Toronto Sun Life Financial Tower & Harbour Plaza Residences | 236.51m | 67s | Menkes | Sweeny &Co
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Toron
Active Member
AMAZING...what floor that pic was taken from...I would say 50!
wmedia
Senior Member
isaidso
Senior Member
I approve of the solid textured podium. It adds colour, solidity, and a sense of permanence to the area. Thank GOD it's not glass.
kris
Senior Member
Looks like crappy matted marble. The material looks like black construction paper with UV damage. Love the towers though they could have picked something that looks a bit better.
So, what's holding up the story?
How tall are these towers? How many storeys in these towers? Those should be easy questions, but ask them at the wrong time to of the wrong people, and it can take some doing to get an answer you can trust. If you don't care about the minutiae of establishing building height, this post will bore you.
The issue is that the buildings were approved at one height—62 and 66 storeys, 224 and 233 metres tall respectively—but Menkes went to the Committee of Adjustment and got an increase at some point. It's tough to find those rulings as they aren't indexed, but you just have to search and search… Here's what it took to uncovered the answer over the last few days:
Finally, when the towers open, it looks like you'll find that the number of floors will be higher by 5, not because they're skipping 4, 13, 14, etc., but because they've started the residential towers at a higher floor count to take into account high floors in the podium. I only know that now because I shot this when touring the building: suite 4402 is on what is actually the 39th storey.
For those wondering how that all works into how many floors are left to build now? Sorry, I asked when I was up top, but the answer came back in an uncommitted way. "We're on the 64th or so on this tower and, uh…" So, whatever it is exactly, there are only a couple more to go!
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* (a map attached to the draft bylaw)
How tall are these towers? How many storeys in these towers? Those should be easy questions, but ask them at the wrong time to of the wrong people, and it can take some doing to get an answer you can trust. If you don't care about the minutiae of establishing building height, this post will bore you.
The issue is that the buildings were approved at one height—62 and 66 storeys, 224 and 233 metres tall respectively—but Menkes went to the Committee of Adjustment and got an increase at some point. It's tough to find those rulings as they aren't indexed, but you just have to search and search… Here's what it took to uncovered the answer over the last few days:
- The final city planning report upon which the rezoning application for the complex was based lists the heights as 222 and 233 metres in two spots (pages 13 & 24), and 224 and 233 metres in other spots (pages 1, 44, 59*, and 13 again, just in a different spot on 13). The first CoA ruling on the building of Feb 5, 2014 (unrelated to the height change) agrees with the second set, listing 224 and 233 metres.
- On page 13 of the final report, it states explicitly that the mechanical penthouses are included in the calculation of the height. That's not always the case in planning reports, so it's always good to see it spelled out here.
- Skyscrapercity.com quotes the 224 and 233 metre heights. Skyscraperpage.com quotes 228 and 237.7 metres. Whaaaaaaaaat? Both quote 62 and 66 storeys.
- The preponderance of early evidence says 224 metres for the shorter tower… but that's only 9 metres shorter than the taller one, and 2.25 metres per floor to cover the 4 floor difference is not enough. A little extra height on the shorter tower's mechanical levels maybe? It would be nice to see plans to confirm that!
- On May 27, 2015, Menkes went back to the CoA to get changes made to the bicycle storage and the amount of outdoor amenity space. No mention of a height change. Changes granted.
- Finally a height change request! On November 18, 2015, Menkes went back to add a single extra storey to each tower and 4 units on each floor, bringing the totals to 227.97 (ah-hah - there's the 228 quoted by SSP) and 236.67 metres for the other (SSP seems to have added 1.03 metres to that), and 1313 suites. But wait - the changes were NOT granted. Did learn here that the towers have been given the addresses of 88 and 100 Harbour.
- There are no further CoA appearances up to and including August 24, 2016. Hmm. Can you appeal a CoA decision to the OMB?
- Yes you can! On June 23, 2016, the OMB heard the appeal of the CoA decision, and approved the increases.
- Double-checked with the architect. Confirmed the new numbers.
Finally, when the towers open, it looks like you'll find that the number of floors will be higher by 5, not because they're skipping 4, 13, 14, etc., but because they've started the residential towers at a higher floor count to take into account high floors in the podium. I only know that now because I shot this when touring the building: suite 4402 is on what is actually the 39th storey.
For those wondering how that all works into how many floors are left to build now? Sorry, I asked when I was up top, but the answer came back in an uncommitted way. "We're on the 64th or so on this tower and, uh…" So, whatever it is exactly, there are only a couple more to go!
42
* (a map attached to the draft bylaw)
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Toron
Active Member
The price list I received recently has some units for sale on floor 70,, not including the penthouses.
Any idea, what is the first residential floor? for Ten York for example the first residential floor is '8'
Any idea, what is the first residential floor? for Ten York for example the first residential floor is '8'
My note about about not skipping 13 might be wrong: that might be skipped. We just know that the 4s aren't being skipped because 39 is now 44.
So following the 5 floor difference at that height, 70 is actually 65, and must be the East Tower as the West Tower only goes to 63, including the penthouses. With the East Tower actually having 67 storeys, there can only be two more above "70" for the penthouses.
So, not knowing whether they skipped 13 or not, no, I don't know what level the suites start at. Sorry!
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So following the 5 floor difference at that height, 70 is actually 65, and must be the East Tower as the West Tower only goes to 63, including the penthouses. With the East Tower actually having 67 storeys, there can only be two more above "70" for the penthouses.
So, not knowing whether they skipped 13 or not, no, I don't know what level the suites start at. Sorry!
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Toron
Active Member
So the floor where your recent pics are taken from is actually 44 or 54 but not 49!
Harbour plaza add 5 to the actual floor and Ten York add 3, I believe its somehow related to the podium height.
kris
Senior Member
Trying to figure out these correct floor counts
isaidso
Senior Member
Even if it was (which it isn't) it's a far better outcome than if it had been glass.
PC9728
New Member
The first floor is 10th.
Only number 13 is skipped.
I know because they tried to sell me the 10th floor which is right next to the Gardiner. It has a full wrap around balcony on the entire floor.
That was actual 49. They're using actual floors for the forming crews, and then spray painting suite numbers on the walls correspond to the marketed floor number for the crews fitting out the suites.
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