In the decade since the start of the Regent Park Revitalization, Canada's oldest and largest public housing project has been transformed from an example of well-intentioned but failed planning principles of its time, into an up-and-coming neighbourhood now breaking free from the grasp of an age-old stigma. Led by The Daniels Corporation and Toronto Community Housing, the multi-phased revitalization project has replaced much of the crumbling apartment stock with a mixed-income neighbourhood enjoying new parks and public spaces, and retail and restaurant spaces for he first time in decades. These elements are instrumental in building a sense of community pride, a necessity for the functionality and longevity of the neighbourhood.

Work on the neighbourhood rebuild will continue well into the future, with Phase Two wrapping up and Phase Three now under way for the five-phase plan. Recent work in Phase Two includes the two towers of One Park Place, the second of which is just wrapping up construction, and The Bartholomew, a future condominium building on Sackville between St. Bartholomew and Sutton Streets. For a closer look at how these and further developments fit in to the master plan for the neighbourhood, we turn to the large scale model of Regent Park, located in The Daniels Corporation's presentation centre at 500 Dundas Street East.

Scale model of the Regent Park Revitalization, image by Marcus Mitanis

The model shows off all existing and planned elements of the redevelopment, with transparent massing models acting as placeholders for future phases. Some of the notable buildings visible in the scale model include the Daniels Spectrum, Paintbox, One Park Place, The Bartholomew, and The Sutton Collection.

Scale model of the Regent Park Revitalization, image by Marcus Mitanis

With marketing under way for The Bartholomew, a larger individual scale model of that development is also on display in the presentation centre, giving us our first three-dimensional taste of the 13-storey, Quadrangle Architects-designed tower and its townhome wings.

Scale model of The Bartholomew, image by Marcus Mitanis

To the south of The Bartholomew site, construction is substantially complete on a new purpose-built TCHC rental property, also part of the revitalization's second phase. To the south of it will be the luxury townhome units of The Sutton Collection, showing the staggered mixed-income model being put into practice.

The Bartholomew integrated between two rental buildings on Sackville Street, image by Marcus Mitanis

Early work has begun on the third phase of the revitalization, occupying the southeast corner of Regent Park, and certain elements like the Regent Park Athletic Grounds are already quite far along. The last of the original remaining high-rise apartment towers, designed by late Canadian architect Peter Dickinson, have been taken down to make way for redevelopment. Third phase work will be followed by the demolition and redevelopment of the northern end of Regent Park, with Phases Four and Five happening primarily north of Oak Street.

Scale model of the Regent Park Revitalization, image by Marcus Mitanis

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