Five (5 St. Joseph, Graywood/Mod, 48s, Hariri Pontarini, ERA Architects)

[Automation Gallery]

Also, the whole process is a scam on the people who buy the condo - what if you bought what you thought was the penthouse floor (and the paid the premium) only to find out you know have 5 floors above you?

In these instances, it's doubtful the extra floors requested are ever added to the top.

[Chris_Hull]

Supertalls are too expensive to build and there aren't many locations left to build one, good planning doesn't happen with a 100 storey building full of tiny apartments.
Where in the world do you get the ridiculous idea that people don't want to live east of Yonge? Are you kidding?! Between Yonge & the parklands west of the Don River there are tons of great neighbourhoods in which to live. Over the next few decades (presuming Toronto doesn't become the next Detroit or Buffalo) new Toronto will be built east of Yonge over at the Portlands/Lower Don etc. (that's also east of Yonge).
Take a walk one day & discover what your missing.
As for Five, I say give them another five floors and milk them for section 37 funds.

I agree with you that developers should build more spacious two bedrooms or even three bedrooms instead of tiny studios and try to reduce price psf. However, I still believe more supertalls should be allowed to be built in Yonge west since in the future more and more people would like to work and live in downtown core, and some young couples may raise their kids in downtown Toronto as well. Therefore, in terms of long run prospective, our city should allow developers build more supertalls, and in terms of those developers, please build more two br and three br suites!

[Chris_Hull]

West downtown is probably nicer than east downtown, but the statement was no one wants to live east of Yonge. There are plus's and minuses on both sides downtown east and west of Yonge. Downtown east gets a bad rap because of St. Jamestown, lower Sherbourne and Regent Park, and St. Jamestown isn't that bad at all save for a few really rundown and crime ridden buildings. Many buildings in St. Jamestown are affordable, have good sized apartments and close to two subway stations.

Sorry guys, I should revise my words in order to avoid some disputes here. Traditionally Yonge st. west is more attractive compared to Yonge st. east and therefore more people would like to seek a suite in the Yonge st. west.

[Chris_Hull]

In these instances, it's doubtful the extra floors requested are ever added to the top.

Yes, and if these floors are inserted to the middle of the building, it won't harm any buyers' interest.

[dt_toronto_geek]

Its high enough at this location. The bylaw was significantly amended to allow for the increased height and denisty after signficant community consultations and planning department input and local councilor support. I think its an abuse of process for developers to then come after the fact to ask for more floors purely because of "market demand" by making a request for a minor variance at the committee of adjustment - thats not what the purpose of minor variance requests were for. Also, the whole process is a scam on the people who buy the condo - what if you bought what you thought was the penthouse floor (and the paid the premium) only to find out you know have 5 floors above you? If it is at the OMB< they will probably will win as the OMB is notorious for being pro development.

Yes, it's the OMB. I don't disagree with anything you state above marsh, I'd rather see KWT get section 37 funds for the neighbourhood than a green-light from the OMB and no money.

[Automation Gallery]

Yes, it's the OMB. I don't disagree with anything you state above marsh, I'd rather see KWT get section 37 funds for the neighbourhood than a green-light from the OMB and no money.

Section 37 is all sketchy and shady between the city and developers (trade-off height, for perks and money) Sorry, i rather have the OMB settle it.

[dt_toronto_geek]

What is sketchy or shady about negotiating funds from a developer in exchange for more height who will make plenty of extra profit for a given project with the height increase? They already get their building approved at often dozens of times the allowable density so now they pay if they want even more. Everything is above board and the section 37 funds are used to improve neighbourhoods by improving infrastructure, beautification, park improvements, community centres and on & on. Sounds like a win-win to me. Going to the OMB benefits only the developer.

[Chris_Hull]

how's the construction going now?

[Automation Gallery]

618 YONGE ST, 5-9 ST JOSEPH ST, 15-25 ST NICHOLAS ST
File Number: A0850/11TEY Zoning CR T3.0 C2.0 R3.0 (Waiver) Ward: Toronto Centre-Rosedale
Property Address: 608-618 YONGE ST, Community: Toronto 5-9 ST JOSEPH ST, 15-25 ST NICHOLAS ST
Legal Description: PLAN 192E LOTS 1 TO 3 RP2904 PART 1 PT PART 2
PURPOSE OF THE APPLICATION:
To modify a previously approved re-development plan for the construction of a mixed use building of 45 storeys to a mixed use building of 48 storeys.

REQUESTED VARIANCES TO THE ZONING BY-LAW:

1. Section 4, Site Specific By-law 1201-2009 The maximum permitted residential gross floor area is 37,100 m2. The residential gross floor area will be 38,200 m2.

2. Section 4, Site Specific By-law 1201-2009 The maximum permitted residential gross floor area and non-residential gross floor area is 39,000 m2. The combined residential and non-residential gross floor area will be 40,000 m2 .

3. Section 4, Site Specific By-law 1201-2009 The building is required to be located within the heavy lines delineated on Map 2 of By-law 1201-2009. Portions of the building will be located outside the heavy lines delineated on Map 2 of By-law 12012009. The building will be located within the areas delineated by heavy lines on Revised Map 2, with the exception of permitted projections beyond such lines.

4. Section 4, Site Specific By-law 1201-2009 The building is required to be within the height limits indicated on Map 2 of By-law 1201-2009. Portions of the building will exceed the height limits indicated on Map 2 of the By-Law. The building will be within the height limits indicated on Revised Map 2.

5. Section 4, By-law 438-86, as amended The minimum required number of parking spaces to be provided is 320 (287 resident spaces and 33 visitor spaces). Decision Number A0914/10TEY permitted a reduction in the amount of parking required from 294 spaces to 200 spaces. In this case, 200 parking spaces will be provided (190 resident spaces and 10 visitor spaces).

[thecharioteer]

618 YONGE ST, 5-9 ST JOSEPH ST, 15-25 ST NICHOLAS ST
File Number: A0850/11TEY Zoning CR T3.0 C2.0 R3.0 (Waiver) Ward: Toronto Centre-Rosedale
Property Address: 608-618 YONGE ST, Community: Toronto 5-9 ST JOSEPH ST, 15-25 ST NICHOLAS ST
Legal Description: PLAN 192E LOTS 1 TO 3 RP2904 PART 1 PT PART 2
PURPOSE OF THE APPLICATION:
To modify a previously approved re-development plan for the construction of a mixed use building of 45 storeys to a mixed use building of 48 storeys.

REQUESTED VARIANCES TO THE ZONING BY-LAW:

1. Section 4, Site Specific By-law 1201-2009 The maximum permitted residential gross floor area is 37,100 m2. The residential gross floor area will be 38,200 m2.

2. Section 4, Site Specific By-law 1201-2009 The maximum permitted residential gross floor area and non-residential gross floor area is 39,000 m2. The combined residential and non-residential gross floor area will be 40,000 m2 .

3. Section 4, Site Specific By-law 1201-2009 The building is required to be located within the heavy lines delineated on Map 2 of By-law 1201-2009. Portions of the building will be located outside the heavy lines delineated on Map 2 of By-law 12012009. The building will be located within the areas delineated by heavy lines on Revised Map 2, with the exception of permitted projections beyond such lines.

4. Section 4, Site Specific By-law 1201-2009 The building is required to be within the height limits indicated on Map 2 of By-law 1201-2009. Portions of the building will exceed the height limits indicated on Map 2 of the By-Law. The building will be within the height limits indicated on Revised Map 2.

5. Section 4, By-law 438-86, as amended The minimum required number of parking spaces to be provided is 320 (287 resident spaces and 33 visitor spaces). Decision Number A0914/10TEY permitted a reduction in the amount of parking required from 294 spaces to 200 spaces. In this case, 200 parking spaces will be provided (190 resident spaces and 10 visitor spaces).

The variances were approved by the Committee of Adjustment on Wednesday.

[marsh]

I heard $900,000 in Section 37 funds was ngegotiated as part of the approval of the variances.

[Ramako]

Any word on whether they're squeezing the additional floors into the existing envelope or adding additional height instead?

[Therion]

Section 4 is pretty vague but seems like they have increased the height from the previous approval.

[Automation Gallery]

I heard $900,000 in Section 37 funds was ngegotiated as part of the approval of the variances.

Whats up, with that amount, i thought councilor Tam was going for that cool million a floor..lol

[ThomasJ]

Any word on whether they're squeezing the additional floors into the existing envelope or adding additional height instead?

additional height.