Even if we can't have the beautiful mass timber building here for the sake of project viability, there's got to be a way to make these less cookie cutter. I'm reminded of 9 Shortt St, which are quite simple in form, but made beautiful by their striking colours and intersecting lines.

I feel like there's an opportunity to improve this revised design with some very simple colour changes and decorative elements.
 
Ok..... second time I've mentioned Jack (from BlogTO) this week............

He's obviously trying to catch up to UT on several files.......

I have to say though, I do like his headline for this one:

Breathtaking Toronto proposal swapped for boring design in monumental bait-and-switch​

****

His first paragraph is also worthy of note:

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Much as I'm loathe to, I will provide a link seeing as I borrowed the quotes: https://www.blogto.com/real-estate-toronto/2025/10/295-lake-shore-blvd-e-toronto/
 
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20yrs ago: we need to remove the Gardiner to stop walling off the waterfront from the rest of the city

Now: let’s build a literal wall of huge towers to cut the rest of the city off from the waterfront…in the name of housing affordability…now let’s cheap out because they’re paying for a view…except the side facing the Gardiner. $$$
 
xmyth_ said:
20yrs ago: we need to remove the Gardiner to stop walling off the waterfront from the rest of the city

Now: let’s build a literal wall of huge towers to cut the rest of the city off from the waterfront…in the name of housing affordability…now let’s cheap out because they’re paying for a view…except the side facing the Gardiner. $$$
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The irony is that none of this is helping housing affordability. Just developers lining their pockets.
 
xmyth_ said:
20yrs ago: we need to remove the Gardiner to stop walling off the waterfront from the rest of the city

Now: let’s build a literal wall of huge towers to cut the rest of the city off from the waterfront…in the name of housing affordability…now let’s cheap out because they’re paying for a view…except the side facing the Gardiner. $$$
Click to expand...
The Gardiner never blocked the rest of the city from the waterfront and neither do these building. it was always and still is Lake Shore and the rail tracks that blocked the city from the waterfront
 
Obsidian said:
More supply always help with affordability. Either directly or indirectly by the people who move here will freeing up housing from where they left
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It was a demand problem all these years, not supply.
 
^ genuinely do not understand what this means? Prices work to make supply equal demand. One is not really a problem per se - just a driver of change to get to equilibrium. Is the view that increasing population was the problem - or specifically demand for housing being driven by an investor segment which resulted in too much housing unsuited to what may be needed in terms of housing?
 
Mr.Tang said:
^ genuinely do not understand what this means? Prices work to make supply equal demand. One is not really a problem per se - just a driver of change to get to equilibrium. Is the view that increasing population was the problem - or specifically demand for housing being driven by an investor segment which resulted in too much housing unsuited to what may be needed in terms of housing?
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I responded in the zoning reform thread which is where these discussions have previously taken place to avoid dragging this thread off topic.
 
Obsidian said:
More supply always help with affordability. Either directly or indirectly by the people who move here will freeing up housing from where they left
Click to expand...
Less demand would help as well. If we stopped flooding the region with so much immigration and loosened up zoning restrictions it would go a long way in helping our housing crisis.
 
Riseth said:
Less demand would help as well. If we stopped flooding the region with so much immigration and loosened up zoning restrictions it would go a long way in helping our housing crisis.
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good thing the GTA has been losing population for most of 2025!
 
innsertnamehere said:
good thing the GTA has been losing population for most of 2025!
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It is, honestly.

And that is reflected in continuing, if modest, reductions in rents, and somewhat larger reductions in prices for new/resale condos.

Though, for the moment, the market is showing signs of bottoming out, and we're far from resolved on the affordability issue.

I'd be quite happy to see that lean more heavily on rising incomes, but we're not there either.
 
I suppose there are too many moving parts to forecast accurately (geo-political turmoil, demographic growth) but do people in the industry see a rebound in construction activity over the next 1-2 years or are hopes for a rebound further off?

Regarding this proposal specifically, the cheapening of the design was expected. The frustrating part is we know that top shelf designs do get built but in cities like Sydney, Singapore, London, etc. For as far as Toronto has climbed the last 20 years, it's clear that our city isn't THERE yet. We gush over projects like King Toronto (BIG) because they are so rare here.

Would be nice if we reach a point in Toronto's ascendency where designs like this aren't instantly viewed as fantasy but realistic. Many rail against the uber rich but a depth of wealth is exactly what a city needs to make architectural gems possible.
 
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