Toronto 952 King West | 58.5m | 17s | Intentional Capital | Sweeny &Co

Mar 8, 2024

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Resubmitted with the following changes:
  • Storeys increased from 16 to 17
  • Height increased from 56.6 to 58.5m
  • Total residential units increased from 213 to 227
  • Total vehicular parking reduced from 57 to 50
  • Total bicycle parking increased from 221 to 256
Updated renderings:
PLN - Architectural Plans - Architectural Plans_952 King Street West_April 2024-0.jpg
PLN - Architectural Plans - Architectural Plans_952 King Street West_April 2024-96.jpg
PLN - Architectural Plans - Architectural Plans_952 King Street West_April 2024-97.jpg
PLN - Architectural Plans - Architectural Plans_952 King Street West_April 2024-98.jpg
PLN - Architectural Plans - Architectural Plans_952 King Street West_April 2024-99.jpg
 

Resubmitted with the following changes:
  • Storeys increased from 16 to 17
  • Height increased from 56.6 to 58.5m
  • Total residential units increased from 213 to 227
  • Total vehicular parking reduced from 57 to 50
  • Total bicycle parking increased from 221 to 256
Updated renderings:
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Notwithstanding the last render in this series above, the landscape plan here does show street trees for King!

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Overall, this is a welcome improvement on this site, the glazing at ground level though............ugh.
 
Notwithstanding the last render in this series above, the landscape plan here does show street trees for King!

Trees are good to see on King!

I have always wondered - Is there any historical reason we don't have tree canopy on commercial/main streets in Toronto? Is it some auto-oriented planning rationale about businesses being able to advertise to drivers? Streetcar wires?

Here is La Condesa in CDMX. We have lush tree canopy like this in Toronto but not in commecial areas. This has always puzzled me.
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Trees are good to see on King!

I have always wondered - Is there any historical reason we don't have tree canopy on commercial/main streets in Toronto? Is it some auto-oriented planning rationale about businesses being able to advertise to drivers? Streetcar wires?

Here is La Condesa in CDMX. We have lush tree canopy like this in Toronto but not in commecial areas. This has always puzzled me.
View attachment 560376

There are several reasons.

1) Utilities, Toronto runs most utilities under the sidewalk or curbside, both parallel and perpendicular (connection to building). This inhibits ability to provide proper soil volume below grade. We're now beginning to fix this issue, but it will take decades. In contrast, many other Cities, particularly Montreal in Canada and many cities in Europe require utilities to run in a single conduit either under the main road or rear lanes.

2) Road Salt, this is not unique to Toronto or Canada, but it is unique to more northerly, snowier, colder locations in terms of the volume. Obviously not an issue at all in warmer climates, but also not an issue in the same degree in many temperate climates, we use salt heavily here (excessively so) and that really takes a toll on may tree species.

3) Growing season, this is a natural issue, but the fact trees are dormant (don't grow) for six to eight months per year here means they simply take much longer to achieve the same height.

4) Road Widenings. In much of the City roads were systematically widened by removing the tree-lined boulevards and established trees, and/or a good chunk of front lawns and established trees from the 1950s to the 1980s primarily.

Take a look at Queen's Park Crescent, looking south from Bloor in the past:

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Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/...g_north_from_Queen's_Park_to_Bloor_Street.jpg

All of that was cut down, needless to say.

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Additionally;

Toronto has had two waves of near complete die-offs of trees due to invasive pests.

Dutch Elm Disease wiped out a vast number of Elms when it established in the City.

More recently, we lost most of the older Ash Trees in the City due to Emerald Ash Borer.



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My immediate reaction to the architecture on this one was, "oh no, not this again." I'm so sick of bland, blocky nonsense.

As for street trees in Toronto, it's not totally impossible:

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If I had my way, new areas like the CrossTown development at Don Mills & Eglinton would have an avenue with a treed median like the DF.
 
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July 3: At first it appeared to be the start of demolition of the building, beginning stripping of the interior, but not as it turned out.

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Ground sample drilling truck - apparently working inside the building.

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