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It has been almost three months since we visited the site of BLVD Developments and Lifetime Developments' The Code Condos, a 9-storey, Hariri Pontarini Architects-designed condominium development named for its Forest Hill postal code on St. Clair Avenue West, just east of Spadina. In the several weeks since our early November tour of the building, much progress has been made on concrete forming and exterior cladding, and earlier this afternoon, the project celebrated its official topping off less than one year after the foundations were poured last March.
Just after the lunch hour, the various crews and trades who have worked together over the past several months to construct the new building were all treated to a much-deserved celebration for all of their efforts. Workers received commemorative t-shirts, restaurant coupons, and tickets for a raffle contest.
With gifts in hand, workers were also treated to a catered meal, with plenty of hot and hearty choices surely appreciated on a chilly January day.
The event provided us with the perfect opportunity to capture some shots of the building's raw interiors and views of the surrounding city. While window wall installation is expected to seal off the building by March, until then the top half of the structure is exposed to the elements, and in a very raw state. Inside on the floors that have been clad, installation of drywall framing is now under way.
While the south, east and west sides of the mid-rise will feature in-set balconies, the north side features a series of stepped terraces that transition the building's massing down to meet the established low-rise neighbourhood to the immediate north.
Above the 9th storey, the mechanical penthouse level has only been partially built, anticipating the imminent arrival of heavy rooftop-bound machinery. The space itself is still completely unfinished, though certain parts and appliances have arrived and are awaiting installation.
The mechanical penthouse is recessed from the main massing by a large terrace, located just beyond the orange tarpaulin visible in the image above, in use as a makeshift weather barrier. This terrace, which will only be accessible to service crews, provides a good perspective on the remaining forming left in store for the mechanical penthouse, found in the image below where you see rebar rising above wooden forms.
While the space pictured above will be restricted, The Code's location couldn't be better for residents who appreciate a good view. The development's location above Midtown Toronto's escarpment—the former shores of the prehistoric glacial Lake Iroquois—put it at eye level with some of Toronto's tallest buildings, a view that will forever be protected by Sir Winston Churchill Park across St. Clair to the south. Meanwhile, views should be maintained to the north as well as the adjacent Forest Hill neighbourhood is an established low-rise community where the City does not want to see change. Even from as low as the 4th floor, most views from The Code are completely unimpeded, though we chose to shoot from the 6th level.
The completed development will feature 10 two-storey urban townhouses, featuring private entrances from the surrounding streets, and 108 more condominium units above. Residents of the development will have access to Tomas Pearce Interior Design Consulting Inc-appointed amenity spaces on the second floor, including a gym and lounge area and an outdoor terrace.
Additional information and renderings can be found in our dataBase listing, linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Check out the associated Forum threads, or voice your opinion in the comments section provided at the bottom of this page.
| Related Companies: | Hariri Pontarini Architects, SKYGRiD |
