For decades, the corner of Dundas and Jarvis remained one of Downtown Toronto's less prominent major intersections. Seemingly at the edge of the city while simultaneously at its heart, the corner retained much of its 20th-century identity even as Toronto's development boom reshaped much of the surrounding Downtown.

Pace Condos lower levels, image by Greg Lipinski

This year, however, signs of change abound, with the corner set to become home to a trio of high-rise towers as surrounding streets are reshaped by new density. At the southwest corner of Dundas and Jarvis, Great Gulf's Diamond Schmitt-designed Pace Condos is now essentially complete, with the 42-storey project's first residents having moved in this year. 

The upper levels of Pace Condos, image by Greg Lipinski

Immediately across the street, meanwhile, the northeast and southeast corners are both now construction sites. At the northeast corner, excavation has recently begun for the Gupta Group's 45-storey Dundas Square Gardens tower.

Dundas Square Gardens site, image by UT Forum contributor PMT

Designed by Page + Steel / IBI Group, the 978-unit project replaces the former Hilton Garden Inn—which, despite its astounding lack of architectural quality, was one of the relatively few modestly priced hotels remaining in Toronto's Downtown core. 

Dundas Square Gardens, image courtesy of the Gupta Group

South of Dundas Square Gardens, the 50-storey Grid Condos will rise even higher. With the low-rise properties that were on the site—a Tim Hortons, a rooming house, and a number of small retailers—demolished earlier this year, excavation for Grid is now underway.

Grid Condos excavation, image by UT Forum contributor PMT

Also designed by Page + Steele / IBI Group, the CentreCourt Developments project will add 563 units to the area. While Grid Condos will be slightly taller than its neighbour to the north, the narrow point tower offers a comparatively slender addition—and 415 fewer units—to the skyline.

Grid Condos, image courtesy of CentreCourt

While both projects at the corner itself have been designed to attract investors looking to rent to students at nearby Ryerson University, the two high-rises are still some way off in the future, with labour-intensive below grade and podium-level work set to continue through next year. Half a block to the south, however, Ryerson University's own Jarvis Street Residence is already beginning to rise above its neighbours.

Ryerson's new Student Residence, looking southwest, image by Greg Lipinski

Reaching an eventual height of 30-storeys, the Ryerson and MPI Group project—remarkably enough, also designed by Page + Steele parent company IBI Group—will continue to rise over the coming months, with a 2018 completion targeted.  

Ryerson Student Residence, image via submission to the City of Toronto

We will keep you updated as more information about these projects becomes available, and construction continues. In the meantime, you can learn more through our dataBase files for the various projects, linked below. Want to share your thoughts? Leave a comment in the space below, or join one of the ongoing conversations in our associated Forum threads.