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In Toronto's eastern reaches, Scarborough's Cliffcrest neighbourhood is beginning a metamorphosis, with the first of several planned mid-rise residential projects now under construction on a stretch of Kingston Road that's been dominated by aging motels and strip retail. 'The Bluffs' is a new condo located midway between Brimley Road and the eastern end of St. Clair Avenue East. It comes by its name honestly, as it's just north of the famed Scarborough Bluffs for which the borough itself was named. With construction ongoing, Skale Developments recently treated us to a trip through the building for a preview of what's to come.
Designed by architects RAW Design, the nine-storey building topped out at its structural peak of 34.14 metres earlier this summer. Cladding installation has been ongoing for several months now, with a window wall system framed by black aluminum mullions and integrated louvres. That's now in place up to eighth floor, in some cases higher, along all elevations. Additional window wall finishes are also in place along the ninth floor's south elevation.
Walking around the building's exterior, brick laying has begun along the south, east, and west elevations, with the main north facade still awaiting its brick finishes. Unlike the brick-embedded or patterned precast panels that have become popular recently in residential construction, these made-in-Canada crimson bricks are being hand laid by traditional bricklayers.
Stepping inside, the project's 2.5-level underground garage is moving towards its final form, with plumbing, electrical, and drywall installation all evident in the photo below.
On the lowest residential floors, drywall installation has etched out the shape of units, while appliances and final finishes are coming soon.
A few floors above, the progression of work stages is evident, with metal framing in place for drywall and areas where raw concrete is still evident.
The building is capped off by a series of two-storey loft-style units on levels eight and nine. Things remain in a relatively raw state up here, with crews currently installing plumbing and electrical conduits as cladding installation continues to enclose the future suites.
At the top of the building, the recently-formed mechanical penthouse level awaits installation of boiler and HVAC equipment. A view from the mechanical level facing east reveals the mid-rise's views over the adjacent neighbourhood and lake.
To the west, a view over Kingston Road shows a stretch set to witness plenty of new development in the coming years, set against a sweeping skyline view stretching from Lake Ontario up to Midtown Toronto.
A recent drone video of the building, courtesy of Skale Developments, puts the images above into context, while offering rare aerial glimpses of the project's massing and exterior finishes.
You can learn more from our Database file for the project, linked below. If you'd like to, you can join in on the conversation in the associated Project Forum thread, or leave a comment in the space provided on this page.
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| Related Companies: | Astro Excavating Inc., Figure3, Live Patrol Inc., McIntosh Perry, RAW Design, Skale Developments, Vortex Fire Consulting Inc. |
