4.1K 
In April, UrbanToronto visited the gallery-style presentation centre on the site of Amexon Development Corporation’s highly anticipated Residences at Central Park development at 1200 Sheppard Avenue, to learn more about what is in the works for the master-planned project. Since that time, 85% of the first phase units have been sold, and with the project six months closer to ground breaking, we returned to the presentation centre looking for the latest news surrounding the multi-tower development.
Located in the Bayview Village neighbourhood on the west bank of the Don River, the Residences at Central Park is a unique project that will bridge the natural landscape of the Don Valley Ravine with a transit-oriented, sustainably designed community consisting of four residential towers, two office buildings, and a residential mid-rise. Designed by Core Architects, the project has invested heavily in curating a community living experience that feels intrinsically connected to nature, and with 12 acres of land on the site, a mix of amenity space, commercial space, and public parkland will work together to accomplish that.
Visiting the presentation centre for the second time, we were curious to look at aspects of the project we haven’t covered yet, and something that stood out immediately was the retrofitting procedure planned for the existing office buildings. Located on the northernmost portion of the site, the shorter building is four storeys and the taller building, located just south, is eight storeys, with a 2-storey volume sitting in the middle that connects them. The proposed retrofitting would see the dark granite exterior cladding fully removed, to be replaced by a more contemporary design that integrates the existing buildings into the fabric of the Central Park community.
While it may seem over-complicated to go through the process of careful demolition when the building could be completely torn down, recladding efforts like this are beneficial for several reasons. For starters, there is a sustainability argument; in this case, the buildings’ structural components and systems are in good shape. A full reconstruction would see a much higher volume of construction waste, and in particular, unnecessary waste generated through the demolition of materials that still have decades of life left in them. Secondly, recladding allows for the building to receive a full external makeover without causing a significant disruption to the tenants, who will continue leasing their commercial offices throughout the process and after its completion.
If it sounds surprising, a procedure of the same nature was undertaken on another Amexon development, also working with Core Architects, back in late 2015, and on a much larger scale. Now completed, The Residences of 488 University Avenue project began in the same way, with the decladding of an existing 18-storey building to reinvigorate the exterior with a contemporary curtain wall glazing. Compared to what will happen at Central Park however, the University Avenue project had a notably bigger fish to fry, considering the reclad tower also had to be structurally reinforced to support a 37-storey residential tower built above; and all of this was accomplished while office tenants carried on as usual. In short, Amexon knows what they are getting into with the retrofitting of the existing buildings at Central Park, and good results should be expected.
The more obvious aspect that makes the office buildings stand out is the new exterior design, which features a dynamic mass created by narrow vertical protrusions referred to as fins. Each building is wrapped in fins on all sides, running from the roof down to the floor plate of the second level, and each fin extends out to different extents from the building in different places, together creating a topographical form that adds rippling motion and visual intrigue to the simple frames of the existing buildings.
The fins will also act as brise soleils, which will help cut heat transmission through the windows by decreasing the amount of direct sunlight hitting the panes, whilemstill maintaining a full view for those inside. Some small improvements will also take place to the interiors of the buildings, mainly for the purpose of installing new retail space, but will also include a redone lobby, and improved corridors throughout both buildings.
UrbanToronto will continue to follow updates for this development, but in the meantime, you can learn more from our Database file for the project, linked below. If you'd like, you can join in on the conversation in the associated Project Forum thread, or leave a comment in the space provided on this page.
* * *
UrbanToronto’s new data research service, UrbanToronto Pro, offers comprehensive information on construction projects in the Greater Toronto Area—from proposal right through to completion stages. In addition, our subscription newsletter, New Development Insider, drops in your mailbox daily to help you track projects through the planning process.
