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Under construction since 2015, the final elements of Bazis and Plaza's 1 Yorkville development are coming out from under wraps on Yonge Street north of Bloor in the heart of Toronto. The 58-storey, Roy Varacalli-designed condominium tower rose above grade in mid-2017 and topped out at its final 183.2-metre height in mid-2019. In the just shy of a year and a half since then, the project has advanced into the late stages of construction and welcomed its first residents, as finishing touches continue to reveal more details.
After revealing a base earlier this year where the building's signature crimped fins descend to the street to create a colonnade at the base of the tower on the Yorkville Avenue side, another project element is being revealed around the corner to the east.
On Yonge Street, the wraps are now coming down on a group of six heritage storefront buildings that have been integrated into the base of the tower. The rear sections of these buildings were demolished in 2015 before being covered up in scaffolds and tarps in 2018 as the tower ascended above grade to the west.
Having been hidden from passersby for 2.5 years, the heritage frontages were revealed this month, now meticulously restored in a process overseen by heritage specialists ERA Architects. Along with the removal of layers of grime, repointing of the brickwork, replicated features including energy efficient windows that look like when the buildings were new, and roofline cornices that bring the buildings back to their original glory.
Central sections of the restoration are now on full display, to be joined by the completion of the remaining sections to the north and south in the coming weeks. Views along street level show the storefronts being prepped for the reintroduction of businesses after the block was vacated of all tenants over five years ago.
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 in the space provided on this page.
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