In June 2016, UrbanToronto ran the first of three storeys about a newly proposed 59-storey condominium tower at the southwest corner of Yonge and Scollard streets in Toronto's tony Yorkville neighbourhood. At 229 metres high, the striking shifted-boxes design of 1 Scollard—a KPMB Architects classic of disciplined geometry—was a bold proposal for the site at 37.5 times lot coverage, and the proposal was refused by City Council based on the Planning Department's Preliminary Report, a rare move.

Looking southwest to 1 Scollard, initial 59-storey version, in context, image by KPMB Architects

In response, Cityzen Development Group have downscaled their proposal to 51 storeys and 179 metres, and appealed to the Ontario Municipal Board, opting for Mediation with the hearing beginning on November 30th, 2017. The resubmitted proposal now has 165 suites compared to the original's 194, and 153 parking spaces, down from the original 189.

Looking southwest to 1 Scollard, revised 51-storey version, in context, image by KPMB Architects

Only two new renderings have accompanied the changes; the one above showing the shorter version of the tower in context, and the one below, removing an upgrade offered by the proponents to Frank Stollery Parkette which is across Scollard Street immediately north of the building.

Looking southwest to 1 Scollard without a park upgrade, image by KPMB Architects

The original rendering of 1 Scollard came with the enticement of a park redesign by internationally lauded London-based landscape architect Martha Schwartz, in the form of a polished stainless steel bowl supporting an island of trees from Ontario's cottage country to the north. The "island", while potentially iconic for the area in its own right, cannot be seen without reminding people of Anish Kapoor's world-famous Cloud Gate sculpture in Chicago's Millennium Park. Locals at a public consultation on the building in 2016 were not sure they wanted a local version, and City Planning staff noted that the offer was premature.

Looking southeast to 1 Scollard with the park upgrade, image by KPMB Architects

UrbanToronto will report back later this year or early next year once the result of the OMB-led mediation on this proposal has been made public. In the meantime, you can review more renderings of the proposal in our database file, linked below. You can register your comments in the space provided on this page, or visit the associated Forum thread to get in on the conversation there.