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As Toronto burst forward into spring — moving both an hour ahead and ahead with urban development — the stories from March, 2024 reflected that. Along with highlights of Transit-Oriented Communities (TOCs) sprouting along the anticipated Ontario Line, the most-read news story was a look at the GO Lakeshore expansion by YouTuber and UrbanToronto transportation specialist Reece Martin.
Discussions around building heights abounded, with The One — its ascent now helmed by SKYGRiD as general contractors — continuing to be our most searched database file; meanwhile, Forum users dissected Concord Sky's architectural plans to determine its actual final height and potential "supertall" status. These stories paint a picture of a city embracing longer days with ambitious plans, passionate discussions (or debates), and a future with much better transit.
Let's take a closer look at our top stories, database files, and threads for March, 2024.
Our Top 10 Most Read News Stories:
The slew of TOCs has meant plenty of stories, and those for Cosburn, Queen-Spadina, and Corktown found themselves at #17, #15, and #11 respectively. Like the other TOC concept plans, each will feature multiple towers divided across north and south sites at each location.
17. Transit-Oriented Community Program Released for Cosburn Station
15. Two Transit-Oriented Community Towers Planned at Queen-Spadina Station
11. Transit-Oriented Community Planned at Corktown Station
TOCs grabbing more eyeballs along the Ontario Line included the Atlantic and Jefferson Sites of the Exhibition TOC, and the North and South Pape TOC sites, making the list at #8 and #2 respectively. Whether Concord Sky should be considered a supertall or not sparked debate at #9, due to the different criteria used by UrbanToronto and the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat to measure buildings' height. Meanwhile, privately developed towers proposed at subway stations — another type of TOC — popped into 5th, 4th, and 3rd place…
10. Office Space Dropped, Affordable Housing Added at Bloor and Mount Pleasant
9. The Concord Sky Height Debate: Mere Skyscraper or Supertall?
8. Transit-Oriented Community Planned at Exhibition Station
7. East Tower of Frank Gehry's Forma Progresses Through Early Construction
6. The One: The Story and Storeys That Just Don't Quit
5. Resubmission Bumps St Clair Station Proposal to 50 Storeys
4. 69-Storey Tower With Rental Replacements Proposed Near Sherbourne Station
3. 68 Storeys Proposed near Wellesley Station
2. Transit-Oriented Community Plan Released for Pape Station
March's list was topped, however, not by a Transit Oriented Community, but by transit itself, in Reece Martin's forward-looking explorations on the ongoing expansion work along the GO Lakeshore line.
1. GO Lakeshore Expansion: Toronto's First Taste of RER
Our Top 10 Most Searched Database Files:
Concord Canada House made it into the top 10 most searched database files at #11. This significant development in Toronto's CityPlace community by Concord Adex is nearing completion. Designed by Arcadis, the project is set to feature towers of 64 and 74 storeys and will mark the culmination of a two-decade-long master-planned endeavour on the former Railway Lands.
Concord Sky makes an appearance at #9, in part spurred by debates over its height. Freed Hotel & Residences drops one spot this month to #8, set to be the home of Canada's first Katsuya Restaurant, Forma reenters the spotlight at #6, with the construction of its east tower marking a significant phase, while CIBC SQUARE climbs from #10 to make the top 5. Staples like The Well, Pinnacle One Yonge, and The One persistently draw attention, featured at #4, #2, and #1 respectively, showcasing the city's architectural and developmental dynamism.
10. Ivy Condos
9. Concord Sky
7. M2M Condos
6. Forma
5. CIBC SQUARE
4. The Well
3. 101 Spadina
1. The One
Our Top 10 Busiest Threads:
It's a case of déjà vu fhere or Concord Canada House, which once again finds itself taking the #11 spot in the Top Ten Busiest Threads. Forum contributors have been sharing plenty of snapshots of the dual towers' substantial vertical progress of late, with white accented cladding slowly coming together to form the shape of the country's emblematic maple leaf.
Transit projects continue to make appearances throughout the top 10 threads, with the Eglinton Line 5 Crosstown LRT at #3 and Ontario Line 3 at #7. With the Blue Jays' Home Opener just a week away, the renovations for the Rogers Centre come in once again at #9, as part of a two-year project aiming to enhance the fan experience in the ballpark. As its upward journey continues in the face of numerous changes, The One again claims the top spot, followed up by Pinnacle One Yonge.
10. 160 Front West
8. The Well
7. Ontario Line
6. KING Toronto
5. Lower Don Lands Redevelopment
4. CIBC SQUARE
3. Eglinton Line 5 Crosstown LRT
1. The One
We will be back at the beginning of May for a recap of April's top news stories, Database files, and Forum threads!
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UrbanToronto has a research service, UrbanToronto Pro, that provides comprehensive data on construction projects in the Greater Toronto Area—from proposal through to completion. We also offer Instant Reports, downloadable snapshots based on location, and a daily subscription newsletter, New Development Insider, that tracks projects from initial application.
