Canada's 50 Tallest Proposals - Page 459

caltrane74 · #**9161** Posted **Dec 17, 2013, 11:38 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonkeyRonin

Don't get too excited - it's City Council deliberating on the fate of the Mirvish-Gehry towers. Should they reject the proposal, they're off.

Well that sucks.

On a side note, Eau du Soleil should get final approval from city council today. 63 floors/215 meters and construction to begin soon.

urbandreamer · #**9162** Posted **Dec 17, 2013, 12:01 PM**

You think I only like aA, eh? Wrong. I'd love to see Richard Witt's team at Quadrangle get a highrise gig, or blackLAB architects get a midrise project--they've got some hot sfh under construction.

FrankieFlowerpot · #**9163** Posted **Dec 17, 2013, 5:51 PM**

http://urbantoronto.ca/news/2013/12/plans-evolving-oxfords-cumberland-terrace-redevelopment

Quote:

According to Johann Schumacher, Vice President for development at Oxford Properties, the Humphreys concept (below) did not win the competition. Of note in the aerial view which looks south, the east end of the property along Yonge Street (at left) would remain as is for this phase of redevelopment, as noted earlier.

Schumacher did confirm the winner of the latest competition is architectsAlliance, the same company that won the previous competition, but that renderings of the winning concept would not be made available. Schumacher also confirmed that the City of Toronto has engaged the major property owners in the area who are all proposing abutting redevelopments—this list includes Oxford, Morguard and Minto—to explore the creation of a pedestrian mews running north from Bloor Street to Yorkville Avenue with a vista ending at the Yorkville Firehall Tower.

caltrane74 · #**9164** Posted **Dec 17, 2013, 5:59 PM**

Lol! We have the renderings for the aA proposal!!

Saved them from way back.

FrankieFlowerpot · #**9165** Posted **Dec 17, 2013, 6:03 PM**

Things have changed

Quote:

Oxford Properties’ proposed redevelopment of Cumberland Terrace in Yorkville has taken a new turn. In July of this year we reported on a concept design by architectsAlliance (aA) featuring two tall towers rising over a new podium, all clad in a lattice-like façade which would entirely replace the current mall and 34-storey office tower at the corner of Bloor and Yonge Streets.

Since that time Oxford has altered their plans for the redevelopment, focusing now only on the stretch running along Cumberland Avenue, and leaving in place the Yonge Street components for the time being. A new international design competition was called—looking for a concept, not a final design—which closed three weeks ago. This has all come to light thanks to renderings sent to UrbanToronto by a member of a similar development interest forum from Houston, Texas. The leaked renderings come from Dallas-based Humphreys & Partners Architects, L.P., and represent their concept for the site.

urbandreamer · #**9166** Posted **Dec 17, 2013, 6:04 PM**

Really? I thought it was being redesigned by aA again.

FrankieFlowerpot · #**9167** Posted **Dec 17, 2013, 6:06 PM**

Did anyone even read the link?

caltrane74 · #**9168** Posted **Dec 17, 2013, 6:12 PM**

The rendering I posted minus the Yonge street components?

(ie. The Yonge Street Tower component?) I don't think aA will deviate too far from the original proposal they made given the obvious amount of effort which went into it.

I have to assume the Cumberland terrace tower will be a lot Taller now, if they get rid of the Yonge Tower. They may also have issues with shadowing based on the enhanced footprint shown in the Humphrey designed tower. That gives us an idea of a larger tower as well as a taller tower as well.

Here is the rendering for the original aA proposal for the site, as you can see the footprint of the Cumberland Tower is narrow, when compared to the Humphrey design, so I will expect it to get beefed up, if the Yonge Phase is to go ahead, but until the first phase has been completed. We could be taking about a 20 to 30 year timeline here.

Ramako · #**9169** Posted **Dec 17, 2013, 7:11 PM**

Word from UT is that excavation equipment is now on site at Ten York. This thing's about to get going.

Chadillaccc · #**9170** Posted **Dec 17, 2013, 7:14 PM**

Excavation equipment, or pile drivers?

Ramako · #**9171** Posted **Dec 17, 2013, 7:19 PM**

It was not specified. Ultimately it's some kind of equipment required to make a hole.

caltrane74 · #**9172** Posted **Dec 17, 2013, 7:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ramako

It was not specified. Ultimately it's some kind of equipment required to make a hole.

Classic!

Gresto · #**9173** Posted **Dec 17, 2013, 7:35 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrankieFlowerpot

Did anyone even read the link?

So hang on, it isn't clear, at least to me. Are the two handsome aA Yorkville towers being replaced by that oval thing, or is that a new proposal?

Innsertnamehere · #**9174** Posted **Dec 17, 2013, 7:58 PM**

That "oval thing" is an entry to the design competition that lost. Aa won the competition with a different design than previously seen. We have not seen what is going to be built yet, but this serves as a good idea on what kind of scale Oxford is going for on the site. (Around 50 floors)

caltrane74 · #**9175** Posted **Dec 17, 2013, 8:15 PM**

Do you think it will break 200 meters or are we looking at a 50 floor/150 meter tower?

My guess of a larger floorplate building would be 54 floors and 205 meters or so..

Gresto · #**9176** Posted **Dec 18, 2013, 1:15 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

That "oval thing" is an entry to the design competition that lost. Aa won the competition with a different design than previously seen. We have not seen what is going to be built yet, but this serves as a good idea on what kind of scale Oxford is going for on the site. (Around 50 floors)

So the two towers with the latticed exteriors were never official renders, the project has been downsized, or we are discussing an entirely different property? I'm still not quite capiscing this.

Innsertnamehere · #**9177** Posted **Dec 18, 2013, 1:18 AM**

latticed towers are from a long time ago probably at the peak of the boom when projects like that could sell out in a matter of days. It was kinda-official, but the project probably never went past those renders. Because of the changing market, Oxford held another design competition to see what architects could come up with for the now scaled down project. Aa won that again, and we have yet to see their design. This is a failed contest entry for the competition.

Gresto · #**9178** Posted **Dec 18, 2013, 1:36 AM**

^Thanks for clearing that up. 'Tis a pity. I was partial to them.

Denscity · #**9179** Posted **Dec 18, 2013, 1:48 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by caltrane74

In the mid to late 1990's all the way to the early aughts Vancouver was actually the skyscraper construction leader of Canada.

I mentioned Calgary and Edmonton because those cities are acendant in Canada. Vancouver and Toronto are more or less in the same boat at this time.

Vancouver actually started its tower boom back in 1987. Right after Expo. A billionaire from Hong Kong bought all the expo land and came up with the Concord masterplan which has included many many towers. And Vancouver has never stopped since.

caltrane74 · #**9180** Posted **Dec 18, 2013, 2:06 AM**

Well late 80's Toronto was still booming, so I discounted that. The downturn for Toronto started in about 1993 as it relates to construction, however the number of towers built between 1990-1995 was at least equal to or more than Vancouver. (I don't think at this time there was a clear leader, only after 1994 does Vancouver take a clear building lead)

Here is the list 1990-1995

http://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?searchID=62181870

1995 to 2000 - Vancouver's Dominance is Clear!

http://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?searchID=62182064

Toronto City Council Recommends 60 Floors MAX for Mirvish

Fight ! Fight! Fight

BREAKING NEWS

No Deal! Toronto City Planning takes the unusual step of presenting an alternative plan for 60, 55 and 50s max. Fight M+G at OMB.

If it goes to the OMB , I see a compromise at 65 floors to 70 floors.