Toronto's eastern waterfront is going to be a very different place 10 years from now. Several master-planned communities and skyline-defining towers are now under construction east of Bay Street, including CIBC Square, Pinnacle One Yonge, Sugar Wharf, Daniels City of the Arts, Monde, and Bayside, among others.

Among these transformative developments, Menkes is currently remaking the former LCBO Lands into a mixed-use high-rise community dubbed Sugar Wharf. Construction is well underway on the first component of the master plan, a 25-storey office tower slated to house the relocated headquarters of the LCBO, while shoring and excavation is now getting started on Sugar Wharf Condominiums Phase One, which will be a pair of 65- and 70-storey condo towers. Designed by architectsAlliance, the Phase One condos were submitted for Site Plan Approval last month, revealing a modified design and further details of the development.

Rendering of Sugar Wharf Condos Phase One, image courtesy of Menkes Developments.

The twin towers of Phase One are located in the northeast quadrant of the LCBO site, occupying the block bordered by Lake Shore Boulevard to the north, Cooper Street to the west, an extended Harbour Street to the south, and a new north-south street to the east. The southeast tower will rise 65 storeys to a total height of 219 metres, while the northwest tower will rise 70 storeys to a total height of 231 metres. The total number of residential units amounts to 1,649.

Rendering of Sugar Wharf Condos Phase One, image courtesy of Menkes Developments.

Both towers sit atop a shared podium that varies in height from 3 to 11 storeys. A landscaped roof terrace will be located at the centre of the site on the 3-storey portion that will be accessible from the two condo towers. The north portion of the podium rises 11 storeys and will contain 205 affordable housing units, while the south portion of the podium rises 6 storeys and will contain grade-level retail.

Roof plan of Sugar Wharf Condos Phase One, image courtesy of Menkes Developments.

A total of 123,628 square metres GFA of residential space and 7,132 square metres GFA of non-residential space is included in the development. All non-residential GFA is dedicated to two large retail/commercial spaces. Plans show a single large, double-height retail space located at grade level in the southwest corner of the site, though it is currently unknown if the tenant has been secured yet. The remainder of the non-residential GFA is dedicated to a large fitness centre located on the second floor of the podium, which occupies nearly the entire floor plate.

Ground floor plan, image courtesy of Menkes Developments.

Three residential lobbies are located on the ground floor, with an entrance each for the two condo towers and a separate entrance for the affordable units in the north podium. The two condo towers share a host of diverse amenities located on the fourth floor, which include several party/social rooms; three theatres; kids' play areas and party rooms; a music room; an arcade room; an art studio/hobby room; a Lego room; a hammock lounge; and a virtual reality room. The units in the north podium have their own amenity spaces located on the ground floor, as well as a rooftop terrace on the twelfth floor.

Fourth/fifth floor plan, image courtesy of Menkes Developments.

The unit mix of the total development includes 41 studios (2%), 1,077 one-bedrooms (65%), 358 two-bedrooms (22%), and 173 three-bedrooms (10%). Other notable aspects include four levels of underground parking, and provisions for future PATH connections to both the east and west on the P1 level.

We will be back with more updates as Sugar Wharf Condominiums Phase One nears the end of the planning process, but in the meantime, you can tell us what you think by checking out the associated Forum threads or by leaving a comment in the space provided on this page.