Toronto Union Park | 303.26m | 58s | Oxford Properties | Pelli Clarke Pelli

More renderings here:


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(Oxford, via BNN Bloomberg)

Looks like the 2 office towers / 800 rental units is only for Phase 1? Excellent - this checks off my preference for office use in the western portion of the site, as well as decking over the UTSC. It also leaves the current footprint for MTCC for further office development as originally envisioned.

In terms of cost - to put it into perspective the 2 tower CIBC square is at $2B.

AoD
 
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This gives me a pretty big vote of confidence that construction on The Hub would start sooner than later. I doubt they'd be anticipating starting construction on a couple more million square feet of office towers in 2023 (also the projected opening date of the Hub) if they weren't getting some serious interest from tenants.

Hoping to stop by the event today and get some more info.
 
And from the Star, for completeness sake:


AoD

From the above article:

The firm’s application will also include an expansion of the PATH network

As for the housing portion, Oxford will focus on larger rentals units ranging from one- to three-bedrooms, given the short supply downtown for families.

In a bid to attract global tech giants or other major tenants, Oxford has plans for 100,000-square-foot spaces that would be split between the office towers and connected by a common atrium, said Mark Cote, head of development. One company would be able to occupy the whole space.
 
"

As for the housing portion, Oxford will focus on larger rentals units ranging from one- to three-bedrooms, given the short supply downtown for families.

“It’s an under-serviced part of the market,” Cote said. “300-square-foot units, I mean, it’s hard to raise a family in those apartments.”

"

Like, that is totally fair. However if there is one area where I think it is fine to have 300-square foot units it is probably right next to Union Station.
 
Some thoughts:
  1. Very exciting.
  2. No doubt the renderings are preliminary, but at least Oxford appears to understand the need for some architectural flare for buildings in such a prominent spot.
  3. I love that they're building a park over the rail lines. It looks to be covered between John St and Blue Jays Way. The rail lines between Blue Jays Way to Spadina would then be open, and the rail lines between Spadina and Bathurst would be covered by Rail Deck Park (assuming the city ever builds it). Covering over the rail lines with park space is vital to Toronto's future, in my opinion.
  4. This doesn't touch the MTCC, which presumably is being saved for Phase 2. You can see that the buildings in the renderings are rising in height towards the CN Tower. Given Phase 2 would be right behind the CN Tower, and assuming the heights increase in an approximately straight line from the Phase 1 towers, I could see the Phase 2 towers reaching just below the podium/bulb of the CN Tower.
  5. I hope Mirvish Gehry gets built soon, because Union Park will probably block the view of them from the lake - and what a view that will be...
 
The path extension is pretty convenient for CityPlace residents. It's too bad there aren't provisions for the eventual extension to The Well and future GO station at Spadina/Bathurst Yard.
 
More details from Renx:


The office component would be split into two towers of 58 and 48 storeys. The residential component would also feature two towers, of 54 and 44 storeys.
...
Union Park is designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects, best known for the International Finance Centre in Hong Kong and the Salesforce Tower in San Francisco. Toronto’s Adamson Associates, the executive architect for Canary Wharf in London and The Stack in Vancouver, is also involved in the design.
...
One of the most notable features will be the two-acre urban park over the Union station rail corridor, spanning between Blue Jays Way and the John Street Bridge. Designed by OJB Architects, it aims to deliver much-needed public green space in the heart of Toronto’s downtown core next to some of the city’s most popular tourist destinations.

Also confirmed MTCC isn't part of this phase.

AoD
 
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The path extension is pretty convenient for CityPlace residents. It's too bad there aren't provisions for the eventual extension to The Well and future GO station at Spadina/Bathurst Yard.
If the city is willing to pay for it, they may be able to integrate it somehow into the Rail Deck Park.
 
AoD

This is exciting, after also picking Rogers Stirk Harbour for The Hub development:cool:

“Befitting its status as one of the largest redevelopment projects in North America, and the largest in Toronto’s history, Union Park will feature world-class design from a globally renowned architecture team,”
Union Park is designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects, best known for the International Finance Centre in Hong Kong and the Salesforce Tower in San Francisco. Toronto’s Adamson Associates, the executive architect for Canary Wharf in London and The Stack in Vancouver, is also involved in the design.
 

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