Toronto One Bloor East | 257.24m | 76s | Great Gulf | Hariri Pontarini

toforumer said:
Has the new height been officially announced? The 50 Bloor Street documents that were released today show 1 Bloor East approved for 290.5m which makes it taller than 50 Bloor Street. If that's true, I can see 50 Bloor Street applying for a height increase later on to top the 300m mark
http://urbantoronto.ca/database/projects/50-bloor-street-west
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That was the height of the previous incarnation of 1 Bloor East by Bazis, which went under.
 
GG is such a timmid developer. They must feel like idiots now (and rightly so), sitting on THE best site - watching taller towers going up all over the city - and now even across the street.

Imagine what could have been built here had Oxford purchased this site.

Not very impressed with GG.
 
Big Daddy said:
GG is such a timmid developer. They must feel like idiots now (and rightly so), sitting on THE best site - watching taller towers going up all over the city - and now even across the street.

Imagine what could have been built here had Oxford purchased this site.

Not very impressed with GG.
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The situation was rather different when GG bought the site. You know, financial crash and all. Also, you could argue that 1BE's approval is what catalyzed the following large towers in this area. Without 1 BE, I doubt 50 Bloor St. W would be anywhere near 80 floors.
 
Big Daddy said:
GG is such a timmid developer. They must feel like idiots now (and rightly so), sitting on THE best site - watching taller towers going up all over the city - and now even across the street.

Imagine what could have been built here had Oxford purchased this site.

Not very impressed with GG.
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You're not impressed with them for being a smart, sensible developer that didn't count their eggs before they hatched during a difficult economic time yet STILL managed to pull off the marketing and construction of one of the taller new buildings in our city? That's strange.
 
can someone clarify why Great Gulf didn't maximize the height allowed for the site? i'm certain every single one of those units would have sold. The old proposal was set for 81 stories, yet GG proposed this one at 65 and well under 250m.
 
SP!RE said:
You're not impressed with them for being a smart, sensible developer that didn't count their eggs before they hatched during a difficult economic time yet STILL managed to pull off the marketing and construction of one of the taller new buildings in our city? That's strange.
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They took control of one of the most dynamic properties in Canada - already approved for significant height and pre-sold by Bazis - then timmidly downsized the project to 65 stories. It is my opinion that there was no significant risk - Bazis had pretty much sold out before Lehman Brothers (their financier) problems began - I find it hard to believe they would not have been able to sell as many units as they could possibly put on the site given the condo craze that was happening (and still is) in this city. if they are better funded than Bazis was at the time (assuming they are or they wouldn't/shouldn't have tried) they should have maxed out the site or go find a project that is smaller and less risky.
 
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Not surprisingly (actually it is for bigdaddy who claims to be in the game) you guys are confusing height with square footage. GG's proposal is about the same size as Bazis. They simplified the project by eliminating the hotel portion however, I wouldn't call shifting density around as downsizing. The design is also much better despite not having some awful comb over crown to appease the heighters who seemingly care about nothing else.

In short, Steveve, Great Gulf made maximum usage of the site. There really was no need to maximize height.
 
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I never thought I would live to see the day that someone accused a developer of not trying to profit enough from one of their projects.
 
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There's also the matter of financing a 65 storey building. Perhaps with demand they were able to secure more financing to take it to 70 stories, then to 75.
 
Great Gulf made it shorter than the Bazis design because of the financial crash that killed the old project. They didn't want to end up with a Dubai situation with most of the building empty. It's smart.
 
How does the fire department get to, say, the 60th floor of a condo? Surely there's no ladder that high. Perhaps it's just a "let 'em burn" approach.

Kidding -- but seriously, does anyone know?
 
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