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In development since the Fall of 2016 and submitted to the City of Toronto in July, 2018, a proposal from Slate Asset Management for One Delisle has been undergoing refinements behind the scenes. Most recently, the project was resubmitted to the City through an application seeking an Official Plan Amendment and rezoning for the site on Yonge just north of St. Clair.
Designed by Chicago-based Studio Gang led by "starchitect" Jeanne Gang working alongside local Architect of Record WZMH Architects, the project made waves upon its initial submission. The design with its elongated hexagonal modules pieced together in a honeycomb pattern—unlike any other building in Toronto—was lauded at a 2018 Design Review Panel appearance, though consultations both before and after the initial submission brought forward suggestions to refine the plan.
Public meetings held during the first half of 2019 involved discussions with community residents as well as Councillor Josh Matlow’s Working Group and City Staff. Further consultations with City Staff were held earlier this year, including discussions on the project’s built form and modifications to the proposal. From these discussions, the design team incorporated many suggestions into the latest iteration, most notably the revised height. At its newly proposed height of 44 storeys—reduced from 48—One Delisle would better align with nearby proposals. The decreased proposed height appears to be a response to the City's concern of not establishing a terribly tall new height peak precedent that other building developments in the Yonge-St Clair area would then also seek: the taller the buildings, the further their shadows extend beyond them.
Now set to reach a height of 155 m/508.5 ft including to the top of architectural screening around the crown (which reach above the mechanical and which are not counted in the heights quoted in the image above), the new height represents an 18-metre reduction from the initial proposal. Behind the largely translucent architectural screening, the building roof would come in at 143 metres, while the mechanical penthouse level would reach the 150-metre mark.
Several other changes have been introduced in the latest iteration, including a redesigned pick-up/drop-off area on Delisle Avenue, changes to the massing on lower levels, an enhanced landscape strategy by Janet Rosenberg + Studio, and the development of a construction management plan that would minimize impact to the site’s surroundings.
Additional information and images can be found in our Database file for the project, linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Check out the associated Forum thread, or leave a comment below.
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