Toronto 320 Bay Modernization | ?m | 18s | Menkes | B+H

I agree but, A 210 metre plus tower wedged on the 304 Bay site would be


This has been going on for a while now. I'm repeating myself but, it's not a trend I find desirable on a large scale or necessary if New York can manage to preserve unaltered low rises next to sleek super talls.

The fact that NYC manages to keep smaller buildings next to larger ones has less to do with any deep respect for scale or the past and more with the buying and trading of entitlement rights which underlies their zoning.
 
I was speaking towards the necessity of increasing densities by stacking floors on top of existing buildings including exceptional statements in Toronto's built history. There's a underlying perception among a subset of our community that wall to wall 60 storeys towers are both desirable for livability and increasing the city's stature globally. It's deeper than just a love affair with height.

The system in New York has nothing to do with preserving buildings however, a byproduct of restrictive buildable densities and the commoditization of unused buildable densities has been a boon for the preservation of small heritage buildings there.
 
The existing saw-toothed building is relatively new. I remember it being built in the 90s (I think it was for Barclays Bank), and even then I was impressed at how they managed to squeeze a tallish building into such a tight spot.

The squeeze is because it acts as a de facto addition/extension to Canada Permanent (clear and apparent once one's inside)
 
The Exchange Building in Vancouver built supporting columns through the existing heritage Stock Exchange Building,
which was retained in its entirety (not just a facade).
The addition of all the extra columns made the space difficult to lease (together with the low heritage ceiling heights),
so those lower floors in the complex were eventually leased to become a boutique hotel.
 
I’d like to see a Real proposal for something tallish to be built in the core but I’d think the city would want to add more residential in this area.
 
Newest update on this bizarre project. 320 Bay by Triovest Capital, designed by Sweeny&Co.
56 storeys, 1 million sqft.

https://www.sweenyandco.com/projects/320-bay#project-images

5b6de734e5d6e256f4e9c89e_320Bay_Exterior_Lantern_ViewA01_01 lr-p-1080.jpeg
 

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