Article from April 2021:



The controversial twin-tower Television City plan is in "reset mode," according to downtown councillor Jason Farr.

Farr said he posed questions to the city's planning staff recently after hearing people who bought a spot in the two 32-storey towers at the CHCH-TV property in Durand were getting refunds.

"What they shared with my office [on Monday] was Television City has recently told them they're not planning on cancelling the project. But they told our staff they're in a reset mode," Farr said in a phone interview on Tuesday.

He said it doesn't happen often, but that generally means developers can readjust their prices based on their proforma and the market.

Toronto developer Brad Lamb and his team did not respond to multiple requests for comment this week.

The city said it received an application for site plan approval in June 2020. Conditional approval is pending, it said, as Lamb had to revise his plans due to "encroachments into the right of way and possible conflicts with municipal infrastructure."

"The timing for the applicant to revise and resubmit the plans/drawings is up to the applicant. If the revised plans/drawings are acceptable then the city can proceed to issue conditional approval," said city spokesperson Michelle Williams.

"It will be up to the applicant in terms of the timing to provide the required materials, clear the conditions and proceed to build to building permit, as the city is dependent upon the applicant submitting the required materials."

Lamb's development at 163 Jackson St. W. has faced loud opposition from the city and some residents. Opponents said it would cast dramatic shadows, cause privacy issues for those nearby and block a view of the Niagara Escarpment. City council rejected the necessary rezoning, but Lamb was already heading to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB), which ruled in his favour in February 2020.

Lamb initially wanted a 40-storey and a 32-storey tower, but revised the plan to be two 32-storey towers. The plan also incorporates the historic heritage mansion on the property, which for years housed CHCH-TV.

Farr said while many were opposed to the plan, those who are getting refunds may be upset.

"To pull the rug out under a deal ... I can see how if it were you and me, it would sting a little bit," he said.
Click to expand...
 
latest batch of renderings for the 2x32st scheme.

1-NORM-LI_170601_EXT_Mansion_01_ZOOM.jpg
11-NORM-LI_170705_EXT_Elevated_01.jpg
11-NORM-LI_170705_EXT_Pool_03.jpg
11-NORM-LI_180305_EXT_Elevated_01.jpg
11-NORM-LI_180305_EXT_Elevated_02.jpg
11-NORM-LI_180312_EXT_New_Podium_02.jpg
NORM-LI_170914_INT_Lobby_03.jpg
 
The project's website is still actively being hosted but looks like Brad isn't marketing it right now, as it's also not being listed or mentioned among his main website:

televisioncity.ca

Lamb Development Corp. Official Website for Television City Condo

Television City is a new Toronto condo development by Lamb Development Corp. Register to receive updates on floor plans, pricing & more!
televisioncity.ca televisioncity.ca
 
apparently advertising is going up today on the site:

Just drove by and there is a new decal and advertising going up on the side of the chch building for television city
Click to expand...


A Hamilton Spectator article from the summer has a quote from Lamb Dev Corp saying sales will begin before the end of the year:

Outline - Read & annotate without distractions

Outline is a free service for reading and annotating news articles. We remove the clutter so you can analyze and comment on the content.
outline.com outline.com

Television City

Residents in Durand, for instance, joined the city in formally appealing developer Brad Lamb’s plans for two 32-storey condo towers at the site of CHCH TV’s former offices on Jackson Street West.

Ontario’s land-dispute tribunal backed the Television City twin highrises last year.

This past spring, a spokesperson for the developer said pre-construction sales would “launch later this year.”

Lamb initially agreed to an interview but then became unavailable after a spokesperson said he didn’t want to field questions about the project’s recent history.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
allengeorge said:
What were the exact factors that resulted in this podium design?
Click to expand...

neighbourhood context - city didn't like how the tower hit the ground in the first version. Wanted it to relate more to the historic mansion on site (hence the stone) and to reference the height of the street of little houses just to the east (wesanford place)
 
I find planners don’t often appreciate this, but sometimes the best way to fit into a context is to be a foil to it.
 
You must log in or register to post here.

Back
Top