Toronto Backstage On The Esplanade | 116.73m | 36s | Cityzen | P + S / IBI

There are three retail units at ground level, of 50, 52, and 140 square metres in size, although it looks like the 140 square metre unit may be combined with the overhead PATH system access too.

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There are three retail units at ground level, of 50, 52, and 140 square metres in size, although it looks like the 140 square metre unit may be combined with the overhead PATH system access too.

If you look at that image closely, all three of them say "lower retail". Does that in any way mean that there's also an upper level of retail as well? The space between the second and third retail units has an elevator that seems to be right in the centre, or at least in between, both retail spaces, and doesn't look like it opens up into the residential lobby elevator bank area.
 
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Unfortunately, there will be no above-grade connection to the L-Tower from Backstage. I remember this being a point of contention at the first community consultation back in 2008 (when this was still a potential office tower for GO Transit).

Note that a bridge does not appear on the drawings in rezoning application or in any of the the model pictures/renders we've seen so far. While p. 42 does confirm the existence of some future connection: "$1,000,000.00 for PATH connections including, a pedestrian bridge over Yonge Street and a bridge to 2 Church Street, and/or the future signalization of Yonge Street and The Esplanade," sections d) and e) state that this will go towards an east-west connection across Yonge from the bus station to the TPA garage at 2 Church St.

The second paragraph on p. 7 confirms this: "The initial proposal contemplated a bridge over The Esplanade to connect the Sony Centre “L-Tower†development to the 6-level underground garage. The bridge is no longer part of the proposal and has been replaced with a private underground tunnel connection at level P4."
 
The bridge was eliminated so as to not block views of 25 The Esplanade's bullnose from the west. Backstage itself was similarly slimmed down for the current design so as to not squeeze too much of 25 from direct view of Yonge Street.

42
 
Atlantis - the 'Lower Retail' makes me wonder too, and the elevator there poses another question. The description of the building states that there are live-work units on the 2nd and 3rd floors of the podium. Maybe that is what the elevator goes to. Maybe Upper Retail will be connected to the PATH level at the top of the stairs? I wish I had a plan for that level!

42
 
This project will have 36 floors plus podium , time to update the thread title?

This application proposes the development of a 32-storey residential tower on top of a 4-storey mixed-use podium for a total of 36-storeys and 271 dwelling units. The building height would be 112 metres (118 metres to mechanical penthouse). The proposal includes a 4-storey podium which incorporates 4 levels of above grade parking for residents of the residential component at 5-7 the Esplanade. Previously approved were 6 levels of underground parking for the residents of the "L-Tower" residential condominium at 1 Front Street East (now 8 The Esplanade). A total of 523 parking spaces will be provided on site with 150 of those for use by the proposed development and 373 by the adjacent building at 8 The Esplanade. The parking area would be accessed from The Esplanade, at the east end of the site abutting an existing driveway serving 2 Church Street, which is a Toronto Parking Authority (TPA) garage.


Application Number 08 223450 STE 28 OZ Application Status Approved
Planner Name
Phone Number Teixeira, Alex
416-392-0481 Status Date Aug 25, 2010
Community Meeting Date --- Date Received Nov 20, 2008
 
Doesn't look like much progress at all with this site.

Drum118, thanks for the pictures! You're easily my favourite UT member!
 
...Here is a Google map of the area:

map1.jpg


Bill

I still can't believe a big tower can be built in such a tight place, and so close to the tracks. With the L tower across, it will certainly change the Yonge Esplanade corner!
 
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