[whatever]

Looks like anodized aluminium panels. That's a pretty standard finish, and more than I'd have expected for a motor court. I kind of figured they'd just leave it as exposed concrete.

That does make me wonder when they're going to open the walkway along the west side of the building tho. Construction is long done on that side, and they don't seem to be using the area for staging or anything like that. Assuming they know what the landscaping plan is (do they? or is that part of the College Park plan?) I think they should be about ready to start backfilling and paving.

 

[someMidTowner]

Today:

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

Up to the level of the west setback, this building is an unmitigated disaster of epic proportions.

 

[yyzer]

nice pics everyone....here's one by Taller, Better over at SSC....

 

[Xray_Crystal_Junkie]

So I guess we can assume at least a few internal elevators are working now as they've started to clad over the lower entrances for the external hoist?

 

[caltrane74]

Or we can assume all interior construction work has been completed on those floors.

 

[joel in to]

The curtain wall glass being installed at the site of the construction elevator looks quite sleek. This gives me hope for the top of the tower, as I assume the glass there should be identical.

 

[johnwood]

this condo isn't that nice but it least it has a handsome height.

 

[someMidTowner]

this condo isn't that nice but it least it has a handsome height.

So looking good is secondary as long as things are tall?

 

[Ryan_T]

Natural selection dictates that once we have more taller things, they'll start building Nicer-looking taller things.

 

[caltrane74]

Been said before, I'll say it again, .. Toronto is no New York.

Filling out the empty lots is the first step. Pretty sure New York didn't get it right thr first time out, no reason to expect Toronto would be perfect out of the gate either. Add on top of that no where near as wealthy. I have no doubt in my mind Toronto is headed for New York style greatness, I just don't expect it to happen overnight. I enjoy the size of Aura, and it reminds me of that feeling I have in New York, when you walk down the street and all the buildings are super-huge. I'm looking forward to that same feeling in my own hometown. Pretty sure vistors will love that feeling too.... Can only get it in a couple of cities now...

 

[BrianSolo]

Well said, Caltrane!

 

[marsh]

Toronto is no New York City and will never be New York City - no matter how many tall buildings we construct - and you know what - I'm ok with that. Toronto is Toronto - with its own unique identity. I think it is far more important to make sure we have a liveable city that respects it heritage - (social/cultural/building) and then putting massive condo towers on every square footage of block downtown. Density can be a good thing if done right and I don't think we're doing it right and I think Aura is prime example.

 

[kweku]

Toronto is no New York City and will never be New York City - no matter how many tall buildings we construct - and you know what - I'm ok with that. Toronto is Toronto - with its own unique identity. I think it is far more important to make sure we have a liveable city that respects it heritage - (social/cultural/building) and then putting massive condo towers on every square footage of block downtown. Density can be a good thing if done right and I don't think we're doing it right and I think Aura is prime example.

I sincerely agree .... even New York cannot dupricate what they put up in the first half of the 20th Century ...... Toronto will never never catch up because the city was not world class enough back in the time to put up those bridges, tunnels and definitely those architectual landmarks. That said, we can also try to compete for a different modern architectual landmarks especially at a time of construction boom that will be hard to duplicate in the near future.

Sadly, approving massive buildings like AURA in very strategic locations in the city core with such terrible and easily forgotten architecture will not do it. We should demand better from our city planners because there will not be any spaces left to make up for those mediocre projects.

 

[AlbertC]

The NYC fixation is overrated, IMO. When I spent a week there last summer, I found the endless skyscraper canyons on Midtown Manhattan to be overwhelming, almost to a point of tiresome. It's fine to marvel at but apart from Koreatown, I found vast majority of the retail sections to be uninteresting. Most of the cliche areas were nothing more than tourist traps featuring generic corporate chains. (They were good spots to meet Europeans though, lol). Truly engaging pedestrian experiences can be found in charming lower-midrise areas such as SoHo, NoHo, East Village, Meatpacking District, West Village or many parts of the outer boroughs.

What I'm enjoying the most about Toronto is the growth of vibrant and distinct neighbourhoods surrounding the western and eastern ends of the core. While I embrace the rapid growth downtown I think it's important to reference the importance of combining mixed-use and diversity in forms and designs to create a truly dynamic city.