In June 2015, Humbold Properties submitted plans for a 56-storey, 179.6 metre-high Kirkor Architects-designed condominium tower at 217 Adelaide West in Toronto's Entertainment District. A refusal report was adopted by the City that October, leading to a revised proposal appearing at the OMB the following summer. The second version of the project sought rezoning for a 47-storey purpose-built office tower and boutique hotel with a height of 166 metres and a 179 m² Privately Owned Publicly accessible Space (POPS) along Adelaide.

Following further discussions with City staff, the proposal has since been thoroughly reworked in a January 2018 resubmission. Residential is no longer being proposed, with just the office and hotel components from the 2016 plan retained. Reduced by 58.6 metres in height from the second version, the new version would rise 107.4 metres and 25 storeys.

Evolution of 217 Adelaide West, images via submissions to City of Toronto

With Kirkor still leading the project's design, the former neo-Brutalist and later flowing organic aesthetic have have been replaced with more ordered curves, ample glazed surfaces, and a four-tiered tower massing that tapers as it rises. Countering its lessened skyline impact from the height reduction, the revised proposal features vibrant colour accents, a rarity in the largely dichromatic Entertainment District.

217 Adelaide West, image via submission to City of Toronto

The 22,224 m² (239,221 ft²) building would consist of 13,923 m² (149,872 ft²) of office space, and 7,603 m² (81,839 ft²) spread across 192 hotel suites. 123 m² (1,328 ft²) of retail/commercial uses would be found at the ground level, fronting onto a POPS. The POPS proposed in the 2016 iteration has been upgraded from 179 m² up to 263 m², and is planned to include a public component.

Facing south at 217 Adelaide West, image via submission to City of Toronto

Five underground levels would house a mix of electrical, mechanical, lobby space, and parking for vehicles and bicycles. A total of 61 parking spaces would be provided, reduced from the 156 proposed in 2015, and the 87 sought in 2016. The parking component in the 2018 version includes 6 spaces on the P1 level, and the remaining 55 spaces within a 4-level fully automated garage on levels P2 to P5. 64 bicycle spaces would also be provided, reduced from the 423 provided in the initial proposal and the 84 proposed in 2016.

Facing southeast at 217 Adelaide West, image via submission to City of Toronto

An OMB pre-hearing conference is scheduled for March 9, 2018, to determine the next steps for this proposal.

Additional information and images, including renderings of the previous iterations, can be found in our database file, linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Check out the associated Forum thread, or leave a comment using the field provided at the bottom of this page.