It is none too often that we bring you elevation line drawings as the centrepieces of a Feature Project story; usually we like to spring full-colour sexed-up render-porn on you. The elevations come from the Zoning Amendment Applications that pass through the City's Planning Department on their way to eventual council approval. Many changes can occur before approval is given, some which the applicant must make to appease the City and/or the OMB, and some which occur out of the applicant's own volition.

Designs are created by architectural firms at the behest of the owner/developer of course, and they can change on the developer's whim, or a rethink by the architects, or through branding agency input, interior designers, marketing firms, or once a detailed costing has taken place, and finally of course, if sales do not meet expectations. For all of those reasons, and because the black and white line drawings don't turn so many heads, as we said, we do not normally bring forward a project so early. The the southeast corner of Spadina and King West however, there are a couple of good reasons. The first is that there have been a couple of surprises related to this corner over the past couple of years. In May of 2008 a former gas station/rental car location was demolished and we heard that an LCBO would be going in on the lot. A single story building here? With Hudson just completed across the street, and with 36-storey Charlie and numerous other highrises popping up close by, it seemed crazy that only one storey would be built here. Soon after the LCBO was opened, the next surprise hit: the owners of the site were seeking approval for 39 storeys here. Why build the LCBO when it would be replaced so soon? There was some speculation on UrbanToronto that the developer might only be seeking rezoning to make the property more desirable in a future property sale. While that cannot be ruled out as a motivation, there seems to be some real effort here from Core Architects whom owner Terracap Management have employed to create an interesting facade for the building. So that's our second reason: at an early stage, we have something interesting to show you. Will the designs below make it to realization? Time will tell. We will get right to it and start with the most interesting elevation, the north, which will line the south side of King, east from Spadina at addresses 401 through 415 King Street West.

image by Terracap Management/Core Architects

Here's a close up of the base. Note that 401 through 409 King, a 4 and 6-storey red brick office block built in 1905, will have its facade retained. Note that where the LCBO sits now is proposed a very shallow asymmetrically peaked canopy atop ground level. Above that we have a pair of matrixes of what appear to be 3-dimensionally faceted bay windows, sitting amongst what appears to be a flatter Juliet-balcony covered stretch of 8 and 11 storey podium. Topping all of that would be a more typical for Toronto glass and steel tower rising to 39 storeys.

image by Terracap Management/Core Architects

The faceted bays wrap around to the west elevation along Spadina...

image by Terracap Management/Core Architects

and finally end 3 bays deep on the southern mid-block elevation of the building.

image by Terracap Management/Core Architects

The east elevation is mostly hidden, at least at podium levels, and would also thankfully hide the west facade of the execrable 393 King West.

image by Terracap Management/Core Architects

So, what do you think about this project? Good? Bad? Not enough information yet? Weigh-in by commenting here, or join in the conversation on UrbanToronto's thread for this project by clicking on the link below.