New condo towers with light-filled public atrium coming to the worst road in Toronto
Eglinton Ave. has been plagued by construction for over a decade now due to the Eglinton Crosstown LRT, which is finally in its latter stages of completion despite soaring costs, a many-times-deferred opening date and a legal battle between the construction consortium doing the work, the province and regional transit agency Metrolinx.
While Eglinton has been deemed the worst road in the city for drivers, pedestrians, local residents and businesses — and as such, also the butt of many jokes — properties along the new line are becoming increasingly valuable, and multiple developers have in recent years set their sights on the street's key intersection.
Yonge and Eg, notoriously a bit of a nightmare amid the transit work, is the chosen locale for a number of new condos, to the frustration of local residents who don't want any more massive developments in the area.
The latest proposal, which is for 150 Eglinton Ave. E., is for a set of twin towers that will rise from a uniquely bright office and retail complex with a skylit central atrium and landscaped outdoor spaces.
The 52- and 49-storey towers will house a total of 845 new residences — 26 of them one-bedroom, 288 one-bedroom-plus-den, 338 two-bedroom, 91 three-bedroom and two bachelor-sized — and will have tons of green elements, including terraces, green roofs and indoor flora that will make the high-ceilinged central atrium feel almost like a botanical garden.
The connecting base will have six storeys of publicly accessible space filled with more than 17,000 square feet of shops, cafes, seating, pathways, art installations and more that will open to both Eglinton in the front and Redpath Ave. in the back.
Amenities for residents will include a dog run, pet wash facilities, underground parking, storage lockers, live-work units, meeting rooms and shared outdoor rooftop space.
Currently on the site are commercial office and retail buildings that span five properties in total along Eglinton and Redpath.
Though the concept from Madison Group and BDP Quadrangle is quite beautiful, distinctive and inspired, it is noteworthy that the property has been the site of multiple proposals in the past that have never ended up actually coming to fruition.
Rendering by BDP Quadrangle for Madison Group
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