Toronto U Condominiums | 183.79m | 56s | Pemberton | a—A

The courtyard looks interesting. It reminds me of the public/park space created between the tower of the 18 Yorkville development and the lowrise block next to it. I think this is quite sensitively done here, too, creating several complementary realms of use and design. The supposedly "negative" spaces between buildings are important too.
 
mysteryman said:
But once people move into a street level unit on a main street they usually realize that there's too much traffic, or lots of people can see them when they sit in their living room, so the install blinds that are permanently closed, or they move out, or they decide to open a hair salon, but the space isn't suited to that use so it never really takes off, so it ends up making the street worse.

Bay Street doesn't need townhouses to relate to a human scale, it just needs buildings that are better designed at the street. That's something every street needs.
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What he said.
 
A couple additional updates for site plan:

  • Street-wall building now wraps the corner of Bay Street and St. Mary Street to help the development anchor the corner.
  • Elevated courtyard feature proposed on St. Mary Street frontage.
  • Stronger vertical fenestration introduced into the street-wall buildings.
  • Pedestrian entrance provided off Bay Street along the north edge of the tower. Provide views from street into courtyard.
  • Developer is considering a professional office use for the street-wall building fronting Bay Street.

A couple additional updates for park plan:
  • preserving existing trees and using them to anchor the south end of the park;
  • opening the campus to Bay Street;
  • providing a linear green element (grass) from St. Joseph Street through the park to the courtyard with a visual connection through the base of the tower;
  • east-west inserts, such as seating nodes, that help define the space;
  • a walkway from St. Joseph Street wrapping around St. Basil’s Church;
  • adjustments to the location of existing ceremonial driveway leading to St. Basil’s Church and a garage entrance integrated into the park slope;
  • a lighting element / band along the wall at the north end of the park;
  • a gateway element (e.g. a wall feature) at the corner of St. Joseph and Bay streets;
  • an elevated edge along a portion of Bay Street, perhaps providing seating opportunities; and
  • a linear design feature in park (with heritage reference).
 
Thanks for the update.

Do you have any idea when the plans will be finalized for the purposes of a counsel vote and/or public review?
 
There is still one more consultation meeting scheduled between the applicant, community and city in mid-September - I would expect a revised application to be submitted to the planning department shortly thereafter.
 
Mike in TO said:
A couple additional updates for site plan:

  • Street-wall building now wraps the corner of Bay Street and St. Mary Street to help the development anchor the corner.
  • Elevated courtyard feature proposed on St. Mary Street frontage.
  • Stronger vertical fenestration introduced into the street-wall buildings.
  • Pedestrian entrance provided off Bay Street along the north edge of the tower. Provide views from street into courtyard.
  • Developer is considering a professional office use for the street-wall building fronting Bay Street.

A couple additional updates for park plan:
  • preserving existing trees and using them to anchor the south end of the park;
  • opening the campus to Bay Street;
  • providing a linear green element (grass) from St. Joseph Street through the park to the courtyard with a visual connection through the base of the tower;
  • east-west inserts, such as seating nodes, that help define the space;
  • a walkway from St. Joseph Street wrapping around St. Basil’s Church;
  • adjustments to the location of existing ceremonial driveway leading to St. Basil’s Church and a garage entrance integrated into the park slope;
  • a lighting element / band along the wall at the north end of the park;
  • a gateway element (e.g. a wall feature) at the corner of St. Joseph and Bay streets;
  • an elevated edge along a portion of Bay Street, perhaps providing seating opportunities; and
  • a linear design feature in park (with heritage reference).
Click to expand...

Did you go to the consultation meeting too? lol

If it was you that tried taking a picture of the rendering on the overhead; then I was sitting right behind you.:D
 
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This is getting better and better. Certainly the towers are decent as all heck and there is a nice use of stone on the podiums (of course, its no cinderblock ;)). The decent stone is certainly respectful of the church and university.

The podium on Bay Street could and should be higher though and let us hope that it becomes commercial, rather than residential.

Alvin, you are a star for posting the links. Thanks.
 
This project is evolving nicely. The images posted from the fourth consultation meeting is still a preliminary design. Apparently the fifth meeting which was recently held has more refined images from a variety of angles.

Filip,
No I wasn't at the meeting, just posted some data from the City Planning website that AoD linked.
 
I like the buildings and the site plan. I am a little concerned about the towers overwhelming St. Mike's College, but I like the stone - which is a sympathetic touch, and it's Bay Street, not in the middle of a National Historic Site.

If the design is as planned now, it makes me a little less nervous, and I find myself in favour, but with caveats. I would support it completely with no reservations if it wasn't smack dab next to the university there.
 
I like the design, but I'm going to piss on the parade and wonder whether this will be value-engineered downward like the Four Seasons condo/hotel.
 
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