Transportfan
Senior Member
Advertising something in Toronto as being the biggest in Canada isn't saying much when you think about it.
Toronto Aura at College Park | 271.87m | 78s | Canderel | Graziani + Corazza
Advertising something in Toronto as being the biggest in Canada isn't saying much when you think about it.
luckycharms
New Member
Who’s the Biggest On Toronto’s Skyline?While many people say size doesn’t matter, Toronto’s condominium developers say the opposite. They’re building to new heights and some have made claims that made one journalist look twice.
Linda White in her article for Sun Media checked out several of these claims. Here are samplings of statements issued by some of the industry’s biggest developers:
"The first Trump property to be built in Canada, Trump International Hotel & Tower Toronto will be one of the tallest buildings in the country when completed. It's the first time in an entire generation that a residential complex of such grandeur, scope and design will rise in the heart of downtown Toronto."
Or: "One Bloor easily broke all sales records for new condominiums. The last time the city saw anything like it was when teenagers slept outside the arena in the early 1960s in the hope of getting a ticket to the first Beatles concert."
Linda asks if the city's newest developments live up to the hype. Here’s what she found:
Biggest building: Aura at College Park
Aura, the third phase of Canderel Stoneridge's Residences at College Park, will be built at the northwest corner of Yonge and Gerrard Streets. The 75-storey tower CLAIMS to be the largest mixed-use residential building in Canada, reaching 243 metres and boasting 1.1 million square feet of living space - more than 500 condo suites - and an additional 190,000 square feet of retail.
Other claims to fame: The developer initiated an independent design review after its original application to surpass the city's 40-storey limit failed. In the end, Aura will be unique in that it was designed by committee.
Linda White in her article for Sun Media checked out several of these claims. Here are samplings of statements issued by some of the industry’s biggest developers:
"The first Trump property to be built in Canada, Trump International Hotel & Tower Toronto will be one of the tallest buildings in the country when completed. It's the first time in an entire generation that a residential complex of such grandeur, scope and design will rise in the heart of downtown Toronto."
Or: "One Bloor easily broke all sales records for new condominiums. The last time the city saw anything like it was when teenagers slept outside the arena in the early 1960s in the hope of getting a ticket to the first Beatles concert."
Linda asks if the city's newest developments live up to the hype. Here’s what she found:
Biggest building: Aura at College Park
Aura, the third phase of Canderel Stoneridge's Residences at College Park, will be built at the northwest corner of Yonge and Gerrard Streets. The 75-storey tower CLAIMS to be the largest mixed-use residential building in Canada, reaching 243 metres and boasting 1.1 million square feet of living space - more than 500 condo suites - and an additional 190,000 square feet of retail.
Other claims to fame: The developer initiated an independent design review after its original application to surpass the city's 40-storey limit failed. In the end, Aura will be unique in that it was designed by committee.
urbandreamer
recession proof
^I hate committees! Always results in boring yuckitecture! (Look at Blandcouver....)
Aura isn't really "designed." C.S has never hired good designers/architects so what is to be expected?
Btw, insiders, how are sales going here?
Aura isn't really "designed." C.S has never hired good designers/architects so what is to be expected?
Btw, insiders, how are sales going here?
luckycharms
New Member
(76%) at an average price of $575 psf.
luckycharms
New Member
Sales priced from $264,700 or $575 psf overall (parking not included).
Sales have already been extremely successful with over 75% of the project sold in one month.
Aura is the 3rd and final phase of Canderel Stoneridge's College Park Development. They hosted three sales events in the beginning of 2008, releasing only a section of units on floors 5 through 65. As of March 2008 they reported 713 sales at an average price opf $570 to $580 per s.f. There was also a friends and family event held on Feb where they released 495 units on floors 5-50 ($494 psf).
The units on floors 66 to 80 are expected to average $640 psf and pentouses over $1,000 psf and yes believe it or not 76% sold within only a month of pre-sales.
Its crazy!
Sales have already been extremely successful with over 75% of the project sold in one month.
Aura is the 3rd and final phase of Canderel Stoneridge's College Park Development. They hosted three sales events in the beginning of 2008, releasing only a section of units on floors 5 through 65. As of March 2008 they reported 713 sales at an average price opf $570 to $580 per s.f. There was also a friends and family event held on Feb where they released 495 units on floors 5-50 ($494 psf).
The units on floors 66 to 80 are expected to average $640 psf and pentouses over $1,000 psf and yes believe it or not 76% sold within only a month of pre-sales.
Its crazy!
Hypnotoad
Senior Member
When FDR said "repetition does not transform a lie into a truth" I'm not sure if he was talking about half-ass sales insider information or fly-by-seat marketing, but, I'd really like it if the info provided was consistent.
Originally Posted by luckycharms
Aura is 75 storeys and over 900 units. Aura will be the largest and potentially the tallest building in Canada. it will have 180,000 s.f. of retail space on the first 3 floors and it will be connected to the undergroung PATH and TTC. 713 untis sold (76%) at an average price of $575 psf, parking is $35,000, maintenance fees $.50 psf, Occupancy Oct 2011.
---
Aura, the third phase of Canderel Stoneridge's Residences at College Park, will be built at the northwest corner of Yonge and Gerrard Streets. The 75-storey tower CLAIMS to be the largest mixed-use residential building in Canada, reaching 243 metres and boasting 1.1 million square feet of living space - more than 500 condo suites - and an additional 190,000 square feet of retail.
----
Aura is the 3rd and final phase of Canderel Stoneridge's College Park Development. They hosted three sales events in the beginning of 2008, releasing only a section of units on floors 5 through 65. As of March 2008 they reported 713 sales at an average price opf $570 to $580 per s.f. There was also a friends and family event held on Feb where they released 495 units on floors 5-50 ($494 psf).
The units on floors 66 to 80 are expected to average $640 psf and pentouses over $1,000 psf and yes believe it or not 76% sold within only a month of pre-sales
----
So if I'm reading this right, the floor count has increased to (potentially) 80 floors plus penthouse while the height claim has been reduced from largest building in Canada to claimed to be the largest mixed-us to no mention of size. Is this because the number of units has dropped from "over 900" to "over 500"? Also, the psf varies in these reports along with the actual amount of retail space. Some of these are minor comments but it these inconsistencies call into question the accuracy of these details.
713 units divided by 900 is 79%, so why is it reported as 76%, especially since there are "more than 900 units"?
Originally Posted by luckycharms
Aura is 75 storeys and over 900 units. Aura will be the largest and potentially the tallest building in Canada. it will have 180,000 s.f. of retail space on the first 3 floors and it will be connected to the undergroung PATH and TTC. 713 untis sold (76%) at an average price of $575 psf, parking is $35,000, maintenance fees $.50 psf, Occupancy Oct 2011.
---
Aura, the third phase of Canderel Stoneridge's Residences at College Park, will be built at the northwest corner of Yonge and Gerrard Streets. The 75-storey tower CLAIMS to be the largest mixed-use residential building in Canada, reaching 243 metres and boasting 1.1 million square feet of living space - more than 500 condo suites - and an additional 190,000 square feet of retail.
----
Aura is the 3rd and final phase of Canderel Stoneridge's College Park Development. They hosted three sales events in the beginning of 2008, releasing only a section of units on floors 5 through 65. As of March 2008 they reported 713 sales at an average price opf $570 to $580 per s.f. There was also a friends and family event held on Feb where they released 495 units on floors 5-50 ($494 psf).
The units on floors 66 to 80 are expected to average $640 psf and pentouses over $1,000 psf and yes believe it or not 76% sold within only a month of pre-sales
----
So if I'm reading this right, the floor count has increased to (potentially) 80 floors plus penthouse while the height claim has been reduced from largest building in Canada to claimed to be the largest mixed-us to no mention of size. Is this because the number of units has dropped from "over 900" to "over 500"? Also, the psf varies in these reports along with the actual amount of retail space. Some of these are minor comments but it these inconsistencies call into question the accuracy of these details.
713 units divided by 900 is 79%, so why is it reported as 76%, especially since there are "more than 900 units"?
marcus_a_j
Senior Member
Not trying to argue with you, because I think the numbers are getting confusing, but I am just doing some math and making theories, which might be wrong. anyways..
Maybe 80 is the total number of floors including the podium? If it's a 4-storey retail podium (not sure how many floors exactly at the moment) plus 75 floors of residences than that's 79, plus one more for omitting floor 13, then the top floor would be 80.
713 units divided by 939 (more than 900) = 76%
Hypnotoad
Senior Member
^^ I know, I was just being nit-picky to draw attention that these posts could be a lot clearer and better presented.
I really do appreciate any sales and insider info that we get here but it is the internet, afterall, and all info should be taken with a grain of salt.
I think the posts I quoted are simply a matter of hype-building and numbers-rounding. One thing that is consistent about the posts is that this is the 3rd building of the College Park development. Perhaps that's also the last thing they should be promoting
I really do appreciate any sales and insider info that we get here but it is the internet, afterall, and all info should be taken with a grain of salt.
I think the posts I quoted are simply a matter of hype-building and numbers-rounding. One thing that is consistent about the posts is that this is the 3rd building of the College Park development. Perhaps that's also the last thing they should be promoting
marcus_a_j
Senior Member
^ Seriously, which kinda has me a little worried. The posts sound like they come out of Condo Guide.
grey
Senior Member
Any mention of this building being the tallest anything is a barrel of lies.
Trump has already broken ground, so it wins.
Trump has already broken ground, so it wins.
luckycharms
New Member
I was just answering Urbandreamers Question: FYI insiders, how are sales going here? The information i provided wasn't from a condo guide and the sales information is directly from an inside source. I'm sorry for the tallest building comment...
MisterF
Senior Member
Would you say that the committee made the design of Aura worse or better?
urbandreamer
recession proof
Worse.
ProjectEnd
Superstar
/\ How could they have made it better? I'm not saying its good, but I am curious to know what you would do to change it?
urbandreamer
recession proof
They should have forbidden the developer to develop the land...period. Or force them to work with aA or Nomade architects. That would've been the best solution.
As it stands, it has a committee-designed base and shadowing issues with a craptacular top. It reminds me of the last generation Toyota Celica: one designer did the back another committee did the front: disastrous!
The City of Toronto's planning department has its priorities totally wrong--the last thing they should worry about is shadowing issues (all objects cast shadows--duh!) rather they should demand (dictator-style) good design; if good design is aA what the hell would stunningly great design be? And what do bureaucrats know about contemporary architecture? Even if they had a few Toronto architects around a table--Toronto being a small community of architects I highly doubt anything of substance could be accomplished without starting some cry-baby feud.
As it stands, the committee merely allowed mediocre architecture to continue to get built in Toronto. Yet they get to congratulate each other in the Press, get to hang out with the developer etc because the "committee did it." Bullocks imho! The committee, or team of mediocrity imho, allowed a developer with a history of crappy buildings to ultimately get his way.
As it stands, it has a committee-designed base and shadowing issues with a craptacular top. It reminds me of the last generation Toyota Celica: one designer did the back another committee did the front: disastrous!
The City of Toronto's planning department has its priorities totally wrong--the last thing they should worry about is shadowing issues (all objects cast shadows--duh!) rather they should demand (dictator-style) good design; if good design is aA what the hell would stunningly great design be? And what do bureaucrats know about contemporary architecture? Even if they had a few Toronto architects around a table--Toronto being a small community of architects I highly doubt anything of substance could be accomplished without starting some cry-baby feud.
As it stands, the committee merely allowed mediocre architecture to continue to get built in Toronto. Yet they get to congratulate each other in the Press, get to hang out with the developer etc because the "committee did it." Bullocks imho! The committee, or team of mediocrity imho, allowed a developer with a history of crappy buildings to ultimately get his way.