buildup
Senior Member
It was 1969
MisterF
Senior Member
Lots of buildings from that era actually. I'm guessing it was a high end feature. In the last building I lived in we had no control over the heat and it was always on. It could be -30 outside and I'd have the windows open...in a north facing apartment.
urbandreamer
recession proof
^That's true: my High Park slab tower (early '60's judging by sidewalk imprint date (an aside: one of my favourite hobbies/addictions is staring at those sidewalk date stamps--oldest sidewalk i've found is in k-w dated to 1902!) either has the heat on or off--zero control from inside my apt. It's not the warmest place on Earth but it's better than the winter I spent sleeping in a tent--homeless.
Urban Shocker
Doyenne
I assume this building ( sorry I can't post pics. ) wasn't built because there wasn't a market for a 320-unit luxury condo at the time. There was also a bit of a downturn in the economy in early 1970 ( my Dad immigrated in April of that year looking for work and it wasn't easy to find ). The building, which was to occupy land between Gerrard and McGill, was a Grozbord, King and Associates development - they were active locally for a few years in the late-1960's. That's all I know. The condo concept was only a couple of years old at the time in Ontario, and I believe the first were low-rise townhouses in Bramalea.
AlvinofDiaspar
Moderator
From the Post:
75-storey condo to be tallest
Third Tower; Architects screened plan for Yonge, Gerrard
Chris Wattie, National Post
Published: Friday, November 16, 2007
Another massive tower is going up in downtown Toronto next year, a 243-metre modernist tower at the corner of Yonge and Gerrard streets that developers promise will be "a landmark building" and the tallest condominium tower in Canada.
Danny Roth, a spokesman for developer Canderel Stoneridge, said the Aura tower will be a "pure condominium," with almost all of its 75 storeys and 1.3 million square feet of space devoted to residential use. "It'll be the tallest and the largest in Canada," he said. "This is going to be a landmark building."
Aura at College Park is the third phase of the developer's The Residence of College Park. The first two towers are 52 and 45 storeys.
Details of the new project were to be announced at a news conference today, when the developers will begin accepting pre-registration for prospective owners, who will be buying units that Mr. Roth described as being "in the upper end of the condo market."
"It's going to reflect a range of pricing," he said. "But as you get higher in the building, you'll be getting into the higher end of the pricing spectrum."
The new tower will include a four-storey "podium" at its base, with up to 190,000 square feet of retail and recreational space, all designed by Mississauga-based architects Graziani + Corazza.
The city has approved the project and the Ontario Municipal Board has ratified it. Five outside architectural firms performed an extensive review in the city's first international architectural peer review process, Mr. Roth said.
The end result is expected to be a striking modernist building with "curb appeal for miles around," according to sources familiar with the design.
Councillor Kyle Rae, whose Toronto Centre-Rosedale ward includes the proposed site of the new tower, said he is pleased at the final form the new building will take. "In this case, size doesn't matter; architecture matters," he said. "And this is going to be a very clean, modern style.
"It's a very handsome, well-designed building."
But the Aura Tower already has some competition in the height sweepstakes. Bazis International, a Kazakhstan-based development firm, is planning a condo tower at One Bloor Street East that could be higher, a "whisper-thin" 80-storey condominium tower and boutique hotel.
But while Bazis says it has approval from the city to build to 227 metres, the builders want to go up 278 metres and are trying to convince council to approve the extra height. The company now wants to build a 248-metre building, with an additional 20 metres for a "mechanicals penthouse" and 10 metres more for eight "architectural fins" but only filed its application for a zoning change and site plan approval last week.
Work is expected to begin next year on the Aura site, currently a parking lot on the northwest corner of Yonge and Gerrard, and suites will be available for pre-sale "early next year," according to Mr. Roth.
The opening of One Bloor Street last week nearly set off a riot among real estate agents scrambling to buy the condos. Security guards and police struggled to contain the herd of agents lined up for days on Bloor Street to reserve units that began at $500,000 and topped out at more than $8-million.
By the day's end, only 35 agents in a line of 100 were able to purchase a unit.
cwattie@nationalpost.com
AoD
75-storey condo to be tallest
Third Tower; Architects screened plan for Yonge, Gerrard
Chris Wattie, National Post
Published: Friday, November 16, 2007
Another massive tower is going up in downtown Toronto next year, a 243-metre modernist tower at the corner of Yonge and Gerrard streets that developers promise will be "a landmark building" and the tallest condominium tower in Canada.
Danny Roth, a spokesman for developer Canderel Stoneridge, said the Aura tower will be a "pure condominium," with almost all of its 75 storeys and 1.3 million square feet of space devoted to residential use. "It'll be the tallest and the largest in Canada," he said. "This is going to be a landmark building."
Aura at College Park is the third phase of the developer's The Residence of College Park. The first two towers are 52 and 45 storeys.
Details of the new project were to be announced at a news conference today, when the developers will begin accepting pre-registration for prospective owners, who will be buying units that Mr. Roth described as being "in the upper end of the condo market."
"It's going to reflect a range of pricing," he said. "But as you get higher in the building, you'll be getting into the higher end of the pricing spectrum."
The new tower will include a four-storey "podium" at its base, with up to 190,000 square feet of retail and recreational space, all designed by Mississauga-based architects Graziani + Corazza.
The city has approved the project and the Ontario Municipal Board has ratified it. Five outside architectural firms performed an extensive review in the city's first international architectural peer review process, Mr. Roth said.
The end result is expected to be a striking modernist building with "curb appeal for miles around," according to sources familiar with the design.
Councillor Kyle Rae, whose Toronto Centre-Rosedale ward includes the proposed site of the new tower, said he is pleased at the final form the new building will take. "In this case, size doesn't matter; architecture matters," he said. "And this is going to be a very clean, modern style.
"It's a very handsome, well-designed building."
But the Aura Tower already has some competition in the height sweepstakes. Bazis International, a Kazakhstan-based development firm, is planning a condo tower at One Bloor Street East that could be higher, a "whisper-thin" 80-storey condominium tower and boutique hotel.
But while Bazis says it has approval from the city to build to 227 metres, the builders want to go up 278 metres and are trying to convince council to approve the extra height. The company now wants to build a 248-metre building, with an additional 20 metres for a "mechanicals penthouse" and 10 metres more for eight "architectural fins" but only filed its application for a zoning change and site plan approval last week.
Work is expected to begin next year on the Aura site, currently a parking lot on the northwest corner of Yonge and Gerrard, and suites will be available for pre-sale "early next year," according to Mr. Roth.
The opening of One Bloor Street last week nearly set off a riot among real estate agents scrambling to buy the condos. Security guards and police struggled to contain the herd of agents lined up for days on Bloor Street to reserve units that began at $500,000 and topped out at more than $8-million.
By the day's end, only 35 agents in a line of 100 were able to purchase a unit.
cwattie@nationalpost.com
AoD
The OMB ratified something the City approved? What does that mean?
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goodboys
New Member
TORONTO - OMB NEWS
Settlement approves 75 storeys on Yonge
In a decision issued November 2, board members Colin
Hefferon and Harold Goldkind allowed an appeal by
Toronto College Park Limited and Canderel
Stoneridge Equity Group against the city’s failure to
enact a zoning by-law amendment to permit the development
of a 75-storey residential tower with 17,000-sq.m. of
commercial space at 444 Yonge Street, on the northwest
corner of Yonge Street and Gerrard Street West.
An appeal for an official plan amendment was also submitted
to the board, however, the city and the appellants
agreed that one was not needed and the appeal was subsequently
withdrawn. The board also heard that all three parties
had reached a settlement. An agreement was also
reached concerning Section 37 contributions and is being
drafted.
Planner J. Craig Hunter (Armstrong Hunter &
Associates) provided planning evidence in support of the
settlement. Hunter noted that studies have shown the section
of Yonge Street on which the development is proposed
needs large retail spaces, and three floors of the
tower are to be for dedicated retail uses. Hunter was of the
opinion that the development would have little impact on
the neighbouring residential properties.
Shadow studies were submitted as evidence to demonstrate
that the design of the tower is such that a maximum
of 30 minutes of shadow in any one spot would occur at
the summer solstice. Additional evidence noted that a redesign
of the podium would eliminate wind shear impacts
at the street level.
The board allowed the appeal, amending the zoning bylaw.
The board also made itself available if the finalization
of the Section 37 agreement results in any difficulties.
Solicitor Stephen Bradley represented the City of
Toronto. Solicitor Tim Bermingham (Blake, Cassels)
represented Toronto College Park Limited. Solicitor
Bohdan Onyschuk (Gowling Lafleur) represented
Canderel Stoneridge Equity Group. (See OMB Case No.
PL060973.)
Settlement approves 75 storeys on Yonge
In a decision issued November 2, board members Colin
Hefferon and Harold Goldkind allowed an appeal by
Toronto College Park Limited and Canderel
Stoneridge Equity Group against the city’s failure to
enact a zoning by-law amendment to permit the development
of a 75-storey residential tower with 17,000-sq.m. of
commercial space at 444 Yonge Street, on the northwest
corner of Yonge Street and Gerrard Street West.
An appeal for an official plan amendment was also submitted
to the board, however, the city and the appellants
agreed that one was not needed and the appeal was subsequently
withdrawn. The board also heard that all three parties
had reached a settlement. An agreement was also
reached concerning Section 37 contributions and is being
drafted.
Planner J. Craig Hunter (Armstrong Hunter &
Associates) provided planning evidence in support of the
settlement. Hunter noted that studies have shown the section
of Yonge Street on which the development is proposed
needs large retail spaces, and three floors of the
tower are to be for dedicated retail uses. Hunter was of the
opinion that the development would have little impact on
the neighbouring residential properties.
Shadow studies were submitted as evidence to demonstrate
that the design of the tower is such that a maximum
of 30 minutes of shadow in any one spot would occur at
the summer solstice. Additional evidence noted that a redesign
of the podium would eliminate wind shear impacts
at the street level.
The board allowed the appeal, amending the zoning bylaw.
The board also made itself available if the finalization
of the Section 37 agreement results in any difficulties.
Solicitor Stephen Bradley represented the City of
Toronto. Solicitor Tim Bermingham (Blake, Cassels)
represented Toronto College Park Limited. Solicitor
Bohdan Onyschuk (Gowling Lafleur) represented
Canderel Stoneridge Equity Group. (See OMB Case No.
PL060973.)
Thank you Goodboy(s). The Post's wording condensed the approvals process too much for it to make sense.
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urbandreamer
recession proof
I noticed Aura's sales centre is getting some work done--flooring installed etc.
It shall be interesting to see the notoriously awful suburban architect's solution.
It shall be interesting to see the notoriously awful suburban architect's solution.
Sir Novelty Fashion
Senior Member
The new 75 story condo? I just saw it in the paper!
What? Oh, wait. Damn.
What? Oh, wait. Damn.
Urban Shocker
Doyenne
I think the final design of Aura, nicely cleaned up from the early renderings that have been posted here, bodes well for the design review process. The tower is sleeker, and the weak base - reminiscent of those dreary ROCP towers - is now more substantial at the south end. The addition of the small glassy block with balconies, and the more open-looking horizontally banded floors of retail, make it a considerably more inviting building from Gerrard Street.
hkric88
Active Member
Stunning news. Makes my day! After the disappointing height restrictions experienced with Trump, this really makes up for the loss, and more. In my opinion, its a much more elegant and attractive building then Trump ever could have been. Awesome, just awesome news, and a perfect location for this kind of massing.
Would anyone care to post the new renderings?
Would anyone care to post the new renderings?
urbandreamer
recession proof
Is there a rendering of the latest design floating around?
Andrew3D
Active Member
Urban Shocker, have you seen the new rendering? I was under the assumption that the last image we saw of Aura still wasn't the final design.
unimaginative2
Senior Member
My grandparents lived in a building from that area, and they unfortunately had control over their own heat. It never dropped below 80. I used to go down to the sauna to cool off.