[interchange42]

I spoke with one of the construction workers, he confirmed the building was planned for 58ish floors. He also said that the podium/base of the building would structurally be the same, so if they had to add a couple floors at the the top that could happen and that it does frequently. That said, he mentioned it was 'good to know, thanks', so at least he was unaware. I have an acquaintance in the real estate field that will ask his lawyer what would happen in this scenario, but to say the least I would have liked to have been informed about this prior to signing the deal. My friends suggestion was to call and ask the developer, so if anyone has done / can do that let me know.

Thanks

The question was raised to developer and I was told that usually they meet with the city and negotiate to get the floors for which they originally planned and sold the units for. They sounded very confident !!

Whether a construction worker confirmed 58-ish floors or not would have no bearing on the fact that the City has only approved 58 floors here. The workers do not always know, depending on whom you're speaking with. And it would not be a case of "if they had to add a couple floors at the top that could happen and it does frequently", nor "usually they meet with the city". The developer must go through the normal channels if they want to build any taller, larger, etc., than they have approval for.

The route would be to go to the Committee of Adjustment first, as that process is relatively short. The CoA can grant permission if they feel the request falls within the realm of a minor variance to what is approved, and then they must agree that the variance would not have a negative affect on the surroundings.

If the CoA turns down the request, the developer can go the route of applying for another zoning amendment. That process can take a while, and would likely be a minimum of 4 months long, unless the City came back with an immediate response denying their request. Were that to happen, the developer could take the issue to the Ontario Municipal Board, but scheduling a hearing for that could take longer than the construction of the tower to 58 storeys.

There's no slam-dunk here that this building, which the City whittled down to 58 storeys, might be allowed to go higher.

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[GeneralGrievance]

Our very own @someMidTowner provides photos and a front-page construction update as the project reaches grade.

 

[vamapean]

Just wondering if anyone has any idea about how the north tower's design would be ?
From the area of the construction it seems like gonna be similar to the south tower .

 

[sunnyraytoronto]

Whether a construction worker confirmed 58-ish floors or not would have no bearing on the fact that the City has only approved 58 floors here. The workers do not always know, depending on whom you're speaking with. And it would not be a case of "if they had to add a couple floors at the top that could happen and it does frequently", nor "usually they meet with the city". The developer must go through the normal channels if they want to build any taller, larger, etc., than they have approval for.

The route would be to go to the Committee of Adjustment first, as that process is relatively short. The CoA can grant permission if they feel the request falls within the realm of a minor variance to what is approved, and then they must agree that the variance would not have a negative affect on the surroundings.

If the CoA turns down the request, the developer can go the route of applying for another zoning amendment. That process can take a while, and would likely be a minimum of 4 months long, unless the City came back with an immediate response denying their request. Were that to happen, the developer could take the issue to the Ontario Municipal Board, but scheduling a hearing for that could take longer than the construction of the tower to 58 storeys.

There's no slam-dunk here that this building, which the City whittled down to 58 storeys, might be allowed to go higher.

42

I'm in agreement with that process you stated,.... but I'm wondering when have it ever happened that a building already under construction (such as e-condo just reaching ground level) that the city allowed height to be increased during construction?

City Planning, developer, community and councillor goes through a big process to finally get a final report where height, density, zonings changes, design, section 37, etc,.... Once city planning final report is out, there might still be some minor design changes (floor layout, pedestrian flow improvements) and minor Committee of Adjustment changes,.... and generally, it'll take a year or so after final report is out before developer gets building permits for them to start digging and construction,....

For e-condo, demolition, digging and construction started 2 years ago,.... now at ground level and we should start seeing e-condo raise faster now,...

Personally, I really don't see the city agreeing to any increase in height here,.... they already chopped it down, why would they allow it to be increased??? Any increase in height would open a floodgate,.... then community section 37 would have to be renegotiated.

Where have a building been granted increase in height during construction where they've already reached ground level or higher???

 

[Midtown Urbanist]

I spoke with one of the construction workers, he confirmed the building was planned for 58ish floors. He also said that the podium/base of the building would structurally be the same, so if they had to add a couple floors at the the top that could happen and that it does frequently. That said, he mentioned it was 'good to know, thanks', so at least he was unaware. I have an acquaintance in the real estate field that will ask his lawyer what would happen in this scenario, but to say the least I would have liked to have been informed about this prior to signing the deal. My friends suggestion was to call and ask the developer, so if anyone has done / can do that let me know.

Thanks

Whatever is the case, welcome to the neighbourhood.

 

[interchange42]

Where have a building been granted increase in height during construction where they've already reached ground level or higher???

I can't remember at what point exactly the buildings were at when the increases were granted, but The Bond got a 3-storey boost a good deal of the way into the process, while the two U Condos towers each got a 2-storey addition approved (IIRC) during construction. Bisha has been under construction so long, I think its 5-storey top-up came during construction too.

Can anyone confirm/deny/elaborate more?

42

 

[UrbanAffair]

How about Chaz condos? Didn't it get like 7 floors at the CofA?

 

[interchange42]

It did I can't remember if that was during construction or not. If so, I think it was pretty early during it.

Chaz got the boost because it was asking to go as high as the tower that it was immediately adjacent to it. I think that the only chance of E Condos getting a CoA boost would be if 1 Eglinton East were to be approved at a higher than E Condos. Until then though, as E Condos is the tallest project already at Yonge & Eglinton, they can't play the fairness card.

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[stjames2queenwest]

Didn't the harbour plaza towers ask for additional height in 2015? Not sure if a decision was made but I seem to recall reading an application that increased each tower by a few metres. Maybe I'm imagining that

 

[Automation Gallery]

The Ice towers got extra height as they were about to go up?

 

[interchange42]

Both Harbour Plaza and Ïce were boosted, I just have the feeling that it was before construction started on each. You're making me think that a timeline feature in each of the dataBase files would be a useful tool… and something that would keep another staff member busy for a long time. It could take several hours to implement for each development!

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[stjames2queenwest]

I42 you would know better than me but in my imagination the increase for harbour plaza happened during work on the podium. Or atleast that's when I became aware of it.

 

[Midtown Urbanist]

Both Harbour Plaza and Ïce were boosted, I just have the feeling that it was before construction started on each. You're making me think that a timeline feature in each of the dataBase files would be a useful tool… and something that would keep another staff member busy for a long time. It could take several hours to implement for each development!

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I've longed thought that the database should also include a database of city documents relating to the proposal/development in question.

 

[interchange42]

Also a good idea!

42

 

[Big Daddy]

There's no slam-dunk here that this building, which the City whittled down to 58 storeys, might be allowed to go higher.

42

Don't you wonder what would motivate the city to "whittle it down" by 6 floors? How did the city benefit from such a reduction? Some times it is baffling to
understand how this project in now "approvable" at 58 floors as opposed to the original 64 floors. Politics? Engineering? Aesthetics? Perhaps the sewers couldn't handle the number of toilets, but then how can there be room for 65 floors across the street? or another 47 floors further down the street? It is a convoluted mystery.