Toronto 159SW Condos | 118.87m | 36s | Alterra | Richmond Architects

dwynix3 said:
Ok, this illustration along with GG's published final rendering in the Newcondos Guide attest to the omission of the color panels. My broker buddy confirms it, but then again everything could be changed at the last min.

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Sorry, but which renderings get published in the CondoGuide, and what real estate brokers know about final architectural finishes on buildings, are seldomly the final word: both are too far from the construction drawings to be trusted as reliable information. When last we talked with Wallman Architects, the Mondrian-inspired colour slashes were a go.

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http://thetorontoblog.com/2011/10/1...ugh-ride-at-city-meeting-with-area-residents/

Wellesley/Sherbourne condo tower proposal gets rough ride at city meeting with area residents

18 Oct 2011

Photos are the article link

Strong opposition: A proposal for a 38-storey condo tower at the intersection of Wellesley and Sherbourne Streets has drawn fire from area residents who think the project is too tall, sorely lacks green space, family-sized units and adequate parking facilities, and will seriously worsen congestion in what is already one of the world’s most densely-populated downtown neighbourhoods.
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Diamondcorp has proposed a 38-storey tower with 326 condos, of which 216 would be 1-bedroom and the rest 2-bedroom units. There would be no 3-bedroom suites. The building would have a 4-storey podium with 2,300 square feet of street-level retail space and three residential floors, topped by a 34-storey point tower. A gym, party room, lounge and outdoor amenity space would be situated atop the podium on the fifth floor.
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Designed by Quadrangle Architects Limited of Toronto, the 116-meter highrise would feature gentle curves, a masonry-clad podium, and distinctive coloured glass panels on its corner windows. The tower would be set back 3 meters from Sherbourne Street, 4 metres from Wellesley Street, 5 meters from the laneway to its west, and 3.5 metres from the 3-storey retail and apartment building to its south.
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Les Klein, a principal of Quadrangle Architects, described the project’s architectural elements. He said he was “very excited” by 159 Wellesley East, which he called a “classic City of Toronto infill development project” featuring “high quality urban design.”
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“We have taken the incredible challenges of the unique shape of the site,” he said, and designed a tower that is “very different from the typical glass boxes” seen throughout the City. Quadrangle’s tower design features “gentler curves” instead of “sharp edges,” and wherever the building curves, “we’ve introduced a series of coloured panels,” Mr. Klein said. He added that the four-storey podium is “in keeping” with the height of the elementary school just south of the site, as well as the Wellesley Central Place/Rekai Centre for long-term care on the north side of Wellesley Street.
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Many in the audience objected to the fact the condo building will extend right to the edge of the property line, against the Wellesley and Sherbourne Street sidewalks, offering absolutely no landscaping or greenery of any kind at street level. Only the fifth-floor amenity space would have landscaping.
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Other speakers echoed those sentiments, pointing out that the neighbourhood lacks green space and public amenities, while those that do exist — including the relatively new community centre and the St James Town branch of the Toronto public library — are already being used to full capacity.
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However, the woman from 200 Wellesley replied that the tower “is probably the very worst thing that we could have in that area. That highrise will be filled with drugs, pimps and prostitutes.”
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As a 20 year resident of nearby Church/Wellesley and as a parent of children who go to Lady of Lourdes School immediately south of this project, I'd definitely say the area has benefitted greatly from the new condos and townhouses in the area of Sherbourne & Wellesley. The difference is quite remarkable and all I can say to any new developments is "Welcome to the Neighbourhood"!!
 
You have to be a complete (expletive) to not welcome a development on this corner. That gas station and donut place were awful. LOL @ public space...it's a condo for pete's sake. The one gripe I will agree with is the added traffic. They have to do something there... One lane roads just aren't cutting it. I wouldn't have an issue if they built it without parking.
 
androiduk said:
As a 20 year resident of nearby Church/Wellesley and as a parent of children who go to Lady of Lourdes School immediately south of this project, I'd definitely say the area has benefitted greatly from the new condos and townhouses in the area of Sherbourne & Wellesley. The difference is quite remarkable and all I can say to any new developments is "Welcome to the Neighbourhood"!!
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Same here and I agree 100%. I didn't know about this meeting so I'll find out who the City Planner is on this project and write them along with my Councillor. I say, bring it on! There are no traffic issues in this area of Wellesley or Sherbourne except during rush hour but Jarvis St. and points eastward are busier.
 
It's mind-boggling, really. Although I used it all the time the Beaver (and Baker's Dozen) were blights. The corner has already been improved just by having them gone and the hoarding put up. People should be grateful that we're seeing these new developments bringing in a mix of new residents.
 
I think it sucks for the following reasons:

1) There ARE traffic issues at this intersection when school is out. It has crossing-guards guiding hundreds of children (Jarvis collegiate inc.) across Sherbourne and Wellesely. Traffic gets backed up East AND West during this time. Adding parking garage entrances/exits on both Sherbourne and Wellesley will only intensify the issue.

2) It has minimal set backs and no green space at grade.

3) Diamondcorp's transparent, "kid-friendly" marketing is hilarious. Anyone know what % of units are 2 bedroom units?

Also, do we know when the date for the meeting was posted on site? I checked before I left last week for a trip and saw nothing. It seems like it was very last minute. Having planned to be at this meeting for a very long time, I'm pissed.

New development in this area is a very good thing, but building to the property lines just so you can accumulate 40 stories smacks of profit-led, vision-void development (aka: Toronto).
 
I got the letter for the meeting weeks ago, but couldn't make it to the meeting.

Are the garage entrances really going to make a difference to the existing traffic backups? For the most part those entrances won't be seeing huge amounts of traffic when the kids are around, so it seems kind of moot.

And I kind of like that the building comes right out to the street. I think it'll be attractive, and there's plenty of green space just across the street. The area really isn't hurting for that.
 
Roy G Biv said:
Also, do we know when the date for the meeting was posted on site? I checked before I left last week for a trip and saw nothing. It seems like it was very last minute. Having planned to be at this meeting for a very long time, I'm pissed.
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I don't know why but some sites don't have to post meeting dates, some do. Those who live or work within 120m have to be informed of the meeting date, along with the BIA, if any. That said, you can have just as much impact of speaking at a meeting by writing a letter to the City Planner for this site and copy the City Councillor.
 
I rather like the design - and the unapologetic use of colours will go a long way as well. If only another megascale urban development south of the railtracks *nudge nudge* have the audiacity to adopt that vocabulary...

AoD
 
I still have a tough time accepting everything inside the red marker being torn down to build St.James Town.

StJamesTown-1.jpg
 
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