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The votes are in from our sixth annual Year-End Readers' Poll. We invited you to select your favourite projects completed in the City of Toronto in 2020, in five categories representing different height ranges. There were a total of 39 mid- and high-rise projects which wrapped up construction last year that were in our poll, and over 750 of you identified your favourites. Here they are!
6 to 9 storeys:
Winner: West Block
A clear favourite was selected in our 6- to 9-storey category, where the Choice Properties' West Block Est. 1928 commercial building, the short part of a larger mixed-use complex also containing two condo towers, won by a substantial margin. (The condo towers were voted on separately.) The project saw the 1928-built Loblaws Groceterias building reborn following its 2000 abandonment and 2016 brick-by-brick disassembly and cataloguing. Now rebuilt with heritage details meticulously restored in a process overseen by experts ERA Architects, the heritage building is capped by a modern office addition designed by architectsAlliance. West Block's victory over competing buildings was pronounced, taking in 52.45% of the vote with a total of 407 respondents. In distant second place, Cabin won out an even 25% of the votes with 194 respondents. Third place went to 99 Atlantic, winning 7.86% of the vote.
10 to 19 storeys:
Winner: The Plant
A hard-fought battle came down to the wire for our 10-19 storeys category, where the winner was determined by less than one percentage point, and several lead changes were exchanged over the break before The Plant ultimately came out on top. The 10-storey project from Curated Properties and Windmill Development Group has added a subtle but handsome presence to the intersection of Dovercourt and Sudbury Streets. Designed by Kohn Shnier Architects and SMV Architects, since renamed CMV Group architects, The Plant features a mix of charcoal and white brick finishes and metal railing balconies that help it manage to both stand out from the pack and stand back as a background building. The Plant got 14.82% of the vote with 115 respondents, while honourable mentions go to second place Distinction Condos (108 respondents with 13.92% of the vote) and third place Avenue 151 (12.5% of total/97 votes).
20 to 29 storeys:
Winner: Art Shoppe Condos
Art Shoppe Condos now adds a 28-storey presence just south of Midtown Toronto's Yonge and Eglinton intersection. The 12- and 28-storey architectsAlliance-designed condominium complex from Freed Developments and Capital Developments was a clear winner in our 20-29 storeys category with an impressive 35.05% of the votes, selected by 272 respondents. This placed Art Shoppe well ahead of the next closest competitor, Minto Yorkville Park, which took in 17.78% of the vote with 138 respondents. Close behind was 88 North, capturing 15.59% of the vote with 121 respondents.
30 to 39 storeys:
Winner: Tower at Pier 27
The clearest winner with the widest victory margin was recorded in our 30 to 39 storeys category, where Cityzen Development Group and Fernbrook Homes' Tower at Pier 27 generated plenty of clicks with its 35-storey design by architectsAlliance at the foot of Yonge Street. The project with alternating rotated balcony slabs crushed all competition, taking home 48.45% of the vote with 376 respondents. While this vote share is lower than the 52.45% won by West Block in our 6 to 9 storeys category, the share of votes dividing Tower at Pier 27 from its competition is much larger, with second place selection ZEN King West winning 19.85% of votes with 154 respondents and third place going to 16 York with 14.69% and 114 respondents.
40 storeys and up:
Winner: Eau du Soleil Condos
Among the tallest buildings completed in Toronto in 2020, a few clear favourites emerged early in the voting, though the crown ultimately went to Eau du Soleil Condos by Empire Communities in the Humber Bay Shores neighbourhood. Designed by Zeidler Architecture Inc. and Richmond Architects, the two-tower complex includes the tallest building in Canada located outside of a Downtown at 66 storeys. Eau du Soleil grabbed 31.44% of the vote with 244 respondents. In second place, Wellesley on the Park captured 23.2% of the vote with 180 respondents, while third place went to King Blue Condos, taking 16.37% of the votes with 127 respondents.
What do you think the polls say about Toronto's new buildings? You can leave a comment in the space provided on this page.
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