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Last week, an application for rezoning was formally submitted to the City of Toronto by developer KingSett Capital to reshape the corner of one of Downtown's most prominent intersections. The developer is seeking to build a 61-storey rental tower behind the concave glass curtain of the Ontario Power Building—an International Style landmark at the southwest corner of University and College—which itself would be topped by a four-storey office addition. Before the materials are officially submitted to the City and available to the public, KingSett Capital has given UrbanToronto an early glimpse of the mixed-use, KPMB Architects-designed proposal at 700 University Avenue, which reimagines every facet of the site.
The images provided to UrbanToronto primarily highlight the proposed redevelopment of the existing sunken concrete plaza and domed entrance to Queen's Park subway station. At this space, KingSett and KPMB instead imagine a new elliptical glass pavilion fronting the intersection, surrounded by trees, landscaping, street furniture, and new paving.
Interior images of the pavilion reveal an airy all-season public realm featuring high ceilings, amphitheatre-style seating, and a cafe space.
The rental tower rising at the southwest corner of the site—facing the intersection of Murray and Orde Streets—would "serve the needs of the surrounding hospital district," according to Tom Giancos, Senior Vice President, Urban Development at KingSett Capital. Images of the triangular, 531-unit tower only outline the proposed massing at this stage, with building materiality to be finalized through the Site Plan Approval process.
The introduction of the tower in this location appears to significantly improve the public realm along Orde Street where currently there are several service doors facing a concrete expanse of sidewalk.
Improved underground connections are proposed which will enable pedestrian movement to and from the adjacent hospitals on University Avenue. A new entrance to Queen's Park station takes the shape of a smaller structure generally consistent with the design of the glass pavilion.
The 170,095 m² development includes a retrofit of the Ontario Power Building to reach carbon-neutral performance. The proposed four-storey extrusion crowning the existing 19-storey office tower would also sport a carbon-neutral design, a high-performance building envelope, and a form faithful to the curved edges of the structure below.
The Ontario Power Building was designed by Kenneth R. Cooper, with Adamson Associates serving as the architect of record. Completed in 1975 for Ontario Hydro, the building now contains the head office for its successor company, Ontario Power Generation. The curved glass face of the building has become a fixture at the intersection.
More images and details of the project will be revealed when supporting materials are soon uploaded to the City's Application Information Centre. In the meantime, 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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