For me, this is the most exciting project right now. This shows how cities can and should be (but usually aren't) built in Canada
 
They've started revealing the black surface on the River Street side:

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It's more matte than I thought is was going to be, but it still looks fine to me.
 
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Looks great, but I have my doubts on how well that black will keep... it's a tough colour to maintain.
 
I was secretly hoping for something with a more rough, rocky texture (for some reason that was the impression I got from a rendering of it I saw one time), as opposed to this smooth, Perimeter-Institute type cladding.

Looks great though! I've yet to see something by S+P that doesn't impress me on some level. :)
 
^ Thankfully these are townhouses: two-storey units with direct access to the above-grade parking structure built behind these.

There will be a restaurant and/or retail in the King Street building to the north.

Hope that helps :)
 
44 North said:
I wonder what's up with all the boulders? It looks like a breakwater. So I guess no plans for vegetation along this part of the valley.
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That's the part of the FPL: Flood Protection Landform

This is an "amoured wall" of boulders...and part of Don River Park. And yes, it will be covered with soil and prairie plantings: grasses and wildflowers. Should look a lot different this Summer.
 
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Ahh, makes sense. I would've figured shrubbery alone would've been enough to prevent erosion on an FPL.
 
TOCondoGarden said:
...it will be covered with soil and prairie plantings: grasses and wildflowers. Should look a lot different this Summer.
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Thanks for clarifying - I thought it was going to be left like this. It's not unattractive, but better landscaping will help.

You say that's for completion this summer?
 
Yes, fingers crossed by this Summer...at least completion of the "wet side" presently east of the "dry side" of Don River Park (which is completed but not open to the public yet). These are Waterfront Toronto's dates not mine.

However, this part behind River City, I suspect may remain a bit unfinished while the construction of Phase 2 is going on. The main thing is that the boulders will be covered up in greenery at some point and hoping for sooner rather than later :)

p.s. The reason why trees aren't planted is because during a Hurricane Hazel-type storm, trees would be uprooted...causing their holes to fill in with water and essentially damaging the flood protection landform. Which would defeat the whole purpose. So just grasses and wild flowers here. Should look very naturalized.
 
I like this development - it's a pleasant change from the usual, boring, derivitive projects.
 
The woonerf is really coming along with the tree pits finished and pavers largely down and should make a nice edge for the adjacent section of Underpass Park which I noticed was designed to flow into the woonerf seemlessly. Also, I saw them applying something like a varnish to the black metal sections of River City itself that make them very shiny and reflective so fears of a dull matte may not be realised. Photos taken 8 March 2013.

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