1.1K 
Today we’re taking a look at Five St. Joseph, a condominium project being developed by Graywood, MOD and Five St. Joseph Developments. Designed by Hariri Pontarini Architects along with E.R.A. Architects, Five is part of the larger redevelopment we’re seeing along Yonge Street, and has so far been hugely successful. The building stands out from the crowd not only because of its unique undulating façade, but also due to its brilliant work in restoring and bringing new life to the existing heritage structures on site.
Five St. Joseph will incorporate the existing heritage structures along Yonge Street, St. Joseph and St. Nicholas, and in the process will rejuvenate nearly half a block of existing retail along Yonge. Going beyond the necessary requirements in regards to heritage preservation, Five is not only preserving the buildings for its residents, it is also benefiting the larger city by creating new spaces to enjoy our built heritage, such as the laneway running down St. Nicholas, which will have retail built into it.
Coming in at a total of 45 storeys, Five will contain 493 units. Purchasers have the option to choose from a variety of suites, including a limited number of heritage loft suites, located in the historic buildings. Interior design firm Cecconi Simone has created spaces that draw inspiration from the historic nature of this project, combining industrial materials with warm colours and modern finishes.
The building will offer all the amenities one would expect, as well as a gorgeous 6,000-square foot rooftop garden, designed by Janet Rosenberg and Associates. When complete, the garden will surely be a place to enjoy some spectacular views of the surrounding intensification of Yonge and Bloor.
We’ve been getting some great photos of the demolition over the past few months, giving us an idea of just how delicate the process of dealing with century-old buildings can be.
Here's a photo of the interior of the warehouse building at 5 St. Joseph. It looks pretty beat-up and barren at this point, but you can see what appear to be the original wood supports— a great opportunity to express the buildings heritage if they are being incorporated into the new design.
Forum member thecharioteer explains that what we see being demolished were later additions tacked onto the original structures. This leaves us with photos like the one below, showing buildings that appear to have been sliced right in half.
For more information on Five St. Joseph, check out the database listing below, or click here to join the discussion on the project’s Forum page.
