just googling around, found this article in today's Commercial Property News, interesting bit concerning groundbreaking....
Second Canadian Shangri-La Sited in Toronto
February 07, 2007
By Tom Dworetzky, News Editor
Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts has announced plans to develop Living Shangri-La Toronto. The $430 million tower will be jointly developed by Westbank and Peterson Group with James K.M. Cheng Architects and Young + Wright Architects.
The 65-storey, 704-foot luxury hotel and condominium tower is sited on University Avenue at Adelaide Street, a central downtown Toronto location. The five-star Shangri-La Hotel will also have CHI, The Spa at Shangri-La, retail, lounge and restaurant spaces and 220 guestrooms on levels 1 to 17.
Floors 18 - 48 will be home to 279 one- and two-bedroom residences with floors 49 - 65 reserved for 73 private estates, each encompassing penthouse-worthy appointments and city or harbor views. Visitors and residents will have access to Shangri-La's 24-hour room service and security, amenities, exclusive CHI treatments.
"There is an increasing demand in the city of Toronto for both five-star accommodations and residences that provide the security, exclusivity and amenities of a five-star hotel," a Shangri-la spokesperson told CPN today, as to why the company decided to make its entry into that market.
The spokesperson said that groundbreaking on the project was anticipated for late 2007, with expected completion in spring 2011.
Westbank and Peterson Group with James K.M. Cheng Architects and Rennie Marketing Systems has already had a significant positive impact on luxury real estate in Vancouver. The team is currently constructing a trio of signature projects including Living Shangri-La Vancouver, the city's tallest tower with 300 luxury residences; The Estates Fairmont Pacific Rim on Coal Harbour's waterfront; and the acclaimed redevelopment of the historic Woodward's property. Together, these projects represent well over $1 billion in real estate development.
Westbank and Peterson Group have developed or have under development $5 billion in projects consisting of over 15 million square feet of residential, retail, mixed-use and office space.