Future Canadian Skylines

[Chadillaccc]

That's interesting, Toronto is the only 1st world city on the top 10.

[isaidso]

Originally Posted by Chadillaccc

That's interesting, Toronto is the only 1st world city on the top 10.

That's what struck me as well. It's worth shining a light on whether our perceptions are based on 'cheerleading' or based on facts. In this case, Toronto's boom really is something to behold.... even by Chinese standards. Even if the boom is coming to an end, it was a big boom by anyone's standards.

If you're interested, the above list was developed from a 2012 and 2013 database using the same methods:

2013 List: http://tudl0867.home.xs4all.nl/skylines.html
2012 List: http://tieba.baidu.com/p/1846725370

[Chadillaccc]

I wouldn't even say it is coming to an end yet. Like really, three towers over 200 meters starting in the next year, with one just started two days ago... that's still pretty amazing. Other than that, you're correct, it's amazing by any standard. I don't think most people even realize.

[SaskScraper]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

docklands alone had at least 17 buildings under construction. I can't speak to the actual volume for the city as a whole, but it is very extensive, perhaps a bit behind Toronto, but not by much. Probably more than any other city on the continent, save Toronto and NYC. Melbourne is growing faster than Sydney in absolute numbers. Close to 100K per year.


Emporis has been total garbage for years. the undercount of Chinese skyscraper construction (and completed) is just embarrassing.

I'd agree with you, I was in Melbourne last month and there seemed to be a fair bit of construction going on..


in this one small wedge of CBD alone there must be half dozen construction cranes..

[RyeJay]

Originally Posted by isaidso

That's what struck me as well. It's worth shining a light on whether our perceptions are based on 'cheerleading' or based on facts. In this case, Toronto's boom really is something to behold.... even by Chinese standards. Even if the boom is coming to an end, it was a big boom by anyone's standards.

If you're interested, the above list was developed from a 2012 and 2013 database using the same methods:

2013 List: http://tudl0867.home.xs4all.nl/skylines.html
2012 List: http://tieba.baidu.com/p/1846725370

Toronto is a 1st world city -- but are its construction and investment standards 1st world?

[travis3000]

The boom Toronto has experienced over the last few years has been insane. I don't think many people who live in the city understand what has happened here over the last 8 years. The entire city has transformed and will continue to do so IMO. By 2023, the city will again be unrecognizable.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by travis3000

The boom Toronto has experienced over the last few years has been insane. I don't think many people who live in the city understand what has happened here over the last 8 years. The entire city has transformed and will continue to do so IMO. By 2023, the city will again be unrecognizable.

Very true. And it's more than a superficial change... Toronto is becoming urbanized in a way that would have been unrecognizable 25 years ago. It has moved away from the typical North American downtown CBD of office towers and parking lots to something you'd expect to see in Europe... a bustling core but one with a great deal of residents and activity, and itself surrounded by thriving neighbourhoods.

The funny thing about all of this is I don't think it resonates very much across the country. Ask the typical Canadian to name a boomtown in this country, and I suspect that most of them would probably name a place in Alberta. Yet Toronto is going through a transformation as profound as anything we're seeing in Calgary or Fort Mac. Strangely, there doesn't appear to be very much public consciousness of that fact.

[Chadillaccc]

I wouldn't necessarily say it is European in nature, but certanly it has moved itself into a tier accompanying most of the finer downtown cores of North America which is just as great of an achievement, considering where the city was only a decade ago.

[Beedok]

I think Toronto more aims for a Hong Kong style density downtown.

[travis3000]

^ Exactly. Toronto is building more towers than the rest of Canada combined. This includes everything going on in Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Ottawa, Montreal, etc. It's funny because I talk to lots of people in Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver and they are under the impression that Toronto isn't growing at all, and it couldn't be further than the truth. I don't understand why people are thinking this. Just look at a picture of Toronto from the island from 2003 and compare that to 2013... it looks like an entire different city.

In the next 10 years we have Harbour Plaza towers (735ft, 765ft), One York Office Tower (530ft), Ten York (735ft), Ernst & Yonge Office Tower (617ft), 88 Scott (665ft), Cityplace Signature Towers (700ft+), potentially the Mirvish trio, One Yonge towers, etc. That's just what will be seen from the island view. It doesn't include what's going on behind the scenes ... Aura (895ft), One Bloor (845ft), Casa II (600ft), Casa III (665ft), INDX (580ft), The Icon (670ft), Eau Du Soleil (720ft), Massey Tower (665ft), E Condos (642ft), King Blue Condos (450-500ft), Chaz (500ft), Five (530ft), Hullmark (550ft), Holt Renfrew Tower (910ft), Bay Adelaide E (645ft), U Condos (500ft, 600ft) plus so many more I am missing... not to mention the many other new projects that will launch and be constructed over the next 10 years. Just wait and see how much more Toronto is going to transform. Each one of these projects will bring hundreds if not thousands of new people onto the streets below. Which will result in higher profits for store owners, as well as new stores popping up, making things even more convenient for everyone.

[mistercorporate]

Originally Posted by Chadillaccc

I wouldn't necessarily say it is European in nature, but certanly it has moved itself into a tier accompanying most of the finer downtown cores of North America which is just as great of an achievement, considering where the city was only a decade ago.

I agree, though some neighbourhoods surrounding the core have a European vibe, that has been limited to a relatively small area compared to European cities like London/Paris. Toronto's most noticeable change has been the development of a downtown vibe more akin to Chicago, something I've never experienced in Europe. It's very much a North American and Asian phenomenon. S.America also has a good urban vibe in some city cores but that's more like a European vibe on steroids!

[mistercorporate]

Originally Posted by travis3000

^ Exactly. Toronto is building more towers than the rest of Canada combined. This includes everything going on in Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Ottawa, Montreal, etc. It's funny because I talk to lots of people in Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver and they are under the impression that Toronto isn't growing at all, and it couldn't be further than the truth. I don't understand why people are thinking this. Just look at a picture of Toronto from the island from 2003 and compare that to 2013... it looks like an entire different city.

In the next 10 years we have Harbour Plaza towers (735ft, 765ft), One York Office Tower (530ft), Ten York (735ft), Ernst & Yonge Office Tower (617ft), 88 Scott (665ft), Cityplace Signature Towers (700ft+), potentially the Mirvish trio, One Yonge towers, etc. That's just what will be seen from the island view. It doesn't include what's going on behind the scenes ... Aura (895ft), One Bloor (845ft), Casa II (600ft), Casa III (665ft), INDX (580ft), The Icon (670ft), Eau Du Soleil (720ft), Massey Tower (665ft), E Condos (642ft), King Blue Condos (450-500ft), Chaz (500ft), Five (530ft), Hullmark (550ft), Holt Renfrew Tower (910ft), Bay Adelaide E (645ft), U Condos (500ft, 600ft) plus so many more I am missing... not to mention the many other new projects that will launch and be constructed over the next 10 years. Just wait and see how much more Toronto is going to transform. Each one of these projects will bring hundreds if not thousands of new people onto the streets below. Which will result in higher profits for store owners, as well as new stores popping up, making things even more convenient for everyone.

What really gets my juices flowing the most is all the new midrise (8 stories) building construction sites I'm seeing along King and Queen every time I drive or take the streetcar down there. Affordable accessible homes with a great street vibe. When the downtown core gets surrounded by these midrise neighbourhoods then we'll have the best of both worlds! All we need to do then is replace the island airport with an urban park like Stanley Park with lots of beaches and perhaps some Beaux Arts public buildings/museums next to the Portlands.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by Chadillaccc

I wouldn't necessarily say it is European in nature, but certanly it has moved itself into a tier accompanying most of the finer downtown cores of North America which is just as great of an achievement, considering where the city was only a decade ago.

European in the broader sense that the core is considered a desirable place to live and is commensurately dense given the demand for urban land. The increasingly vertical nature of the CBD is very North American (or Hong Kongian as Beedok suggested), but the Euro-feel gets a bit more pronounced as you move away from the CBD and into the surrounding neighbourhoods.

As to Travis3000's comment, I guess the change is less perceptible when it comes to Toronto because it was already pretty big and dense to begin with.

[caltrane74]

The low rise stuff (basically the stuff I don't care or talk about much on this forum) is the thing that makes the real difference in the urban feel of the city. More people downtown means more potential profits for store owners, which in turn will mean to better stores, and better storefronts.

The taller projects are great though..

[OTSkyline]

My exact thoughts... Of course being a member on this forum I drool about new towers and architecture and skylines but what is really phenomenal about Toronto is the 24/7 bustling life and the activity going on in its downtown. With more residentials towers and stores and services opening up it's just going to get better. Now, it just needs to work on a world-class subway system to match the city.

This is something that in North-America is rare... even looking at LA or other US Cities of comparable size, Toronto is building itself a cool and go-go-go scene downtown... Hopefully it can someday match NYC

*Being from Ottawa, our skyline and downtown life — so when I am in DT Toronto I like to pretend that I'm in midtown Manhattan...

[koops65]

Here is downtown Toronto with only U/C and proposed towers.
[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]
More coming up soon...

[rousseau]

Originally Posted by mistercorporate

All we need to do then is replace the island airport with an urban park like Stanley Park with lots of beaches and perhaps some Beaux Arts public buildings/museums next to the Portlands.

Yes! It's a crime having that airport there. Toronto needs a groovy bridge going over to the island so that it's more accessible. It's such an amazing potential asset.

[Gresto]

I completely agree with getting rid of the airport and turning it into a park, but unfortunately it's not going to happen.

[DrNest]

I'm all for keeping the airport, having one so close to downtown is a positive in my opinion.
However, I do strongly believe they need to make the islands more accessible. A bridge would be useful, and could easily be designed to not affect aircraft flight paths. Although that would mean a low causeway type of bridge which could impact the lanes for boats to use.
Either that, or make the ferries free like the Staten Island ferries are in New York, and much more people will utilise the islands.

[rbt]

Originally Posted by DrNest

Either that, or make the ferries free like the Staten Island ferries are in New York, and much more people will utilise the islands.

Dumb question: why is that something the city should be aiming for? One of my favourite features of the islands is that they're not as filled with people as some other parks.

Also, did Staten Island ridership increase faster since '97 when it was made free than it did in the 15 years before that point when the fare was steadily increasing?