Toronto RBC WaterPark Place III | 140.2m | 30s | Oxford Properties | WZMH

No one is against getting the jobs downtown, but there is still the question as to whether we want something this dull on the waterfront. While it is not specifically ugly, I expect that the Design Review Panel will want some refinements to the design.

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interchange42 said:
While it is not specifically ugly, I expect that the Design Review Panel will want some refinements to the design.
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I agree, maybe a tweak here and there, but i dont see this tower looking any worst than the other office towers recently built down at Southcore.
And also it will be nice to see that York street off-ramp redirected and eliminated...hopefully they turn that space into a nice park.
 
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Does anyone knows how much taller than WP II it would be? As I live at 33 HSq. /most hated building here/, I am more affected than anyone else. My view is gonna get totally f***** up.
 
If they are not going for height, could they at least have designed it to thematically go with the rest of the complex? It doesn't have to be exactly the same, but at least try to do a 21st Century take on Po-Mo. Sheesh!
 
this is an outstanding location... you'd think they could spring for something bigger and prettier, and line up tenants that will surely come later. but whatever, i'd rather have an old lady in a shoe on that site than that parking lot right now. it really hurts the entire area
 
I was hoping an interesting design would be the case for this office tower, or at least a replica of the first two towers (I like PoMo and equivalents) but unfortunately, that didn't happen. Instead we get yet another glass office tower box. From what I see, each and every of the three potential office towers in 'Southcore' (the new one beside PwC, the one near the Ice condos, and this one) will be boxy and glassy and roughly similar in height (~ 30 stories). This is of course in addition to the other boxy office towers (like Telus and Bay Adelaide centre) that were recently built and potentially the Bay Adelaide Centre II that may be built (which, of course, will be boxy).

Toronto's boom is bittersweet for most of us! We have so much development in this city, and not just residential but hotels and office towers (which truly is so great) but most tend to be mediocre and repititive in design and use of materials and colours, or if they attempt at being something different, they are often victims of the cheapening effect! That's just too bad...my new nickname for this city is Boxonto (the prior nickname was Greyonto).

I sometimes wish the boom would come to a significant slowdown just to get the developers to attempt at new and creative designs and use of different materials (or colours, where applicable). Sigh....
 
Yeah I was hoping for the design to mimic the other two towers in the complex, but with more modern materials and different colours.
 
It would be damn good to see a redesign of this into something that sparkled, attracted and enthused. As it's stands, it's bulk budget virtues are hard to get complimentary about.

I hope it doesn't look like Southcore. That building could hardly be blander if it were made of solid precast. An effect that's likely only going to get multiplied as it's neighbours get constructed. Add the twinning of 'Infinity' and the green-glass septuplets at Queen's Quay and Yonge, and I think it's easy to see that this whole stretch needs more architectural interest, not less.

Maybe the city could enact a rule that every tenth building registering for zoning had to be put up to an international design competition. That could perk things up and be fun.
 
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Holy crap I think you're right!

Took me forever to distinguish the blue blotch on the monitors as being their logo, but yes it is. I guess it will be RBC. They've been very active with new construction in the core in the last few years.
 
That makes sense to me, I'd heard from someone a couple of weeks ago that RBC was going to move all the offices they have on front st west into a building in this area.
 
Mo-tage said:
That makes sense to me, I'd heard from someone a couple of weeks ago that RBC was going to move all the offices they have on front st west into a building in this area.
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What are they going to name this building? RBC Centre and Plaza are taken.. Maybe RBC Place, RBC Square? Hehehe
 
An Arcestra testimonial from Oxford Properties on their animation for Waterpark Place III.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUPT7P2QdeA

Some interesting tidbits of information were revealed. The project's cost is $325 million (which is imo quite significant for a 'budget' building) and he clearly says "this has helped us land a major tenant". So I guess it's all signed and done, guess we should have an official announcement soon.

Side note: I'm pretty sure this is more than the price of Bay Adelaide West (at $300 million)...
 
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