Maybe 50-53% of the reason I moved to Toronto was for the tall buildings. If I wanted low I’d have moved to Cornwall and paid less rent. The National Post, which I’m always surprised and secretly glad still exists (because of articles like this), rated the “top 10” residential towers in Toronto. I like this list – some have their problems, like the Palace Pier, which up close is sort of a gated community, yet is such a landmark otherwise (passing it on road trips trips to TO from Windsor always meant “now we’re in the real Toronto”). I heard yesterday that One King West (the new super thin building) has been dubbed the “Speedstick Building.” It’s appropriate, I think, and good for the iconography of the city. Reminds me of Philip Johnson’s “Lipstick” building in NYC (looks like a twisty lipstick dispenser).
They give good marks to Context Development’s Mozo (King/Sherbourne) and District Lofts (Spadina/Richmond) too. If only every condo was built the way Context does, “condo” wouldn’t have any bad connotations. It’s like techno music — lots of good stuff, but it has a bad reputation because of prolific and derivative crappy dance music that is mistakenly representative of all techno. Mozo and District are the Derrick May/Ritchie Hawtin/DJ Sneak of condos (that is, worth the cover charge).
The Lonsdale and 190 St. George are great 60s/70s modern apartment buildings – lots of glass, and that elegant sort of apartment living that I always associted with cities. Their streaches of St. George and Avenue, respectively, are quite nice. Radio City and 18 Yorkville (also on their list) are their modern equivalents. They’re such lovely additions to the skyline, especially 18 next to the dreadful beasts that are the CIBC building and Bay buildings at Yonge and Bloor (architectural terrorism).
Check out their full list and read the Post’s comments on these buildings:
10. Palace Pier/Palace Pier Court, Lake Shore Boulevard West
9. One King West, King Street West and Yonge Street
8. District Lofts, 388 Richmond St. W.
7. 190 St. George St.
6. The Lonsdale, 619 and 625 Avenue Rd.
5. Jefferson, 11 St. Joseph St.
4. Mozo, 218 King St. E.
3. 10 and 20 Avoca Ave.
2. Radio City, 281 and 285 Mutual St.
1. 18 Yorkville Ave.
