Toronto Sun Life Financial Tower & Harbour Plaza Residences | 236.51m | 67s | Menkes | Sweeny &Co

SP!RE said:
Oh man I hope this is an aA project. It's a HUGE project and I think they would do a good job with it.
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I agree this does look like it may be aA's work, which is a little disappointing in my view. I'm not anti-aA, but I'm not sure I would want them designing a building that will stand front and centre on our skyline. They design quality buildings, but I haven't seen one that screams "landmark."

I hope they don't view this as one development, but two. This area sorely needs some individuality, not more twinning. Stagger the heights slightly, and use different cladding for both buildings. The idea should be to make the buildings work together, not look like one and the same.

interchange42 said:
4) I would be very surprised if the Coach Terminal were relocated here. Word is that it will be incorporated into the base of the SITQ site east of the Air Canada Centre.
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Where did you hear that?
 
It was posted by Whippersnapper over at SSP almost a year ago. It makes sense in theory, and I think it would be a practical solution to intergrating the Bus Terminal with Union Station and linking it to Southcore.
 
Thanks, Caltrane74, for posting these pictures. This is a great day for a walk, so I will wander down by the site and take a look with my own eyes (maybe I'll take a good camera today - maybe).

Early days yet, but I find this development to be enormously refreshing. Some may say "same old skin" but I don't mind that. Together with the neighbouring Ten York (if built as rendered) and these structures make an impressive and tall addition to the city. When I see these diagrams I believe what I am told: one is a varied cylinder and the other is angled. Deftly tilted top on the office tower?

The final major component in the enormous expansion south-of-Gardiner will be the 1 Yonge redevelopment. I look forward to seeing the architecture of that!

While I'm here - maybe we (ha ha) can persuade the designers of Ten York to rotate their structure 45 degrees? I feel that move would compliment these buildings beautifully. I know another poster has suggested that. Call it a "gesture" .. we need more gestures.
 
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TonyV said:
The final major component in the enormous expansion south-of-Gardiner will be the 1 Yonge redevelopment. I look forward to seeing the architecture of that!
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Dont forget about 60 Harbour, that might include a couple 60-70 storey structures...oh yeah. also the Hilton convention centre can handle a nice 60 storey structure overtop.
I also doubt that Cityzen will go ahead with the original proposed height of their Pier 27 final phase...i can see them doubling that up.
 
TonyV said:
The final major component in the enormous expansion south-of-Gardiner will be the 1 Yonge redevelopment. I look forward to seeing the architecture of that!
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I would add the multi-tower site at 60 Harbour right next to this one (which I believe has been sold to a developer, leaving the Harbour Commission building intact), and the 45 Bay site, in addition to the very large 1 Yonge site.

The 60 Harbour site is big enough for several tall buildings -- I expect to see yet another ~150m office box (which would be the seventh almost identical office building in the area) and a 200m+ residential tower.
 
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Automation Gallery said:
Dont forget about 60 Harbour, that might include a couple 60-70 storey structures...oh yeah. also the Hilton convention centre can handle a nice 60 storey structure overtop.
I also doubt that Cityzen will go ahead with the original proposed height of their Pier 27 final phase...i can see them doubling that up.
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Thanks for reminding me of Pier 27, I conveniently forgot about that one. I never said this before, I think it is the sexiest bit of work going up in downtown Toronto right now. Unbelievably good modernist work from Clewes and team. I practically salivate when I think of it. (And just think -- it ain't tall).

About 60 York, well, I await details, and it may be fairly controversial; I don't wish to rehash the issues here.
 
For general interest, here is a crude map I made, showing the new construction (completed within the last 5 years plus under construction and proposed) in the Southcore district. Residential towers are blue, office towers are red, hotels are purple, and podia are light blue (I am guessing somewhat with the 90 Harbour podium, the elevations are not very informative). I also added question marks for projects where we do not yet know what will be built (I think that it is likely that the 45 Bay site will be redesigned with at least one taller tower, probably several). Keep in mind that a 30s office tower is about equal in height to a 50s residential tower.

ScreenShot142c.jpg
 
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Mongo said:
For general interest, here is a crude map I made, showing the new construction in the Southcore district. Residential towers are blue, office towers are Red, hotels are purple, and podia are light blue. I also put in question marks for projects where we do not yet know what will be built (I think it likely that the 45 Bay site will be redesigned with a taller tower).

ScreenShot142.jpg
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Hey Mongo, you wouldn't have the same kind of map for the whole of Downtown from Yorkville to the lake and from the Don River to Bathurst?
 
On that map, it makes you wonder if there is enough room to build a tall structure overtop a buried Gardiner/Yonge offramp on that lot east of Yonge and south of the rail corridor.
 
That York St. circular off-ramp should be removed from the main Harbour St. off-ramp, and the land sold to developers. I doubt the northbound traffic on York is that critically necessary, and could just be added to the Bay St.-Lakeshore E. traffic. This would be a case of the city making a pile of much needed money from selling surplus land AND doing the area a big favour. That little-used circular off-ramp is a giant waste of prime waterfront real estate, and an eye-sore to boot.
 
freshcutgrass said:
That York St. circular off-ramp should be removed from the main Harbour St. off-ramp, and the land sold to developers. I doubt the northbound traffic on York is that critically necessary, and could just be added to the Bay St.-Lakeshore E. traffic. This would be a case of the city making a pile of much needed money from selling surplus land AND doing the area a big favour. That little-used circular off-ramp is a giant waste of prime waterfront real estate, and an eye-sore to boot.
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There was talk a while back, to turn that off-ramp location after demolished into a park...dont know if that still stands:confused:
 
Yeah, that offramp is going to be destroyed as per all the articles we posted for the 10 York Development.

They said it would become a park, but I wouldn't rule out the city selling this piece of land to a condo developer for a quick buck.
 
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