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Tucked mere steps from the landmark Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto's cultural heart, Artistry Condos is emerging into the air, and now hinting at some of its own flair. Here, at the intersection of Dundas Street West and McCaul Street, the building, designed by Graziani + Corazza Architects for Tribute Communities and Greybrook Realty Partners, will bridge Toronto's Chinatown and University Avenue skylines.
Ground was first broken here in 2021, with excavation having continued into 2022. Going back to May of that year, the west-facing image below captures the process adjacent to the venerable St Patrick's Church to the north. The foundation work is in full swing, with shoring walls — steel soldier piles and wood lagging — in place to stabilize the earth beyond. Heavy equipment, including a Caterpillar backhoe loader, is present onsite, maneuvering excavate to where it can be trucked away.
A year later, a southward gaze from St Patrick Street catches Artistry Condos’ ascent one floor above grade. Wood and steel formwork will be used to create the second storey along the eastern elevation. Beneath it are tall shoring poles for the extra-height ground floor.
Below, in a westwards view from August down Dundas Street, the building has now climbed to its fourth storey slab at the east end, with this perspective showing how the east end of Artistry sidles up to the church. The use of architectural concrete for the podium’s structure is evident.
Jumping ahead several months again, the eastward vantage point from December 3, below, offers a view of Artistry Condos with nine storeys constructed. Most notably, the ripples, a design motif that will characterize the building's balconies, are beginning to set the building apart from its neighbours.
Finally, a northwest perspective below, from December 11, provides a clearer view of the building's L-shaped floors, wider at the east end. Dark brick-faced pre-cast cladding has been applied on the exterior of most podium floors, with one still to be clad. The ripples of the balconies are now visibly undulating along the building’s facade. Window installation has not yet started.
While this work has been continuing, Tribute Communities applied to Toronto's Committee of Adjustment to increase the number of floors from 29 to 32, and the height from 101.5m to 110.35m. The hearing took place yesterday, and with the support of the local neighbourhood association behind the changes, the variances were accepted as minor in impact and were approved.
Along with the three extra floors — all taking the same tower floor-plate — several other numbers have naturally changed. While total Gross Floor Area is rising by 8.2%, residential units are rising from 346 to 381, short-term bicycle parking space is increasing, and total amenity space is increasing. As outdoor amenity space was already at maximum based on the design of the building, all new amenity space will be indoor, added on the 30th floor. While the by-law called for 1.5m² per unit for each of indoor and outdoor amenities, there will now be a total of 1.34m² outdoor per unit and 1.66m² indoor per unit. UrbanToronto's Database file for the building will be updated soon once the paperwork has been made public by the City.
UrbanToronto will continue to follow progress on this development, but in the meantime, you can learn more about it from our Database file, 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.
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