The blistering afternoon sun did not stop attendees from gathering for a ceremony at 1071 King Street West on the edge of Toronto's Liberty Village area. The event, held on Tuesday, July 23, saw the development team of HullmarkFirst Capitaland Woodbourne Canada Management Inc. gather to break ground on the 17-storey development on the south side of King Street west of Shaw Street. The flatiron-shaped rental building — responding to the property's pie shape with the Toronto West Rail Corridor as its southern limit — is designed by BDP Quadrangle, with Kirkor Architects Planners as the Architect of Record.

Representatives of Hullmark, First Capital, and Woodbourne Canada Management, image by Lucas Durofil | First Capital REIT

Those gathered heard Jeff Hull, President of Hullmark, share his vision for the project. Hull spoke about its unique elements, saying "Our vision for this project has always been to create a living space that combines high architectural design, timeless aesthetic, comfort, sustainability, and a strong sense of community." 

Jeff Hull, President of Hullmark, speaking to the crowd, image by Lucas Durofil | First Capital REIT

The development team highlighted that this is one of Toronto's first flatiron-shaped buildings under construction in years. Rising to 56.6m, this addition to the Liberty Village skyline will house a mix of retail and residential spaces. The ground floor will feature 520m² of retail space, while an extension of the West Toronto Railpath that will be integrated into the building beside the rail corridor. Above, the building will offer 20,456m² of residential space, accommodating 298 market-rate rental units and 6 affordable rental units.

Looking east to 1071 King West, designed by BDP Quadrangle and Kirkor Architects Planners for Hullmark, First Capital, and Woodbourne Canada Management, Inc

1071 King West will boast a striking red brick facade that pays homage to the area's past that several buildings now celebrate with an industrial-chic aesthetic. The building’s unique triangular geometry will provide a distinctive presence, while also optimizing space usage in a place intended to connect Liberty Village to King Street West.

A key feature of the building will be its sustainability, particularly its geothermal heating and cooling system designed and built by Geosource Energy. This innovative technology significantly reduces a building's carbon footprint. Hull emphasized this, sharing, "This building will not only offer beautiful apartments, but also incorporates green space with a new park and state-of-the-art amenities and innovative sustainable technologies."

Representatives of Hullmark digging into the ground, image by Anthony Teles

Attendees were able to take in the construction up close, with the ceremony taking place at the site’s east end while an excavator actively moved earth on the west side. On the south end of the site, a large shoring rig stood ready. With piled, excavated earth onsite, this scene marks the early stages of excavation as one of the few projects under construction along this stretch of King Street West.

Looking east to the early stages of excavation, image by Anthony Teles

Hull noted that his team at Hullmark was the “key driving force in getting this project zoned and shovel-ready.” He expressed gratitude for the entire team involved in 1071 King West, concluding, "We are privileged to work alongside such talented and committed professionals who share our passion for excellence and innovation.”

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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Related Companies:  Aercoustics Engineering Ltd, BDP Quadrangle, Bousfields, First Capital, Geosource Energy, Gradient Wind Engineers & Scientists, Janet Rosenberg & Studio, KIRKOR Architects and Planners, Multiplex, RJC Engineers, Vortex Fire Consulting Inc.