I have to agree with OW. People seem to be spiteful for the sake of being spiteful. Is it perhaps because there is resentment or jealousy in the fact that a relatively unknown builder (in this city) has successfully marketed a development that includes condos priced at more than 800 psf? The current global financial crisis notwithstanding, this prime location commands a high quality structure and any residential units included should fetch top dollar by local standards. This is exactly what has happened, and once the economy settles down, people will realize that the evolution of a project like 1BE is natural for Toronto. The retail, hotel, and apartments will come along in due course, and the project, in my opinion, will be a huge success. For the record, I also believe the architecture is quite good. The building is slim and elegant, without trying too much. The 'fin' on top suits the design, and the sliding glass for the enclosed balconies is a comparatively unique feature. Much of the building's final look will hinge on the effect it has, so there is some intrigue in that I don't know of any other building in Toronto that features 'lanais', but I give Varacalli credit for trying to make a statement and provide a realistic solution to weather related problems on balconies for a skyscraper. Compare this building's design with Aura, U, and 300 Front. Those are pretty slick designs, but not as innovative. My bet is 1BE will come out ahead in the end.
