Toronto The Globe and Mail Centre | 83.21m | 17s | First Gulf | Diamond Schmitt

[Lenser]

Great shots, skycandy.

 

[skycandy]

Thank you, Lenser.

 

[Razz]

Valentine's Day 2016:

 

[G.L.17]

Taken yesterday from the PATH @ the Harbour Plaza site:

 

[hawc]

Razz's last photo shows really well how totally out of scale this building is with the surrounding area. But oh well, whatever. The bigger the better on Urban Toronto.

 

[Miscreant]

Well, maybe it is right now. But in ten or so years that won't be so out of context, especially with the Staples on the adjacent lot there.

 

[Lenser]

Yes, the building dominates. But seeing as how beautifully it's turning out, I don't see this as a bad thing. I don't see it as being woefully "out of scale." And I can only agree with Miscreant - it's likely not going to seem quite so gargantuan and domineering in a decade's time.

 

[Razz]

February 19, 2016: First glimpse of the penthouse glass:

 

[NBGtect]

Stellar. Much better than the renderings.

 

[Miscreant]

The criss-crossing reflecting glass on that s/w corner looks awesome. When the sun is setting on that it'll be magnificent.

 

[Razz]

February 20, 2016:

Penthouse glass on the north (King Street) side, as seen from Berkeley and Adelaide


Berkeley Street elevation


Glass on King




As seen from Parliament and Mill

 

[Miscreant]

Awesome. Thanks for all the shots today.

 

[Razz]

Workers were installing more glass panels on the south penthouse wall early this Sunday morning:

 

[Automation Gallery]

February 20, 2016:

Im sorry, although its a nice looking building. this structure looks odd and out of proportion for this area,

 

[Razz]

Im sorry, although its a nice looking building. this structure looks odd and out of proportion for this area,

As others have pointed out recently, Miscreant and Lenser in particular, it will not be long before other so called “tall” buildings infiltrate this sleepy low rise east end neighbourhood. At 19 floors (including its 2 storey penthouse) the Globe & Mail office building is roughly equivalent to a 24 storey residential condo tower (i.e. an office floor being 12 feet clear height vs. 9 feet in a typical residential condo building). Looking around at just a smattering of the most recent residential condo tower applications in this vicinity, you have:

1. The East United Condos (e/s of Parliament St., n of Adelaide St. E.) under site prep now for a 21-storey condo building.

2. Great Gulf’s 48 Power Street site (nec of Parliament and Adelaide) is presently under application for two (connected) 22 storey residential towers.

3. Pemberton’s application currently before the OMB for 4 condo towers of 25, 27 29 & 33 storeys respectively on the block bounded by Front, Sherbourne, Princess and Esplanade.

4. Cityzen’s project at 158 Front Street East (nwc of Sherbourne & Front) which will have two x 26-storey residential towers.

5. Greenpark Homes and Fieldgate Developments’ 21-storey condo project (Axiom) on Adelaide St. East at Ontario Street.

6. Brad Lamb’s 25-storey condo tower proposal at 53 Ontario Street.

7. Bresler’s condo site immediately north of the Parliament Street data center is already designated under the West Don Lands precinct plan for a 24 storey residential tower.

8. The Staples site (Greenpark Homes) immediately east of the G&M Centre will undoubtedly be seeking at least 21 storeys when it comes to market in the next few years.

9. Not to mention significantly taller buildings (34 to 50+ storeys are being planned nearby in the Distillery and also at Lakeshore & Cherry/Parliament.

So when you consider what has previously been approved, and what is currently in the application pipeline, with other similar 21 to 25 storey residential buildings to follow in the not too distant future, one can safely conclude that the cityscape in this part of town a decade from now will look radically different than it does now, and the height of the Globe & Mail Centre will be longer even be a topic of discussion. While I do share your views on massing and disproportionality, I am also a realist, and I’ve grown to accept the inevitable and admire beautifully designed buildings for what they are, and the G&M Centre certainly falls into that category. On balance, I feel the neighbourhood is enhanced by the addition of this building.