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Despite being Toronto's rainiest month ever, that didn't stop Torontonians from taking to the streets for festivals, celebrations, and more throughout July, 2024. From the ground breakings for 1159 Bloor Street West at Bloor & Dufferin and 1071 King Street West, to the grand opening of Toronto's latest Food Hall at Waterworks, UrbanToronto was live on the scene to cover the festivities. Up above, construction continued on downtown's 'supertalls' and skyscrapers, including 11 YV, Pinnacle One Yonge, and, of course, The One. With the record rainfall causing transit woes, Toronto's transportation was also a popular topic, including Reece Martin's look at Rick Leary stepping down as CEO and the future of TTC's leadership. The UrbanToronto Forum featured discussions on multiple future transit lines, including the Hurontario LRT and Ontario Line, as well as the much-anticipated (and much-delayed) Eglinton Crosstown LRT. Other top news stories included updates on projects progressing in Toronto's busy construction season, and proposals throughout the GTA.
Let's take a closer look at our top stories, database files, and threads for July, 2024.
Our Top Ten Most Read News Stories
UrbanToronto had the chance to attend multiple ground breaking ceremonies last month, with one being the affordable housing at 1159 Bloor Street West, part of Hazelview Investments and Fitzrovia Real Estate's master-planned community. Coming at #12 on our Top Ten Most Read News Stories, the event took place during the Big on Bloor Festival. Representatives from both developers, along with affordable housing organizations and government officials, came together to celebrate the initiative. The 8-storey building will supply 56 units, part of the developers' pledge of over $17 million over five years to create at least 180 affordable units within the Davenport neighbourhood.
12. Hazelview and Fitzrovia Break Ground on Affordable Housing at Bloor & Dufferin
Coming in at #10 is University of Toronto's Rotman Commerce designed by the Danish architectural firm 3XN. The building will be the business program's first permanent home on campus. At #9, we get an up-close glimpse into the silos at the Bathurst Quay Revitalization. UrbanToronto's latest crane count came in at #6, noting 311 cranes in the GTHA as of July 1, 2024, a drop from the 324 reported in the previous quarter. Our look back at June's top stories became a top story itself at #5, followed by Reece Martin's look at the TTC's leadership at #4. The runner-up was a look at 2575, 2681, and 2721 Danforth Avenue at #2, with the trio of settlements transforming the site of a Canadian Tire retail store in Toronto's East End. Topping the list is the grand opening of the Food Hall at Waterworks, offering 55,000 ft² of food service and event spaces, on the heels of the Wellington Market's grand opening at The Well in May, 2024.
10. U of T's Rotman Commerce Design by Danish Architects 3XN Unveiled
9. A Peek Inside The Canada Malting Silos & Bathurst Quay Revitalization
8. Cladding Going Up for Crosstown Towers as Two Cranes Come Down
7. Midtown Resubmission Adds Height, Density, Matches Adjacent Proposal
6. Cranes Get Lower! UrbanToronto Reports the Crane Count for Q2 2024
5. Retail Flagships, Supertalls, and Construction Made Headlines in June, 2024
4. TTC's Next Big Step: Replacing Rick Leary
3. Trio of High-Rises Proposed at Highway 7 and Weston in Vaughan
2. Trio of Project Settlements to Transform Danforth and Main
1. The Food Hall at Waterworks Opens Today
Our Top Ten Most Searched Database Files
Another ground breaking ceremony UrbanToronto attended last month was for 1071 King Street West, which finds itself at #13 of our Most Searched Database Files. The 17-storey flatiron-shaped rental building will rise in Liberty Village, supplying 298 market-rate rental units and 6 affordable rental units. From the development team of Hullmark, First Capital, and Woodbourne Canada Management Inc., Hullmark's President Jeff Hull spoke at the event, highlighting the collaborative efforts that helped bring the project to life.
13. 1071 King West
The top three remain unchanged from last month, with The Well, The One, and Pinnacle One Yonge as the most searched database files once again. Just behind them is KING Toronto at #4, as everyone eagerly awaits the installation of the glass block panels that will adorn the facade of the 16-storey site on King West. Taking to the skies, 8 Wellesley has made plenty of construction progress, garnering enough attention to sit at #5 on the list, with the 55-storey tower now at the mechanical penthouse, showcasing its unique slope fronting Yonge Street. Unique architecture continues to dominate the list with Tridel and Hines' Aqualuna at Bayside at #7, with Forum users providing plenty of photography of the development's copper tones and wave-like balconies.
10. Lower Don Lands Redevelopment
8. CIBC SQUARE
6. Forma
5. 8 Wellesley | Residences at Yonge
4. KING Toronto
3. The Well
2. The One
Our Top Ten Busiest Threads
While The One continues to garner plenty of attention on the UrbanToronto Forum, 11 YV has been making its mark two blocks north, finding itself at the entry point of the Top Ten Busiest Threads at #12. Construction on the 62-storey tower has reached the mechanical penthouse levels, ensuring it finds itself in the background of the aerial photography of its more popular neighbour. Its final height will be an impressive 213m, with 674 residential units.
12. 11 YV
Like clockwork, The One and Pinnacle One Yonge continue to claim the top two spots, with The One taking yet another turn as our #1 busiest thread. Rounding out the top 3 is the Lower Don Lands Redevelopment, as construction continues towards the target completion of the end of this year. Transit continues to be a hotly-discussed issue on the UrbanToronto Forums, with the Crosstown LRT at #4, Ontario Line at #6, and the Hurontario-Main LRT finally earning a spot at #9 after previously finding itself just outside the top 10.
10. Mirvish Village (Honest Ed's Redevelopment)
9. Hurontario-Main Line 10 LRT
8. Union Station Revitalization
7. KING Toronto
5. CIBC SQUARE
4. Eglinton Line 5 Crosstown LRT
3. Lower Don Lands Redevelopment
1. The One
We will be back at the beginning of September for a recap of August's top news stories, Database files, and Forum threads!
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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.
