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It's an exciting time of year in the Greater Toronto Area for the development industry as the community prepares for the annual awards season, when we take a moment to celebrate projects that managed to stand out among the extensive crop of buildings that sprout up in our City each year. One of the leading voices in the GTA's development awards scene is the Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD), who cover a broad spectrum of achievement in urban development, from design through to marketing.
While the majority of the BILD award winners are selected by an expert panel of judges, one of the Association's more exciting annual accolades is the People's Choice Award, which invites the public to vote on the GTA's best new community project of the year. This year's race has come down to a shortlist of 10 projects in planning or under construction, and with voting open until May 11th, the choice is yours to make. Check out our roundup of all 10 shortlisted projects below and cast your vote for the 2023 People's Choice Award on BILD's website, linked here.
Click on any of the project names to learn more about it!
Currently under construction in the heart of the Annex, the 29-storey mixed-use development has already earned a host of awards for its design as well as its integration of the existing Bloor United Church, a heritage building over a century old.
Cielo Condos, 29-storey mixed-use development in Toronto, image courtesy of Collecdev
Forma | Great Gulf, Dream Unlimited, Westdale Properties
Frank Gehry's highly anticipated return to Toronto will also represent the tallest residential project of the starchitect's storied career, delivering a landmark two-tower design with a soaring 84-storey presence that will surely be felt across the City. Work has started on the first tower.
Looking south at design of Frank Gehry's Forma, image from submission to City of Toronto
Galleria On The Park | Almadev
Transforming the Galleria Mall site at the corner of Dufferin and Dupont streets, the multi-phased masterplan project will inject nearly 3,000 new units into the area while delivering new community amenities like a recreation centre, a public park, and new grade-level retail. Work is underway on the first three buildings.
Looking southwest at Galleria III at Galleria On The Park, image from submission to City of Toronto
Daniels on Parliament | The Daniels Corporation
After nearly two decades of work on the transformative Regent Park Revitalization project, the Daniels Corporation is early in the process of constructing their final building for the community, marking the completion of Phase 3 with a 25-storey tower that offers 628 units.
Daniels on Parliament marks the end of Daniels Regent Park development efforts, image from submission to City of Toronto
Harbourwalk at Lakeview Village | Tridel
Arguably one of the most visually distinct built components of the Lakeview Village masterplan in Mississauga, Harbourwalk contemplates delivering residential density while limiting building height, and employs a unique diamond-shaped footprint with a central courtyard.
Harbourwalk delivers density within a pedestrian-friendly massing of 19 storeys, image from submission to City of Mississauga
The Heights of Harmony | Minto Communities GTA
The low-rise Oshawa community is designed for family living, offering a broad selection of townhouses and single family homes while positioning residents with convenient proximity to schools, greenspace, and local businesses.
Heights of Harmony townhouse community in Oshawa, image courtesy of Minto Communities GTA
The Townes at Deer Springs (Phase 1) | Honeyfield Communities
Located in Tottenham, a municipality northwest of the GTA, the Deer Springs development delivers a suite of luxury townhomes all framed around a central park and playground, designed to foster a community atmosphere.
Deer Springs Community brings new townhouses to Tottenham in the norther GTA, image from bildawards.com
With Barrie South GO Station within walking distance, this community enjoys urban connectivity while offering residents a selection of townhouses, semis, and detached homes within a master-planned community layout.
Terra Barrie offers large townhouses with close proximity to GO Transit, image from bildawards.com
GO Towns | Opus Homes, Deco Homes
Also positioned with direct adjacency to GO Transit's Barrie South Station, GO Towns offers residents convenient transit access to the surrounding region while featuring townhouse designs trending more heavily towards the modern style.
GO Towns enjoys convenient access to Barrie South GO Station while offering modern townhouses, image from bildawards.com
Aurora Trails | Paradise Developments, Fieldgate Homes, TACC Developments
The nature-oriented community in Aurora offers a variety of town homes at various sizes, as well as fully detached homes, while close proximity to Highway 404 offers simple connections to Toronto and the surrounding municipalities.
Aurora trails offers townhouse living in a nature oriented site, image from bildawards.com
Those are the 10 options for BILD's 2023 People's Choice Award. Online voting will remain open on BILD's website until May 11th, don't miss your chance to weigh in!
Beyond the BILD Awards, the City of Toronto's 2023 Urban Design Awards is also gearing up, and now is accepting submissions until the end of the month. Occurring every two years, Toronto's Urban Design Awards recognize achievement in categories like private/public buildings in context, small open spaces, neighbourhood designs and masterplans, and even student project submissions. Winners will be selected by a panel of industry professionals, and announced at a ceremony scheduled for September. To learn more about how to make a submission and the panel of judges, visit www.toronto.ca/tuda.
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UrbanToronto has a research service, UrbanToronto Pro, that provides comprehensive data on construction projects in the Greater Toronto Area—from proposal through to completion. We also offer Instant Reports, downloadable snapshots based on location, and a daily subscription newsletter, New Development Insider, that tracks projects from initial application.
