Station Park | 18, 28, 36, 40, 50 fl | U/C

[tomh009]

Seconded. Also matches the Ratz-Bechtel building. But I agree with others the red metal framing on the courtyard side is a weird choice in context of the rest of it.

True, but every building these days seems to need four or five different exterior claddings ...

All depends on what's on sale at Winners ...

[Votemac]

I am overwhelmed with how great the trees and and greenery make this building look

[KevinT]

If they had to use brick, then a dark colour would have been preferable to me, something like the Lago in Toronto: https://architizer-prod.imgix.net/media/...o_0126.jpg

Ooo, charcoal grey with light grey. Bold choice. Metrolinx must like that architect...

[tomh009]

If they had to use brick, then a dark colour would have been preferable to me, something like the Lago in Toronto: https://architizer-prod.imgix.net/media/...o_0126.jpg

Ooo, charcoal grey with light grey. Bold choice. Metrolinx must like that architect...

You have to be a strong person to stray from the medium grey!

[Marblesphere]

Long time lurker, shot this angle today!

[Spokes]

Heck of a first post! Very nice.

And welcome out from the shadows!

[ac3r]

I love the view of Station Park from that side of the city.

And mannnn...that building there is only 28 floors and it looks huge. I can't imagine what the next phase will look like with the cluster of 36, 40 and 44 floor skyscrapers there. This is going to be the most transformative project for downtown - probably the most transformative thing added since the construction of the LRT, Market Square and I can't for the life of me remember what the name of the other one was. Crazy to believe that when I was growing up, downtown was almost a no go zone with husks of burned down buildings and abandonments. Nobody went down there unless it was to hang out at Zappers or Capers haha.

[Lebronj23]

Agreed. Unless my eyes are playing trick so in me I always though this tower was square haha, and I drove by it a lot.

Also I think phase 3 is guaranteed to be redesigned -the initial render/sketch up we see was clearly just for the zoning amendment process and in my experience following these things it usually changes. Phase 1 was slightly redesigned. Phase 2 (Duo) massing, colour and height were changed. Phase 3 will be something different as well, I hope they keep the plans for the grocery store, retail, 10 floors of commercial and 44 floors height.

[ac3r]

Phase 3 will be something different as well, I hope they keep the plans for the  grocery store, retail, 10 floors of commercial and 44 floors height.

I wouldn't mind it if they built it looking like the original sketches/design. It's pretty dynamic and unique looking for this region so with a little refinement, it could look very good. I.e. use COR-TEN steel for that brown look pleeeeease.

[cherrypark]

I love the view of Station Park from that side of the city.

And mannnn...that building there is only 28 floors and it looks huge. I can't imagine what the next phase will look like with the cluster of 36, 40 and 44 floor skyscrapers there. This is going to be the most transformative project for downtown - probably the most transformative thing added since the construction of the LRT, Market Square and I can't for the life of me remember what the name of the other one was. Crazy to believe that when I was growing up, downtown was almost a no go zone with husks of burned down buildings and abandonments. Nobody went down there unless it was to hang out at Zappers or Capers haha.

Grateful that these also happen to be one of the better looking new developments in town. IN8 building the DTK on a bit of a hill downtown didn't help with making it loom even larger.

[tomh009]

Everyone wants a grocery store and a lot of buildings have space for one, but one needs an actual store in that space, too.

The closest we have now are Marche Leo's (an urban-format supermarket, somewhat upscale) and soon BT Supermarket (Asian supermarket, likely opening next year). Besides that, everything has just been talk.

[KevinL]

Central Fresh is walking distance for this development, of course. But we definitely need something in the core.

[tomh009]

One of the big chains will open a location once they feel that the customer base is big enough to support one. Until then, Loblaws is doing solid business through the SDM location -- which sets the bar higher for a dedicated grocery store.

My point, really, is that planning a condo building with space suitable for a grocery store and putting such a store in renders is well short of having a store actually sign a lease (or purchase a commercial unit) and open a store in such a space. We've gone through this half a dozen or more times in these forums as now projects have been proposed and built, and the only grocery stores to open have been (the now former) J&P and Marche Leo's. And BT has a sign up for their new space so they do appear to be committed.

[Votemac]

As of this weekend, there is enough activity in the retail space on the corner (next to Kaufman Mansion) that would lead me to believe a retailer has already begun their build inside

[taylortbb]

My point, really, is that planning a condo building with space suitable for a grocery store and putting such a store in renders is well short of having a store actually sign a lease (or purchase a commercial unit) and open a store in such a space. We've gone through this half a dozen or more times in these forums as now projects have been proposed and built, and the only grocery stores to open have been (the now former) J&P and Marche Leo's. And BT has a sign up for their new space so they do appear to be committed.

The Station Park plans are a little different though. There's been generic retail spaces with a "wouldn't a grocery store be nice" , and then there's Station Park where building 5 is designed specifically for a grocery store. Extra elevators, multiple escalators, etc. They're not going to build such a purpose-designed space speculatively, they'll only do that with a signed agreement.

Not to say that they already have a signed agreement, the drawings may be speculative while they try to find an operator that's interested. But I think the plans are significantly more advanced than they ever have been elsewhere. I never saw full drawings of such a massive purpose-built space submitted to the city for the other speculative grocery stores in DTK.