Closing out another year, our 'Topping Off' series takes a look at UrbanToronto's 10 most popular dataBase files of 2016. It was another busy year of development, with the relentlessly growing city keeping our project dataBase files active. 

While the lion's share of UrbanToronto's traffic is split between the front page and the Forum, the dataBases provide an important resource about new development. Regularly updated, each dedicated dataBase file lays out key information about the project—including up-to-date renderings, a map showing the location, and an overview of the principals involved, as well as listings of the height and floor count—creating a one-stop destination that lays out the basic facts of each development. A good indicator of general interest for each project, the dataBase files reflect some of Toronto's most anticipated new buildings:

10: Mirvish+Gehry Toronto

Our tenth most popular project of 2016 was Mirvish+Gehry Toronto, which has been generating anticipation since 2012. Designed by world-renowned architect Frank Gehry, the 92- and 82-storey condominium towers will rise 1,000 feet and 902 feet above King Street West.

Mirvish+Gehry Toronto, image courtesy of ProjectCore

9: 1 Yorkville

In ninth place, the ongoing construction of Bazis and Plaza's 1 Yorkville continues to draw attention to the project's dataBase file. Designed by architect Rosario "Roy" Varacalli, the 58-storey condominium tower is now under construction Soon to rise above grade, the project will reach a final height of 601 feet in Toronto's Yorkville neighbourhood.

1 Yorkville, image courtesy of Bazis/Plaza

8: 75 on The Esplanade

In eighth place, a revised version of Harhay Developments and Carttera Private Equities' 75 on The Esplanade began its marketing phase earlier this year. The unveiling of a new, refined design by architectsAlliance—combined with the project's marketing rollout—brought increased attention to the 75 on The Esplanade dataBase file.

75 on The Esplanade, image courtesy of Harhay/Carttera

7: Sun Life Financial Tower & Harbour Plaza Residences

Our 7th most popular dataBase file of 2016 was that of the Sun Life Financial Tower & Harbour Plaza Residences, a three-tower complex in Toronto's South Core area. Construction is now complete on the 35-storey office component—designed by Sweeny &Co Architects Inc.—while forming has just topped off for the complex's 67- and 63-storey architectsAlliance-designed condominium towers.

Sun Life Financial Tower & Harbour Plaza Residences, image courtesy of Menkes

6: INDX Condos

2016's 6th most popular dataBase file on UT covered Lifetime Developments and CentreCourt Developments' INDX Condos. With the first residents already moved in, construction is now practically complete for the 54-storey, Page + Steele / IBI Group Architects-designed condominium tower, which stands 586 feet above Toronto's Financial District.

INDX Condos, image courtesy of Lifetime/CentreCourt

5: 88 Scott Street

Concert Properties' 88 Scott Street captured 5th place among our most popular projects, partially owing to its prime location in the photogenic St. Lawrence neighbourhood. Frequent construction updates have kept this project's dataBase file active, covering the 58-storey, Page + Steele / IBI Group Architects-designed condominium tower's ascent into the Downtown skyline.

88 Scott Street, image courtesy of Concert Properties

4: Ten York Street

Construction of Tridel's Ten York Street has been a popular topic on UrbanToronto, with a number of Forum posts and construction updates feeding traffic on the project's dataBase file, bringing it to 4th place for 2016. The 65-storey, Wallman Architects-designed condominium is now well on its way to an eventual height of 735 feet at the intersection of York and Harbour Streets.

Ten York, image courtesy of Tridel

3: 1-7 Yonge (Toronto Star Lands)

Our third place project for 2016 is Pinnacle International's massive planned redevelopment of the Toronto Star Lands at 1-7 Yonge Street. The five-tower plan by Hariri Pontarini Architects includes a 1,007-foot height peak that would just edge out the planned Mirvish+Gehry development, with the 95-storey tower potentially becoming the tallest building in Canada.

1-7 Yonge, image retrieved from submission to City of Toronto

2: One Bloor East

Though Great Gulf Homes' flagship condominium tower topped off at a height of 257 metres in 2015, construction updates continue to draw attention to the 76-storey, Hariri Pontarini Architects-designed tower. The ongoing installation of curved balcony glazing is bringing the project closer to its pre-construction renderings, carrying the One Bloor East dataBase to second place in 2016.

One Bloor East, image courtesy of Great Gulf

1: The One

One of our first articles of 2016 covered the evolving design of Mizrahi Developments' The One, an 80-storey (then 85-storey) condominium tower designed by Foster + Partners working with Core Architects. In the months that followed, demolition began to clear the site of the tower tower, which has been reduced in planned height from 1,117 feet to 998 feet. The evolving plans and changing site fuelled photo updates and speculation that drove traffic to the project's dataBase file, bringing it up to the #1 spot in 2016.

The One, image courtesy of Mizrahi Developments

***

We look forward to another year of urban growth 2017. In the meantime, let us know what you think about this year's top dataBase files using the comments section provided below.

Related Companies:  A&H Tuned Mass Dampers, Adamson Associates Architects, Aercoustics Engineering Ltd, architects—Alliance, Baker Real Estate Incorporated, Bass Installation, Bousfields, BVGlazing Systems, Carttera Private Equities, Cecconi Simone, Core Architects, Cornerstone Marketing Realty, DesignAgency, Doka Canada Ltd./Ltee, Dream Unlimited, EQ Building Performance Inc., First Capital, Great Gulf, Grounded Engineering Inc., Groundwater Environmental Management Services Inc. (GEMS), Hariri Pontarini Architects, II BY IV DESIGN, Isotherm Engineering Ltd., Jablonsky, Ast and Partners, Janet Rosenberg & Studio, Knightsbridge, Kramer Design Associates Limited, L.A. Inc., Live Patrol Inc., McIntosh Perry, MCW Consultants Ltd, Menkes Developments, Mizrahi Developments, Monir Precision Monitoring Inc., Motioneering, Myles Burke Architectural Models, NAK Design Group, NAK Design Strategies, NEEZO Studios, Peter McCann Architectural Models Inc., Platinum Condo Deals, Plaza, PreCon Real Estate, Rebar Enterprises Inc, RJC Engineers, Ryan Design International, SKYGRiD, Sweeny &Co Architects Inc., Tridel, Trillium Architectural Products, TUCKER HIRISE Construction, U31, UCEL Inc., Unilux HVAC Industries Inc., Walters Group