Our annual Growth to Watch For series has now finally circled back to the Downtown area, where development activity in the city is at its most intense. This instalment continues south from our Midtown edition to explore the upscale neighbourhoods of Yorkville, Bloor-Yonge, and Rosedale, where a series of mid-rise and high-rise developments are transforming the skyline around the crossroads of the city's two main arteries. Following a winding loop through Yorkville and heading east along Bloor, we have compiled below a list of all developments nearing completion or under construction, all proposals currently working their way through the planning process, and all potential projects coming our way in one of the city's most active development areas.

Boundary of the Yorkville area, image courtesy of Apple Maps

We begin on Yonge Street where we left off last time, crossing under the CPR corridor to the high-profile Scrivener Court development, immediately south of the LCBO in the historic North Toronto Station. Diamond Corp. and Tricon Capital have enlisted Danish firm COBE Architects alongside local firm Graziani + Corazza Architects to design a 26-storey rental tower and an 8-storey mid-rise building for the L-shaped site at 5 Scrivener Square. The development would contain 182 residential units with grade-level retail, while retaining the existing heritage storefronts along Yonge Street. The project is currently going through extensive community consultations, and the design has reportedly been revised from the original proposal, but no images of the latest iteration have yet to be released. Stay tuned for updates as it continues working its way through the planning process.

Rendering of Scrivener Court, image courtesy of Diamond Corp and Tricon Capital.

Heading south on Yonge, construction is well underway on Hill and Dale Residences at the southeast corner of Yonge and Roxborough Street. Developed by Old Stonehenge Development Corporation in partnership with the Clifton Blake Group, the 6-storey mixed use mid-rise is designed by Studio JCI and contains 17 condo units on the upper levels, with office and retail space on the lower levels. The building topped off last year, and installation of the highly reflective glass cladding on the exterior is currently underway, so look for construction to wrap up before the end of the year.

View of Hill and Dale Residences, image by Forum contributor Therion.

Continuing south on Yonge and turning east onto Church Street, rumours are swirling about an upcoming development at 820 Church Street, located at the rear of the Toronto Reference Library. Preliminary renderings were posted on our Forum, but no development application has been filed with the City yet, and very few details have been released. The renderings depict a 37-storey condo tower with a 5-storey podium containing institutional uses abutting against the apartment block to the east. The development is apparently still undergoing design changes and is rumoured to be submitting an application in the coming months, but for the time being we will just have to wait and see if something more concrete materializes.

Rendering of 820 Church Street, image via Forum contributor ChesterCopperpot.

Heading back west along Church and jogging south to the corner of Yonge and Scollard Street, 1 Scollard is currently being decided at the OMB after receiving a refusal by City Staff and Council in 2016, citing overdevelopment. Designed by KPMB Architects and headed by Cityzen Development Group, the tower was initially proposed at 59 storeys and 194 residential suites, but has since been scaled back to 51 storeys and 165 units. An OMB hearing is scheduled for later this month, so check back for the results as they become available.

Rendering of 1 Scollard, image courtesy of Cityzen Developments.

Heading west along Scollard Street, a condo tower designed by starchitects Foster + Partners was approved last year at the corner of Bay and Scollard Streets. Dubbed Bay + Scollard, the 41-storey 112-unit luxury condo tower also features architectural work by RAW Design and heritage specialists ERA Architects, who will oversee a lateral move and restoration of some Victorian homes on the site. The development was initially led by BRL Realty, but it was purchased last year by Lanterra Developments, who have indicated that they are keeping the same architects and design of the building, though minor tweaks are still possible prior to construction. The project is currently in sales, and if all goes well, it could begin construction later this year.

Updated rendering of Bay + Scollard, image via submission to the City of Toronto

Turning north onto Bay Street and then northwest onto Davenport Road, we come to a unique but highly-contested project at 100 Davenport. Headed by Diamante Developments and designed by Douglas Cardinal alongside Scott Shields Architects, the 39-storey, 53-unit luxury condo tower was deemed too tall by City Staff and Council, and was subsequently appealed to the OMB. The hearing took place just last week, but no results have surfaced yet, so check back for news when it becomes available.

Rendering of 100 Davenport, image via submission to the City of Toronto

Following Davenport Road west, we come to 128 Hazelton Avenue at the southwest corner of Davenport and Hazelton, where Mizrahi Developments is constructing a new 9-storey luxury condominium. Designed by AUDAX architecture, the 21-unit building is the final phase of three adjacent mid-rise buildings along Davenport by Mizrahi. Construction is now underway, with excavation and shoring work currently ongoing.

Rendering of 128 Hazelton Avenue, image via submission to the City of Toronto

Continuing along Davenport, plans are moving ahead for the densification of a tower-in-the-park property at 250 Davenport, currently home to a 25-storey TCHC apartment block. The western portion of the property was sold to a developer to provide funds to upgrade the existing building, while the eastern portion of the property will remain with TCHC. On the western portion, Metropia and Diamond Corp are planning to construct a 27-storey 242-unit tower dubbed AYC Condos, along with two blocks of 3-storey townhouses containing a total of 39 residential units. On the TCHC property, 13 new rental townhouses will be constructed in a 2-storey block adjacent to the existing tower, which will remain untouched. All buildings are designed by TACT Architecture. The project was resubmitted for Site Plan Approval last year, so stay tuned for updates as it continues its way through the planning process.

Rendering of AYC Condos, image via submission to the City of Toronto

Continuing west along Davenport, we arrive at the busy Davenport Triangle area, bordered by Davenport Road, Dupont Street, and Bedford Road, where a host of developments are in the works that could significantly transform the triangle bisected by Designer's Walk. First up, Cityzen Developments and Greybrook Realty are proposing a 27-storey 121-unit condo tower at 306-326 Davenport Road. Initially proposed as a 10-storey 84-unit mid-rise in 2016, plans were resubmitted to the city last year with the new proposal designed by BBB Architects. The project is currently working its way through the planning process.

Rendering of 306-326 Davenport Road, image courtesy of Cityzen and Greybrook.

On the south side of Davenport, a luxury mid-rise proposal at 321 Davenport gained notoriety last year due to opposition from some high-profile local residents. Margaret Atwood and Galen Weston in particular came under fire for their stance on the development from Alterra, an 8-storey condo designed by Giannone Petricone Associates containing 16 residential units. The project was redesigned last year as it seeks rezoning at the City, and it is now heading to the OMB amid the controversy, with a hearing scheduled for February 2019.

Rendering of 321 Davenport Road, image courtesy of Alterra.

Back on the north side of Davenport, a mid-rise development at 346 Davenport was approved last year at the OMB and is currently in sales. Led by Freed Development and Trolleybus Development, the 9-storey condo is designed by RAW Design and will contain 31 residential units. Demolition permits have been filed, so construction could begin in the near future.

Rendering of 346 Davenport Road, image courtesy of Freed and Trolleybus.

Just next door, a super-slim 7-metre-wide proposal has been tabled for 350 Davenport, set to rise 7 storeys on the narrow site. The project is designed by BBB Architects with retail at grade and 5 residential units above. The development was first submitted for Site Plan Approval in 2015 and there has been no movement since, so it is unknown if we will see this skinny tower materialize anytime soon.

Front elevation of 350 Davenport Road, image courtesy of BBB Architects.

We now head into the laneway behind 346 and 350 Davenport, where an infill development has been proposed at 115 Dupont by Zinc Developments. A Site Plan Approval application was submitted in December 2015 and revised in December 2016 to allow a 5-storey timber-frame office building located along Designer's Walk Lane. Designed by Cumulus Architects, the building would contain four office units and a total of 10,000 square feet of leasable space. The project is still stuck in the planning process with no recent movement, so it is unclear when this building might be constructed.

Rendering of 115 Dupont, image courtesy of Zinc Developments.

Moving southeast through Designer's Walk Lane, we reach Bedford Road, and cross the street onto Pears Avenue, where The Perry Condos is currently under construction near the intersection with Avenue Road. Developed by Mansouri Living, the IBI Group-designed condo building has reached its final 11-storey height, with installation of the exterior cladding nearly complete. Once the building finishes construction later this year, it will add 45 new residential units to the area. Interestingly enough, Mansouri appealed to the OMB for approval to add one residential to the building's mechanical penthouse, for which they were granted permission in a settlement earlier this year. We should see soon how the topmost floor will be altered.

View of The Perry Condos in December 2017, image by Forum contributor Benito.

Continuing east to Avenue Road, a proposal was filed with the City in December 2016 to allow the construction of an 11-storey condo building 183 Avenue Road at the southeast corner of Avenue and Pears. The luxury mid-rise is designed by BBB Architects and will add 23 large condo units and grade-level retail to the neighbourhood, while retaining a pair of heritage facades along Avenue. This project, like many which were not decided upon by the City within the prescribed time, is one of the huge number of proposals which were subsequently appealed to the OMB over the last few months, with developers eager to be judged under the system they are used to, and not the new one which is coming. 183 Avenue Road has had its first pre-hearing, a second is scheduled in September 2018.

Rendering of 183 Avenue Road, image via submission to the City of Toronto

Turning south on Avenue Road, construction has begun on Avenue 151, a 10-storey mid-rise just south of Davenport Road that is replacing a vacant lot. Led by Dash Developments, the project was initially designed by Teeple Architects, now with Giovanni A. Tassone Architects as Architect of Record, and will add 72 new condo units to the area along with retail at grade. The project was settled at the OMB in 2016, and excavation and shoring is now underway following a successful sales and marketing campaign, so look for this building to rise out of the ground by the end of the year.

Rendering of Avenue 151, image courtesy of Teeple Architects

Further south, a redevelopment of the Howard Johnson Hotel site at 89 Avenue Road was proposed by Freed Developments at 28 and 6 storeys, but was settled at the OMB for rezoning for a pair of buildings at 20 and 3 storeys containing a hotel and condo units. Freed sold the property last year, however, for a reported $20.2 million, but there is no word yet on who the buyer is, or what plans they may have for the site. It remains to be seen what the future holds for this site, so stay tuned for any updates as they become available.

Rendering of 89 Avenue, image via submission to the City of Toronto

At the south end of the block is a proposal by Empire Communities and Greybrook Realty Partners to replace York Square with a new 30-storey condominium and shopping complex at 33 Avenue Road. Located on the northeast corner of Yorkville Avenue and Avenue Road, the design by Zeidler Partnership and Richmond Architects contains 74 residential units in a "vertical forest" tower, while the facades of heritage houses would be preserved at grade level. The City refused the development, which was subsequently appealed to the OMB, a hearing having taken place in January 2017. However, contrary to normal practice, the OMB has not yet posted the results of the hearing despite it taking place more than one year ago, so unfortunately for us and the general public, the status of this proposal is still unknown.

Rendering of 33 Avenue Road, image via submission to the City of Toronto

Across the street is Camrost-Felcorp's Yorkville Plaza complex, which is a continuing rebuild of the former Four Seasons Hotel site. The first component, a conversion of the the hotel tower into condominium suites, wrapped up last year, while the second component, located east of the tower at 135 Yorkville, is very close to completion with the finishing touches now being applied to the exterior. Designed by WZHM Architects, the 11-storey office building will add 50,000 square feet of office space to the trendy area, and is slated for completion in 2018. Look for construction crews to vacate the site in the coming months.

View looking northwest to 135 Yorkville, showing cladding installation on the south facade, image by Forum contributor Benito.

We'll buck traffic by continuing east along Yorkville Avenue, to construction is now in full swing at First Capital Realty's growing Yorkville Village collection of retail buildings at 102-108 Yorkville Avenue. Designed by Audax Architecture and Kearns Mancini Architects, the project is replacing the existing low-rise retail buildings on the site with new retail spaces that are more accessible and equipped for today's retailer needs compared with the earlier buildings they are replacing. Demolition and excavation were completed last year, and the crane has now been installed on site, so look for this development to rise out of the ground and top off midway through the year.

Rendering of Yorkville Village at 102-108 Yorkville Avenue, image via submission to the City of Toronto

Across the street, the evolution of retail along Yorkville Avenue continues with a proposal from First Capital Realty and Greybrook Realty to replace more existing retail buildings at 101 Yorkville with three new retail ones. Designed by Montreal-based NEUF Architects, the new 2, 3, and 4-storey buildings will include a mid-block pedestrian connection to Cumberland Street to the south via a central courtyard, with an eye-catching design for the retail frontages. The project is currently working its way through the planning process.

Rendering of 101 Yorkville, image courtesy of First Capital and Greybrook.

Continuing eastward, an infill retail development is planned for 84 Yorkville, the site of a fire in 2014 that destroyed the former building on the site. Headed by First Capital Realty and designed by Kohn Partnership Architects, the 2-storey building will add just under 400 square metres of new retail space to the popular shopping street. The project was nearing the end of the planning process last year, with construction activity yet to begin on site. If all goes well, construction should begin this year.

Rendering of 84 Yorkville, image courtesy of First Capital Realty.

Just down the street, the owners of Trattoria Nervosa have hired PARTISANS to design an audacious expansion of the existing restaurant with a 4-storey addition behind and cantilevering over top of the historic building fronting onto Yorkville Avenue, which would be retained in place. The development was submitted for Site Plan Approval last year, but the project has apparently been put on hold indefinitely, with the owners hoping that work can proceed in the near future.

Rendering of the Trattoria Nervosa expansion, image via submission to the City of Toronto

Continuing east on Yorkvile all the way to Yonge Street, we arrive at 1 Yorkville, a 58-storey condo tower from Bazis and Plaza. Designed by Rosario Varacalli, the building will feature an eye-catching facade treatment and will contain 577 residential units. The building is set back from Yonge Street, where ERA Architects are preserving a significant portion of the heritage storefronts fronting onto Yonge, to eventually contain retail spaces. The tower is now several storeys above grade and quickly rising into the sky, so it is not unlikely that we will see this building top off near the end of the year.

View of 1 Yorkville under construction, image by Forum contributor willwu.

Turning south onto Yonge Street, a proposal from Menkes Developments at 771 Yonge Street underwent a dramatic redesign last year. Located on the southeast corner of Yonge and Asquith Avenue, the building was initially proposed as a narrow 48-storey condo tower designed by Wallman Architects containing 257 residential units. This plan was scrapped in favour of a new proposal designed by Giannone Petricone Associates, which would rise 26 storeys with a total of 135 condo units and include retail at grade level, with the retention of an existing heritage building on site. The project has been appealed to the OMB, with a hearing scheduled for February 2019.

Rendering of 771 Yonge, image courtesy of Menkes Developments.

Across the street from 771 Yonge, Great Gulf Homes and Phantom Developments are teaming up for a 51-storey condo tower dubbed Eight Cumberland on the northwest corner of Yonge and Cumberland Avenue. Designed by architectsAlliance, the building will contain 371 condo units, and much like its neighbour to the north at 1 Yorkville, it will be set back from Yonge Street with a significant portion of the existing heritage storefronts retained along Yonge, to eventually contain retail spaces. The project was approved last year, and is gearing up for construction to begin in the near future.

Rendering of Eight Cumberland, image courtesy of Great Gulf and Phantom Developments.

Turning west onto Cumberland Street, we come to the block bounded by Yonge, Bloor, Bay, and Cumberland, along with the western half of the block bounded by Cumberland, Bay, and Yorkville, which together have had a tumultuous history over the past few years. Initially, three separate proposals encompassing four residential towers ranging in height from 40 to 71 storeys were put forth for these properties, which can be viewed on their old Database or Forum pages at 2 Bloor West, 50 Bloor West, and 27-37 Yorkville Avenue. Despite two of these proposals receiving zoning approval, the City informed the various landowners that the proposals were too close together to allow them to proceed individually, and that a solution to redeveloping the area would be a consolidation of ownership. KingSett Capital entered the picture and assembled all of the properties, holding an international competition in 2016 to find an architect to design the comprehensive redevelopment. In early 2017, UrbanToronto had learned that a winner had been selected, that documents were being prepared for submission to City Planning, and that the development would be named Yorkville Square.

Over the past year, however, the situation has drastically changed. Plans for a comprehensive redevelopment have been dropped, and KingSett has now sold one of their properties in these blocks. The site north of Cumberland at 33 Yorkville Avenue (previously 27-37 Yorkville) was purchased by Cresford Developments, who are planning to construct a pair of architectsAlliance-designed towers rising 71 and 46 storeys and containing 655 and 511 condo units respectively. While reportedly all but sold out, no Site Plan Application documents have been submitted to the City yet, so details are scarce regarding construction of this development.

Rendering of 33 Yorkville Avenue, image courtesy of Cresford Developments.

Continuing west on Cumberland, we cross Bay Street and come to the site of Minto Yorkville Park Condos at the northeast corner of Bellair Street. Developed by the Minto Group and North Drive Investments Inc, the 25-storey condo is designed by the IBI Group and will contain 200 residential units with retail at grade. The project has now reached grade level, so look for the podium levels to rise out of the ground over the coming months.

Rendering of Minto Yorkville Park Condos, image via submission to the City of Toronto

Further west on Cumberland at Avenue Road, the second phase of Camrost-Felcorp's Yorkville Plaza development is slowly inching its way through construction. Designed by WMZH Architects and the IBI Group, the 40-storey Cumberland at Yorkville Plaza condo is nearing its final height, with the tower now prominently visible in the Yorkville skyline and exterior cladding installation underway on the lower half. Once complete, the building will add 363 new condo units to the area, with retail located at grade. Look for the tower to top off in the coming months.

View of Cumberland at Yorkville Plaza, image by Forum contributor ADRM.

Continuing westward and jogging onto Prince Arthur, a rezoning application was submitted last year by Adi Development Group for an eye-catching tower at 64 Prince Arthur. Designed by New York-based CetraRuddy Architecture alongside Core Architects, the tower would rise 29 storeys and contain 60 condo units. The project has been met with opposition from local residents and Councillor Cressy, and while the developer has appealed the proposal to the OMB, they have stated that they want to continue working with the community and City, and that the building is likely to change as it approached its hearing.

Rendering of 64 Prince Arthur, image courtesy of Adi Development Group.

Doubling back east a half block, we turn south on Bedford Road and then east on Bloor Street, arriving at Toronto's Park Hyatt Hotel on the northeast corner at Avenue Road. Here, Oxford Properties is undertaking a complete renovation of the complex. The 18-storey south tower will be converted into 65 luxury rental units, while the north tower will be renovated to house 220 refurbished hotel suites with accompanying amenities. Designed by KPMB Architects with interiors by Studio Munge, the plan would sees a new covered podium forming a porte-cochere over the current driveway. Work on the project is underway, with the hotel temporarily shutting down as of December 1, 2017, and completion scheduled for late 2019.

Rendering of the Park Hyatt Hotel Renovation, image via submission to the City of Toronto

Continuing east on Bloor, plans by Krugarand Corporation for 80 Bloor St West have recently resurfaced at the OMB after having gone quiet for quite some time. The 66-storey tower is designed by architectsAlliance and will contain 565 residential units with high-end retail at ground level, replacing an 18-storey office building on site. The City was initially opposed to the development, as the land currently contains office uses which the City does not want to lose in the neighbourhood given the recent flurry of residential development. An OMB pre-hearing was held in January, but details are scarce as to what exactly the developers are appealing, or if there have been any adjustments to the design of the building. A community consultation is reportedly to be scheduled sometime in the next few months, so more details should be made available at that time.

Rendering of 80 Bloor Street West, image via submission to the City of Toronto

Moving to the southeast corner of Bloor and Bay Streets, construction on the renovation and addition to the retail spaces of the Manulife Centre is now well underway, with demolition progressing and a new steel structure visible behind the hoarding. Headed by Manulife Real Estate and designed by B+H Architects alongside Moed de Armas & Shannon Architects, the project will see a new 2-storey glass podium added around the base of the building, totalling 38,000 square feet of new ground and second floor retail space, to slot in underneath the dramatic cantilever of the Brutalist tower. Meanwhile, work on the Giannone Petricone Associates-designed interior is also progressing, which will see a complete renewal of 50,000 square feet of retail space within the building. The Italian restaurant and food experience emporium Eataly will anchor the new expansion with its first Canadian location, slated for a 2019 opening.

View of the Manulife Centre Renovation and Expansion, image by Forum contributor Benito.

Arriving at the busy intersection of Yonge and Bloor Streets, construction has begun on the highly-anticipated tower The One, Canada's first supertall tower, on the southwest corner of the intersection. Led by Mizrahi Developments and designed by London-based starchitects Foster + Partners alongside local firm Core Architects, the 85-storey mixed-use development will become the first building in the country to top the 300-metre plateau, reaching a final height of 306.3 metres (1,005 feet). The building will contain 5 levels of retail and restaurants at its base, 12 storeys containing a new hotel above, and 416 condo units on the remainder of the floors. Construction is now underway, with shoring and pile driving taking place at the moment before excavation begins. The development is targeting a 2020 completion date.

Looking south towards The One, designed by Foster + Partners, Core Architects for Mizrahi Developments

Directly across the street on the southeast corner of the intersection is One Bloor East, Great Gulf's 76-storey condo tower, distinguished by its unique wavy facades. Designed by Hariri Pontarini Architects, the building is currently the second-tallest condominium in Canada, containing 789 condo units and significant retail space in the podium levels. Occupancy is nearly complete, with the final touches being put on the tower and the tenants of the retail spaces preparing for their grand openings. Work on the finishing touches will finally be complete in the coming months, so look for construction crews to vacate the site just as construction activity ramps up next door at The One.

View of One Bloor East, image by Edward Skira.

Continuing east along Bloor, we arrive to the site of the Rosedale on Bloor, just west of the intersection of Bloor and Sherbourne Street. Developed by the Gupta Group and designed by the IBI Group, the building will rise 52 storeys and will feature 487 condo units, with retail at ground level and a 188-room Canopy by the Hilton Hotel in the podium levels. Demolition has been completed, with excavation and shoring soon to begin, so look for construction activity to swing into full gear over the course of 2018.

Rendering of Rosedale on Bloor, image courtesy of the Gupta Group

Turning north on Sherbourne Street and crossing the ravine into the upscale Rosedale neighbourhood, we turn east on Maple Avenue, south on Glen Road, and east on Dale Avenue where we arrive at the only development currently proposed in Rosedale, one which has triggered significant pushback from local residents since it first appeared. The Dale, developed by Platinum Vista Inc and designed by Hariri Pontarini Architects, would be a 4-storey luxury condo development constructed on the site of three mid-century bungalows currently occupying the property. The building would contain 26 residential units and would overlook the Rosedale Valley to the south. The Dale is currently headed to the OMB, with the City opposed to the development and a first pre-hearing scheduled for May 2018.

Rendering of The Dale, image courtesy of Platinum Vista.

We now make our way through Rosedale maze of streets to Craigleigh Gardens and Milkman's Lane, a path that takes pedestrians and cyclists down into the Don Valley, eventually arriving at the Evergreen Brick Works. The ongoing revitalization of the former brick factory is taking another step forward with renovations to the Kiln Building on the east side of the property. Work began last year to transform the structure into an event and gallery space along with providing classroom and program spaces for the new Future Cities Centre. Designed by LGA Architectural Partners with ERA Architects, a new raised floor and exterior glass wall along Koerner Gardens have been completed, with construction work targeting a Spring 2018 completion.

Rendering of the Kiln Building, image courtesy of Evergreen.

The final development on our list is a unique one. Back in 2016, it was announced that the Evergreen Brick Works and the east end of the Prince Edward Viaduct (walking distance from Broadview subway station) could bookend a proposed gondola across the Don Valley. The $20-25 million, privately-funded project would provide people with much easier access to the Brick Works and the valley floor, while offering scenic views of the city and the areas' natural landscape. The last public consultation on the project took place in 2016, but the a website is still active. Assuming the initiative is still being planned, the team hopes to begin construction before 2020.

Postcard illustration of the proposed cable car, image courtesy of donvalleycablecar.com

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That's it for this instalment of our Growth to Watch For series. We will return shortly, heading south along the Bayview Extension to tour the development happening in the busy neighbourhoods east of downtown, from Sherbourne Street to the Don Valley. More information on the various projects mentioned here can be found in the dataBase files linked below. Want to share your thoughts? Feel free to leave a comment in the space provided on this page, or you can join in the conversation in the projects' associated Forum threads.