Toronto Ïce Condominiums at York Centre | 234.07m | 67s | Lanterra | a—A

Big Daddy said:
As an aside, the two towers in Mississauga (Marilyn and World) both have incredible elevators. Huge touch screen panels and you hardly know they are moving or stopping - a real pleasure. Don't know why they are better - can't reallly speculate - , just an observation
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They look nice- ThyssenKrupp:
 
How do those touchscreens work if you are visually imparied? Every elevator I've seen has braille on the button labels.
 
nrb said:
How do those touchscreens work if you are visually imparied? Every elevator I've seen has braille on the button labels.
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Good question. The exterior call buttons include braille. I did a cursory google search and discovered that a large touchscreen is actually better for most visually impaired people since it offers larger high contrast numerals. There is also a keyboard below for tactile demands for those with more profound visual impairment or complete vision loss.
 
P23 said:
Residents air their complaints on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/toronto/comments/587jo8/ever_wondered_what_it_was_like_to_live_in_a_brand/ Interesting to hear about the AirBnB guests, is this common in larger condominiums?
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AirBnB exists almost everywhere, but it is more widespread in large highrise condo buildings as a significant purchasers are investors. Also AirBnB is such a lucrative business as you could make at least 50% more (or even double) than leasing it long term depending on the location. Ice is in a prime location so it's very easy to rent out short term.
Another alarming trend: tenants subletting their place on AirBnB without the landlord's knowledge. I have read a few new articles about it and it is very difficult to evict such tenants or even stopping them from renting it out to AirBnB.

I think it's clever for residents and management to make these AirBnB guests feel uncomfortable as possible and the concierge treating them as rude as possible to generate bad AirBnB reviews and hopefully putting them out of business. No condos are immune to AirBnB, but it's especially hard to track down these units that are running these hotel operations as these buildings have so many units unless they hire security to follow suspecting AirBnB guests all the time.

I was surprised to hear that they have a Bowflex in their gym. I thought the 90's were long gone or it was a sweet dumpster find by the developer.
That rooftop canopy is beautiful, too bad it can't be amenity space though it would be uncomfortably windy up there.
 
Toronto condo 'ICE II 'ranked one of world's best skyscrapers

Toronto condos take a fair bit of criticism for being bland glass boxes, but a recent ranking of the world's best new skyscrapers has showered accolades upon the city's ICE II condo, the taller of two towers that make up the ICE development on York Street.

The Emporis Skyscraper Awards highlight the top 10 buildings over 100 metres in height built in a given year. ICE II just snuck into the rankings in tenth place. Still, it's in lofty company (no pun intended). Emporis editors considered over 300 buildings for this year's award, which looked back on buildings completed in 2015.

China's Shanghai Tower took top spot, while Russia's Evolution Tower and Italy's Il Dritto rounded out the top three.

Aside from its height at 67 storeys, the most noteworthy feature of this architectsAlliance-designed building is its Swiss cheese-like roof structure, which attracted Toronto photographers even before the building was complete. The massive slab of concrete with circular cut-outs is most stunning from above, but also adds a dramatic feature to the city's skyline.

http://www.blogto.com/city/2016/11/toronto_condo_ranked_one_of_worlds_best_skyscrapers/
 
There are a number of well-informed and robust ranking and jury processes for architectural projects and developments around the world - Emporis' is not one of them.
 
junctionist said:
Be that as it may, it shows that ordinary people like these towers. Architecture is better off when non-experts can appreciate it.
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While it may be that 'ordinary' people like these two towers from a design perspective, what's more important to consider is that people, ordinary or not, move into these buildings and expect to call them home. It's my clear impression from friends and business associates that live or lived in these same towers that they operate, perhaps more so than any other res complex in Toronto, instead as an apartment / hotel / hostel / flop house / grow-op / brothel. I'm told on good authority only 5% of the ICE units are owner-occupied. Management is essentially invisible, ineffective, impotent and obtuse to reality. The inmates are running the show. Chaos inside is real, not imagined. The building's physical deficiencies can all be traced back to the builder and its choice of materials and mechanical infrastructure installed. Like Maple Leaf Square across the street, I expect all or most of the mechanical equipment and basic building operating systems will need to be replaced completely within just 5 to 10 years. Unfortunately, some of the flaws may never be properly rectified. That the City signs off on this MO of certain developers is a crime against ordinary people hoping to invest and live in a decent, reasonably well build, professionally managed tower they can call home. Buildings like these are tomorrow's Chevy Vegas of residential condominiums. The absence of prudent official scrutiny surrounding new condo inventory in Ontario is shocking. Note: there isn't one commercial office tower of any comparable scale anywhere in Toronto/Ontario/Canada ?? that suffers a fraction of the Day 1 or Day 1000 problems of buildings like ICE. There are simple reasons why and simple solutions available. The risk and costs tied to the delivery of such inferior product has and will continue to be knowingly transferred to the purchaser, leaving recalcitrant developers to make off like bandits. My heart aches for those living in ICE and all other projects suffering the same fate. And there are many. The only saving grace for our condo stock is the requirement of proper Reserve Fund allocations toward future replacement and repairs. Otherwise, these buildings would fall into disrepair and disaster. They'd be the next generation of slums. Caveat Emptor has never been more crucial, particularly as it applies to doing your homework before you enter the Sales Centre.
 
Funny. Was having a similar discussion the other day. The builder will do what they're allowed to do so the blame should land at the feet of the city who only seem to care about collecting a cheque. As long as they require the bare minimum from the builder and do a piss poor job of even enforcing that builders will continue to push the envelope.

Maybe a good thread topic.
 
Coming along (finally) in the courtyard:

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Just a coupla great looking towers, these.

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Concerns about the tower's operation and management aside, I think that courtyard could really become an important little gathering space/outdoor space in the neighbourhood given how dense it will all be when fully built-out. I'm also really impressed with the effort put into lower the parking levels such that mature trees can grow at grade. It's such a shame that these sorts of spaces will have to be fully rebuilt every few decades because of sub-grade membrane replacements for the parking levels. I dream of a day when we are able to come up with a membrane that lasts much longer and allows these spaces with trees and landscaping to remain undisturbed.
 
Not only these towers are beautiful but I like the entrance.
A small place like that is a bonus contrary to many others development.
Building skyscrapers is not only about height.It about what it bring to all citizens too.
I m glad it won an international award.
Good job Lanterra and Cadillac Fairview.
:)
 
While I have to agree with the majority of the Urban Toronto community that this is nice, I don't feel that this is the best condo in Downtown. Did you wish ÏCE II topped the 2015 list instead of sitting at 10th place?
 
I noticed tonight that ICE2 had installed a strip of led lights above all of the entrance doors at the base of the building facing York St. Looks really nice - add a much needed finishing touch to those doors which still seem a bit underwhelming. Brightens it up a lot. I hope ICE2 gets the temporary 'times new roman' signage off of the entrance doors and replace with the ICE2 on-brand logo above the entrance. That to me would really make the whole building a lot more finished looking.
 
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