of Galloway Road on Kingston, an SPA application was filed in July 2017 for a property at 4206 Kingston Road. The plan from Time Development Group calls for three buildings by architects AJ Tregebov, each rising three storeys and containing a combined total of 17 stacked back-to-back townhouse units. Now under review by City staff, we expect to learn more details about the project this year.

Elevation diagrams for 4206 Kingston Road, image via submission to City of Toronto

Doubling back and turning south onto Galloway Road, we continue to Guildwood Parkway, where we turn west. 2017 saw the opening of the revitalized Guild Inn Estate, a $20 million event venue conversion and addition by Dynamic Hospitality and Entertainment Group, and designed by Queen's Quay Architects International and Giancarlo Garofalo Architect. Following on the heels of the first phase, a proposal was submitted last year for the estate's "Building 191." The application for SPA—currently under review by City staff— seeks to expand the existing structure with a three-storey rear addition by Taylor Hazell Architects for future use as The Clark Centre for the Arts. 

Clark Centre for the Arts, image via submission to City of Toronto

Following Guildwood Parkway west, we eventually ascend an inland section of the Scarborough Bluffs, arrive back on Kingston Road, and turn west again. At 3655 Kingston Road, Hazelton Development's The Guildwood has been subject to a few resubmissions since the conclusion of last year's Growth To Watch For article. The Gabriel Bodor Architect-designed condominium development has been approved for 8 storeys with 99 condominium units, a reduction from the 10-storey, 112-unit plan we reviewed last year. Sales for the project are now underway, the City is reviewing he SPA, and building permits were filed for late last year, all meaning that this project should begin construction in 2018.

Earlier rendering of The Guildwood, image via submission to the City of Toronto

Directly across Kingston Road is Markington Square, a large suburban plaza at the eastern terminus of Eglinton Avenue. At the time of last year's Growth To Watch For article, City Council had recently placed a Holding Provision on site as plans for the development of new roads and other services are worked out prior to a phased redevelopment of parts of the site. No news has materialized since the Holding Provision was put in place, though we'll be sure to keep an eye out for movement.

Two blocks north of Markington Square on Markham Road, a proposal from mid-2016 seeks permission up to 13 low and mid-rise residential buildings designed by RAW Design to a Build Toronto-owned site at 253 Markham. The proposal for OPA and ZBA remained idle in 2017, and no new information has become available so far in 2018.

Rendering of 253 Markham Road, image via submission to the City of Toronto

Back onto Kingston Road, an application for SPA was submitted in early 2016 for a stacked townhouse development by Time Development Group at 3310 Kingston Road where it meets Mason Road. Designed by AJ Tregebov, the project called Opal Urban Towns was resubmitted for ZBA in June 2017, taking a step back from the previous application for SPA. The new plan calls for 101 condominium units, a reduction from the previous 104, along with other revisions. The on-site sales centre also appears to have closed and been fenced off last year, presumably on pause as a result of the revised planning application.

Revised elevations for Opal Urban Towns, image via submission to City of Toronto

A block further west where St. Clair Avenue East ends, the site at 2815 Kingston Road was partially cleared last year, with additional demolition permits filed early this year. Here, Skale Developments is advancing a project called The Bluffs through the planning and approvals process. An SPA submission from January 2016 for a 9 storey, RAW-designed mixed-use condo with 182 units and ground level retail evolved again in late 2017 with a resubmission. The updated plan implements a series of minor revisions, now under review by city staff. With sales for the project well along, construction permits were filed for this month, pointing to an imminent start.

Looking east toward The Bluffs condo, image courtesy of Skale Developments

Further southwest on Kingston Road, construction of VHL Developments' Haven on the Bluffs Condos topped out at 11 storeys last year. The 250-unit Master Building Inc-designed development is expected to wrap up construction in the Cliffside Village area later this year. While renderings of the project indicated that a brick-type cladding would be used on the lower levels of the building, apparent stucco finishes and an application before the City to revise the exterior cladding, the final look of the building remains unclear.

Haven on the Bluffs as seen in November 2017, image by Forum contributor Eug

Another couple of blocks southwest, a fork in Kingston Road brings us to Highview Avenue, which we follow for just shy of 200 metres before arriving at the quiet two-lane terminus of Kennedy Road. 2.5 kilometres to the north on Kennedy, we find the next development on our route, a proposed mid-rise residential building from Harplin Inc. at 599 Kennedy Road. Designed by Architecture Unfolded, the plan for an 8-storey residential building with 29 units would replace a small commercial building immediately north of the Pine Hills Cemetery. The plan was appealed to the OMB in 2017, though no hearings have been scheduled yet. 

599 Kennedy Road, image via submission to City of Toronto

Immediately north this proposal, the single-storey Corvette Plaza at 611-631 Kennedy Road has survived another year. A 2012 proposal for a 10-storey, 110-unit mixed-use residential building by Cando Properties and Icon Architects was approved in 2013. Years after approval, no follow-up submissions have been made, the retail plaza remains open, and no signs of redevelopment exist besides aging City notification boards.

From here, we are going to turn around and proceed south to Danforth Road, turning to the southwest again, and positioning us for our next instalment, taking us into The Danforth, The Beaches, and Leslieville.

+ + +

That's a wrap on this instalment of Growth To Watch For. Stay tuned as there are still plenty more areas yet to cover in the instalments yet to come throughout February and March. In the meantime, feel free to check out the database files below where you can find additional information for the listed projects. Want to share your thoughts on some of these projects? You can join in the ongoing conversations in the associated Forum threads, or you can comment in the space provided on this page.

Today's Photo of the Day takes us high above Mississauga for a view of the city's growing Downtown. Captured by drone and submitted to our Forum by contributor Jasonzed, this southwest-facing view shows the contrast between the city's low-density subdivisions and high-rise residential towers. Cityzen Development Group and Fernbrook Homes' Absolute World remain the tallest of the bunch, with the MAD architects-designed towers standing 56 and 50 storeys above the Hurontario Street and Burnhamthorpe Road intersection.

Aerial view of Downtown Mississauga, image by Forum contributor Jasonzed

Want to see your work featured as Photo of the Day? Head over to the City Photos & Videos section of the Forum, or submit your images to our Instagram or UrbanToronto Flickr Pool for your chance to be featured on our Front Page. 

Del Duca attempted to win approval for two more GO stations that were rejected by Metrolinx; Councillors turn down requests to build two condo towers on Broadview; Co-operative programs create strong base of public art; and more news:

WALKABOUT: Instagrammable sights in Toronto's Distillery Historic District (Inside Toronto)

From ‘barely surviving’ to thriving: Ontario basic income recipients report less stress, better health (Toronto Star)

The 519: A Toronto community centre in the crossfire (Globe and Mail)

Del Duca attempted to win approval for two more GO stations that were rejected by Metrolinx (Toronto Star)

Councillors turn down requests to build two condo towers on Broadview (Inside Toronto)

Quick, before it melts: ice sculptures take over Yorkville (Toronto Star)

Initiative aims to drum up interest in King Street theatre from area residents (Metro News)

Co-operative programs create strong base of public art (Toronto Star)

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WOHA Completes First Project in Taiwan (Taipei)

Bosa Development to Give New Westminster a New Tallest (Vancouver)

Saks Fifth Avenue Arrives at CF Chinook Centre (Calgary)

Symphony Tower Closes in on Final Height (Edmonton)

A cavernous pit is taking shape in South Etobicoke's Humber Bay Shores community, where Mattamy Homes and the Biddington Group's Vita on the Lake and Vita Two On The Lake will soon rise to heights of 53 and 16 storeys. The Graziani + Corazza Architects-designed condominium towers will be served by a 180-metre long, 922-space underground parking garage, reaching a depth of six levels.

Facing south across the Vita/Vita 2 site, image by Craig White

We last checked in on the site just over a month ago, when installation of the site's tandem pile and lagging and caisson wall shoring systems by Deep Foundations had recently wrapped up, and the first signs of excavation were apparent. Crews from Michael Bros. Excavation continue to dig deeper into the soil and rock, and the pit now extends three levels below grade at its deepest point in the northwest corner.

Facing southwest across the Vita/Vita 2 site, image by Craig White

A closer look reveals the meeting point between the site's pile and lagging and caisson wall shoring systems. Steel soldier piles and horizontal timber lagging form the aptly named pile and lagging system, while poured concrete walls mark the location of the caisson wall system. The less expensive pile and lagging system is being used at the northwest end of the site where underground water is not an issue, while the caisson wall system is employed to hold back both water and earth, where the water table demands.

Caisson wall (L) and pile and lagging (R) shoring systems, image by Craig White

The pit will eventually be extended at each end in following phases. At the southeast end of the site, currently occupied by the presentation centre and associated surface parking lot, the next phase of excavation will account for roughly one-third of the site's footprint and will allow Vita Two to proceed. To the northwest, the last phase of excavation will extend the garage under a future commercial building forting Lake Shore Boulevard, an area that is currently occupied by construction trailers.

Facing north at the Vita/Vita 2 site, showing the location of the second phase of excavation, image by Craig White

Additional information and images are available in the projects' database files, 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.