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Toronto's condo towers

ganjavih

ganjavih

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I think architecture has improved in Toronto in the last few years and there is a lot of exciting development going on. I like a lot of the lowrise to midrise infill projects, but continue to be underwhelmed by the quality of the condo towers we're getting.

What's the best condo tower Toronto has seen built in the last few years?
 
The Wellington

An oldie but a goodie. This one on Wellington just east of Scott St. is an old favorite of mine. It was an upscale building when it was built a couple decades ago. I assume it still is by the look of it. Walked by it recently, and found myself pausing and taking it all in. Although it is showing some age, it has still aged well.
I think this building was ahead of it's time when it was built. All curtain wall style appearing glass (black tinted) and set well back from the street. Nice open piazza (is that the right word?) effect at the front. Interesting sculpture sitting there and restaurants at ground level.

Great topic, by the way!
 
I would count the Radio City towers and Spire among the best.

I was also going to say Pantages, but decided not to.

I agree, though. Our collection of low to mid-rise condos is much more impressive.

vvv I forgot about 18 Yorkville.
 
Midrise projects have mostly been my favorates in the past few years but I'm on the same page as Grey. Spire, the Radio City/National Ballet School complex (as a whole), Quantum 1 & 2, One St. Thomas, 18 Yorkville & The Met are among my favs. With so many disappointing projects in the past couple of years, I stay optimistic when I see projects like Murano & London on Esplanade going up and other promising projects on the way. Ritz-Carlton, X, Uptown, Trump (so shoot me!), 155 Cumberland, Casa, Shangri-La, Four Seasons and many more keep me excited and hopeful for decent highrise condo development yet to come.
 
I still like that Daniels proect (I forget the name) from about six years ago on the NW corner of Spadina and Richmond. It fits that corner very well and looks contemporary without being a pastiche of historical styles. Unlike many of the condos going up right now, it is neither (i) all glass or (ii) a tower on a podium.
 
That condo is actually by Great Gulf Homes and is my choice for the best condo produced in the last 10 years.
 
Granny said:
An oldie but a goodie. This one on Wellington just east of Scott St. is an old favorite of mine. It was an upscale building when it was built a couple decades ago. I assume it still is by the look of it. Walked by it recently, and found myself pausing and taking it all in. Although it is showing some age, it has still aged well.
I think this building was ahead of it's time when it was built. All curtain wall style appearing glass (black tinted) and set well back from the street. Nice open piazza (is that the right word?) effect at the front. Interesting sculpture sitting there and restaurants at ground level.
Click to expand...

Funny, I don't recall this ever getting that much acclaim; in fact, next to something like Market Square a block or so east, it was probably regarded as more of a slick banality.

Which begs another question: which has "aged better", the Wellington or Market Square...
 
Spire and Radio City always stand out for me in terms of recent high-rise residential construction. One King West and Quantum at Yonge and Eglinton deserve a mention though.
 
The Met is probably my most favourite as well. It fits so perfectly and differentiates itself just enough. (I almost took that 32nd floor northeast unit with the circular balcony but passed... was it the right decision?)

I love Spire too, but the base is such a letdown.

For low rises I'd have to pick Sixty Loft (60 Bathurst). I sometimes think all the other mediocre buildings surrounding it must be drooling in envy... and I'm still hoping someone will post some interior pictures of it soon!
 
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