TORONTO | Highrise Developments Compilation Thread

[neilioo]

Originally Posted by Canadian Mind

yea, hence they "old and grey" print it comes in.

screw sapphire and build something else. Only thing it had going was size.

im tired of this kind of bullcrap...anyone who didnt like sapphire seems to think everyone els hated it to, there were MANY people who absolutely loved the design.

[bhbhbh]

i only didn't like the top ball thing with spire, the rest of it was good

[SSLL]

From: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl...nment/Ontario/
________________________

Cathedraltown: suburbia with a twist
Architect who led Westminster Abbey restoration guides Markham project

JOHN BENTLEY MAYS
It's hardly news that the town-planning fashion called "new urbanism" -- with its emphasis on gracious, walkable boulevards and old-fashioned streetscapes -- is taking firm root in suburbs across North America. Of more interest, however, are the surprising things that happen when this philosophy hits the ground.

Take Cathedraltown, a 2,000-unit residential project now under construction in the Toronto suburb of Markham. Like U.S. developments executed under the rubric of new urbanism, Cathedraltown intends to defy monotonous sprawl and feature a mix of homes and shops, live/work spaces and offices, all within walking distance of each other. It's to be a pleasant blend of the ingredients, in other words, that make up any successful town.

But livability is where the comparison of Cathedraltown with American models ends. The U.S. versions of new urbanism seek to evoke small Southern towns at the turn of the 20th century, with their white frame façades, sociable porches, Fourth of July picnics and so forth. In sharp contrast to that brand of nostalgia, Cathedraltown offers its own: 19th-century European this time, with robust little buildings standing proudly around a central square dominated by a great church.

I suspect that everyone who's been up the 404 between Toronto and Newmarket has seen the church at the heart of the Cathedraltown scheme. It's the imposing, baroque Cathedral of the Transfiguration, rising from a pasture just east of the expressway, which was begun in the early 1980s by late industrialist Stephen Roman on his Markham property. (The interior of this structure, which Mr. Roman meant to be the mother church of Canada's 30,000 Eastern-Rite Slovak Catholics, is still incomplete.)

As explained to me by Helen Roman-Barber, who is developing Cathedraltown on the site of her father's cattle ranch, the project will introduce a strong grid of through streets lined, in the cathedral quarter, by mixed-use buildings up to six storeys tall. A straight high street, with shops and services, will extend westward from the church toward the 404. Shorter structures, mainly residential, will dot the grid as it falls away from the cathedral, creating an attractive, staged transition from high and ceremonial -- the church's golden domes are as tall as 20-storey buildings -- to the intimate scale of two-storey residences. A low-shouldered lake, now under construction, will provide further counterpoint and visual balance to the soaring church.

Cathedraltown is more, of course, than an attempt to replicate an old-world plan on new-world soil. To help with the fashioning of the project's stylistic look, Mrs. Roman-Barber has commandeered the talents of a somewhat unlikely designer: Donald Buttress, senior partner in the British firm Buttress Fuller Alsop Williams, and from 1988 to 1999, the official architect of Westminster Abbey. Dr. Buttress's best-known architectural work so far has been the restoration of the abbey's famous and magnificent west front -- not exactly the kind of thing you'd expect to find in the résumé of a designer of suburban houses on Ontario farmland.

But Mrs. Roman-Barber has large ambitions for Cathedraltown. Drawings by Dr. Buttress on the development's website show a dignified, compact town centre, with august Georgian buildings topped by domes and spires echoing the towers of Transfiguration cathedral. One cannot imagine a Blockbuster outlet in such a serious place, let alone a Mac's Milk store. It will look more like a Cambridge college than anything I've ever seen on the outskirts of town.

Will Cathedraltown work as a living community? We'll get an answer when it is built out and complete, some five years from now (if all goes according to the developer's ambitious timetable). There are reasons to be cautious, however, having to do with the portion of Cathedraltown that's largely finished and now being occupied.

There, on the northern edge of the project, the high style and period flair Dr. Buttress has lavished on the future town centre is largely absent. The note struck by the variously designed houses along the avenues -- the street names, by the way, come from prize-winning heifers and bulls raised by Mr. Roman -- is Georgian or early Victorian: sturdy, dressed-down, businesslike. To work as an urban form, Georgian needs oomph and big-city attitude it doesn't have here. And the developer's neglect of retail -- even a milk store -- in this part of the project means that, so far, Cathedraltown is looking a lot like the monoform, car-dependent suburbia it's trying so hard not to become.

Though I am usually dismayed by architectural nostalgia of any kind, I'll be watching the rollout of Cathedraltown with interest. The Georgianism and Europeanism of it all is surely part of the marketing strategy, but I find the approach -- as expressed in Dr. Buttress's sketches -- to be more earnest and principled than mere salesmanship. Cathedraltown is suburbia with an engaging twist -- hence its durable interest to everyone fascinated by what's new out on the ever-evolving city's edge.

[Maldive]

No mention of Phase 3 of Murano in this thread?. 48 storeys across Bay street from phase one and two under construction (maintains the heritage Addison facade as part of the podium).

What a city. Any place else a 48s tower would be worthy news!

[icescraper]

I don't want to be a party pooper but I'm guessing we will see a Trump redesign at some point. May I suggest a 750 ft 55 floor ultra luxury hotel without many large suites? Trump's tower is in a great spot for accommodating the mon-fri executive crowd but who wants to be in the finanical core on the week end? - Ice

[neilioo]

Originally Posted by icescraper

I don't want to be a party pooper but I'm guessing we will see a Trump redesign at some point. May I suggest a 750 ft 55 floor ultra luxury hotel without many large suites? Trump's tower is in a great spot for accommodating the mon-fri executive crowd but who wants to be in the finanical core on the week end? - Ice

uumm, no i highly doubte we will..why on earth would they re-design it to 750ft???

[icescraper]

Originally Posted by neilioo

uumm, no i highly doubte we will..why on earth would they re-design it to 750ft???

They need to reduce square footage by approximately a third to make project viable. Nobodies going to start construction on such a major condo project in this city without 65% dollar value sold. I've heard figures from 40% to 50% value sold depending on "creative?" accounting however these numbers haven't seemed moved much in the last year. Now that Ritz construction is pseudo started and sales to open soon on other proven major luxury hotel groups, I don't really see any reason why Trump sales should pick up. Hey, I would love to see this tower built. It would be good for Toronto not to mention the skyline but things see kind of quiet over there.- ice

If anybody's heard anything positive about this one recently speak up.

[WhipperSnapper]

this project will either be built as is or be cancelled. I highly doubt it would be scaled down in order to meet pre-sales construction targets - profit margins rarely work that way

[bhbhbh]

i think that they may consider makeing some of the luxury condo's smaller so they can be cheaper.

[icescraper]

Originally Posted by goodlookin'

this project will either be built as is or be cancelled. I highly doubt it would be scaled down in order to meet pre-sales construction targets - profit margins rarely work that way

Problem is they've invested millions into sales and advertising. Nobodies going to walk away from that. Additionally they've secured the land, total cost I've heard for 40 million (I don't know under what type of agreement). Finally 200 million in sales on any other project is a winner. Problem is its close to a 500 million dollar building. They won't walk away from it, they won't lower the square foot price. Either they have to sell the units (something they haven't had much success at lately) or scale back. Love the building but just being realistic. I give it a 1 in 3 chance it will be built as currently planned. - ice

[WHISTLERINMUSKOKA]

Some new images of a few projects taken by Cassius over on urbantoronto Aug 30th 2006.

Spire


RoCP 1


Met


Metropolis


Ryerson

[thenewsupastar]

I like Spire. very simple and sleek.

[Maldive]

Agreed Supa. Some times re-interpreting the basic geometrics in a classy fashion is enough. No gaudy add-ons required.

[icescraper]

Spire looks amazing! Its hard to believe this one was once a slow seller. - ice

[Gunner]

Toronto is currently going through, primarily condos but office buildings are now on the rise right also. It is estimated that a condo is sold every 4 minutes in Toronto, which if you do the math is quite staggering.

Trump Tower Toronto - 324m / 1066ft


College Park 3 - 75 floors


1 Bloor East - 219m / 718ft


Bay-Adelaide Centre - 218m / 715ft


Signature - 218m / 715ft


Shangri-La - 214m / 702ft


Ritz-Carlton - 213m / 699 ft


Four Seasons - 193m / 633ft


Hummingbird Centre - 189m / 620ft


Maple Leafs Sqaure - 186m / 610ft


RBC Centre - 185m / 607ft


Quantum North - 160m / 525ft


Telus Tower - 160m / 525ft


The Uptown Residence - 158m / 518ft


Festival Tower - 157m / 515ft


Residence of College Park 1 - 154m / 505ft


Spire - 145m / 476ft


Casa - 138m / 453ft


Pinnacle Centre 3 - 137m / 450ft


X - 137m / 450ft


West One - 136m / 446ft


Montage - 131m / 430ft


The Met - 127m / 417ft


Crystal Blu - 126m / 413ft


Verve - 120m / 393ft


Quantum South - 118m / 387ft


18 Yonge - 117m / 384ft


M5VLife - 116m / 381ft


N1 - 114m / 374ft


Murano North - 113m / 370ft


London on the Esplanade - 109m / 358ft


Accolade


Platinum XO


500 Sherbourne 107m / 350ft



One Saint Thomas - 106m / 347ft


Infinity East Tower


One Bedford - 100m / 328ft


Pure Spirit


The Victory - 94m / 308ft


Eq2


Malibu


Breeze


Grand Triomphe


Canada Life


Rosewood


22 Condominiums


The Forest Hill


Hudson


Element


Quay at West Tip Top


Panache Condominiums


Rosewood 2


CCBR


The Rockefeller on Bay


Minto Gardens


Boutique Condos


88 on Broadway


900 Mount Pleasant


The Avenue


Dia


Saint Gabriels Village 1 & 2


MaRS Discovery District


The Pointe


2077 LakeShore West


The Lotus


One City Hall


Promenade Park


Neo


W Hotel


Morrison Hall



Honestly I could keep on going but we'll stop right there . There is a whole list of buildings with a render also.

[Gunner]

Screw this being moved!!! No one looks at this thread but Torontonians.

[Tony]

Canada Life and CCBR are completed.

I don't think the Pointe is in existance anymore.

The Rockefeller on Bay? If you're referring to Rockefeller as part of the Daniels Development in North York, it's pretty well done too.

[Tony]

Originally Posted by Gunner

Screw this being moved!!! No one looks at this thread but Torontonians.

So?

[Gunner]

Originally Posted by Tony

Canada Life and CCBR are completed.

I don't think the Pointe is in existance anymore.

The Rockefeller on Bay? If you're referring to Rockefeller as part of the Daniels Development in North York, it's pretty well done too.

Gee im sorry its not 100% perfect, there are like 80 buildings there. The Rockefeller is meant to say on Bayview not Bay.

[Jonovision]

So has anything actually been released about ROCP 3?