Supersized skyscrapers: Win-win developments? Look up into the skies of many North American great metropolises and you’ll see towers that soar 70, 80, even more than 90 storeys above their sprawling cities. A residential high-rise, for example, will stretch a staggering 96 storeys into the sky in New York at 432 Park Ave., making it possible to live (almost) in the clouds. In Toronto, at least four mixed-use skyscraper projects of more than 75 floors are under way or have been proposed. Take the 78-storey Aura condominium. Under construction at Toronto’s busy Yonge and Gerrard intersection, it incorporates a major retail component in its podium, as will the soaring 75-floor tower at One Bloor to the north. Or just a short subway ride away, theatre impresario David Mirvish’s proposed reimagining of a bustling strip of King Street West that would include three towers of 82, 84 and 86 storeys – designed by world-renowned architect Frank Gehry – to replace low-rise office buildings and the Princess of Wales Theatre. Steps from Lake Ontario, developer Pinnacle International is proposing a dramatic new complex at the foot of Toronto’s iconic Yonge Street. If approved, the six-building complex designed by Hariri Pontarini Architects will feature a retail and hotel component, an office tower and four residential buildings, the tallest of which would stand 88 storeys. Ultra-tall, mixed-use towers that offer breathtaking views to attract residents and investors alike allow developers to maximize land use and boost profit margins. It’s an opportunity many are embracing wholeheartedly. But that hasn’t always been the case, says Ross Moore, the Vancouver-based director of research for commercial real estate services firm CBRE Canada. Traditionally, developers have been far more comfortable building single-use properties where financing is easier to acquire and prospective tenant groups are more clearly defined. What has changed? As Mr. Moore explains, developers became more receptive to adding retail or residential into their office projects as cities such as Toronto amended zoning bylaws to allow for a mix of uses in former single-use blocks, and young professionals began their great urban migration in search of a downtown lifestyle allowing them to work and play just steps from home – all while eliminating their commute. “A lot of office developers have become way more receptive to throwing retail and residential into the mix,” Mr. Moore says. “I think the industry has realized … the better the retail, the more attractive the office space, and then the residential works, as well. Hotels are part of the equation, too.” The push to build higher was a natural next step. But along the way, developers have been forced to navigate a host of practical challenges – everything from designing multiple entrances to accommodate residents, hotel guests, office tenants and retail customers, as well as incorporating mechanical systems to suit each group’s divergent needs. Then they’ve had to convince the city that their plans will improve neighbourhoods, and not compromise the often fragile balance of commercial and residential needs that can make or break a downtown district. According to Toronto’s chief planner Jennifer Keesmaat, it’s the reason why building bigger isn’t always better. While supertall towers have the potential to boost density to maximize transit usage or strengthen a city’s property tax base, Ms. Keesmaat points out they can also put huge strains on its infrastructure – from energy and water consumption, to green space and sidewalk loads. “Tall buildings have a greater civic obligation as they have greater potential for good and harm,” Ms. Keesmaat says. “The sites where we can accommodate these developments are rare. We shouldn’t plunk an 80-storey building into a background site because the architect shows up with a fancy drawing.” In Toronto, as in many other Canadian cities, developers are required to contribute funds to pay for upgrades to infrastructure such as water or hydroelectric power to accommodate their projects, and are encouraged to produce designs focused on meshing their buildings with the surrounding streetscape to boost their chances of gaining approval. That would explain the current drive to incorporate retail-driven podiums at the base of many new commercial or residential buildings across the city. “We want to create mixed-use podiums so there’s liveliness and activity at all times of the day,” Ms. Keesmaat says. “In an urban environment it’s always better to have more people on the street. It makes it safer and more vibrant.”
Posted on: Wed, 25 Sep 2013 17:35:02 +0000
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