Toronto Union Park | 303.33m | 71s | Oxford Properties | Hariri Pontarini

ProjectEnd said:
They're doing none of those things. They're VE-ing the thing to death to try and get it off the ground.

No.
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This is so sad... Those original renders I thought were the perfect way to add some weight to the western side of the CN Tower in the skyline view from the Lake, which has always been heavy on the eastern side of the CN Tower. Sigh... At least we have the First Forma tower, you can't take that away from me!
 
ZachHiebert said:
This is so sad... Those original renders I thought were the perfect way to add some weight to the western side of the CN Tower in the skyline view from the Lake, which has always been heavy on the eastern side of the CN Tower. Sigh... At least we have the First Forma tower, you can't take that away from me!
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Sure, but those renders were for a two office towers, a project that is no longer happening regardless of the buildings' form...
 
It's these kinds of projects which has made my interest in following developments in this city wane over the years. When a major global developer like Oxford Properties, which has track record of building excellent towers all over the world, shows this kind of cynical disdain for their own home town and in their own backyard by building this cheap dreck in such a prominent location, it makes you wonder how anything that isn't painfully bland can ever get built in this town.

I'm still trying to get over the fact that we'll soon be home to the only supertall tower in North America (perhaps the world?) that has a mechanical box haphazardly stapled on to the top as an apparent afterthought rather than being elegantly integrated into the design, and for what will likely be our tallest for a generation no less. A monument to unambitious penny pinching. It's a fitting symbol for Toronto.
 
DarwinP said:
I would rather see this site stay as it is for another decade until the office and condo industry bounces back and have something iconic built then, than build a cheap rental tower now and be stuck with it for generations.
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In an ideal world, it would be amazing if Oxford unloaded it to a firm that actually had a competent vision for the most the most prime piece of real estate in the city. Because at this point, it's clear they arent serious about coming up with something of unique substance.

But unfortunately we are being saddled with this crap.
 
Ramako said:
It's these kinds of projects which has made my interest in following developments in this city wane over the years.
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Exact same here. I'm coming to this site less and less to check updates as you see these cool renderings and get excited, and almost everyone of them turns out nothing like the original render.
 
Ramako said:
It's these kinds of projects which has made my interest in following developments in this city wane over the years. When a major global developer like Oxford Properties, which has track record of building excellent towers all over the world, shows this kind of cynical disdain for their own home town and in their own backyard by building this cheap dreck in such a prominent location, it makes you wonder how anything that isn't painfully bland can ever get built in this town.

I'm still trying to get over the fact that we'll soon be home to the only supertall tower in North America (perhaps the world?) that has a mechanical box haphazardly stapled on to the top as an apparent afterthought rather than being elegantly integrated into the design, and for what will likely be our tallest for a generation no less. A monument to unambitious penny pinching. It's a fitting symbol for Toronto.
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I agree with the principle of your post, but Oxford's "hometown" is Edmonton...
 
ProjectEnd said:
I agree with the principle of your post, but Oxford's "hometown" is Edmonton...
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Not sure I agree w/this assertion PE.

The company's Global HQ is listed at the EY Tower on Adelaide.

I am aware of its founding in Edmonton, but to my understanding it hasn't had a substantial office there since the 80s.

We could maybe say Oxford's former hometown, or the site of its founding was Edmonton.

But its executive ranks and ownership have been very Toronto for decades.

Would even one current employee remember the Edmonton days? I wouldn't think so...
 
I wouldn’t expect Oxford to be so desperate for money they would rather waste their most prime real estate asset building a small, cheap rental building when they can just wait it out a few more years and end up with a one of a kind ambitious project that trully generates them not only a lot of money, but elevate their portfolio to another level. It would seen very short sighted if they missed the mark here.
 
Oxford Properties makin' a big impact in the Big Apple ... and the little Apple:

Oxford NYC
OP_HudsonYardsbuilding_PHO_RGB_resize.jpg

Link

Oxford T-Dot (ground-breaking ceremony 10 months ago... little disturbance lately).

20260319_183815-jpeg.723701

ImmenselyMental

Scarborough Yards
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UT
 
Red October said:
"Short-sighted" is how I'd describe most companies/executives nowadays, to be honest.

Sure we'll look like shit for a long time but that's future company's problem. Gimme moneymoneymoney now!
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Curious, do you guys get this issue over in Auckland or Wellington?
 
UtakataNoAnnex said:
Curious, do you guys get this issue over in Auckland or Wellington?
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I haven't been quite as ingrained in the development industry here as I had been in TO, and the scale of development is way way smaller, especially now because NZ is in yet another bad recession manufactured by its own sh*tty conservative government.

We've definitely had our own share of problems. Most of the developers are Chinese, and often we'll have developers/construction companies starting work and then "going under", just to be replaced by another in a weird shell game. Our current future-tallest building topped out in 2024 but has just been sitting in limbo unfinished for 2 years while they try and find a company who can actually last to the end. We also have a couple insanely valuable surface parking lots in the CBD, one of which is planned to be a Ritz Carlton and maybe the new tallest in Auckland/NZ once they're done slap fighting with the neighbouring Sky Tower.

From my understanding Wellington (aside from having no money from all the government layoffs), is more concerned with making sure the existing buildings don't get flattened by earthquakes, and demolishing a lot of ones that have been found to be structurally unsound, something Christchurch unfortunately learned the hard way. Probably should have thought of that before building a city directly on a major fault line.
 
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