Throwback Thursday: Parking Lot to High-Rise at Church and The Esplanade – Urban Toronto

The patchwork of surface parking lots that once blighted DowntownToronto's urban fabric are now few and far between. Rising land values and a planning policies have spelled the demise of surface parking in the city centre, and most of the remaining lots are facing redevelopment in the near future. This week's Throwback Thursday looks back just over two years, comparing an aerial view of a former surface parking lot at Church and The Esplanade with a recent view of its ongoing redevelopment. Back in June, 2018,the parking lot at the intersection's southwest corner was gearing up for the arrival of heavy machinery to begin construction at 75 on The Esplanade. The east-facing view is from the nearby 25 The Esplanade apartment building which overlooksthe site.

Looking east over site of 75 on The Esplanade, 2018, image by Forum contributor mburrrrr

Just over two years later, thenew 29-storey condominium tower, designed by architectsAlliance forHarhay DevelopmentsandCarttera Private Equities, is rising fast towards an eventual height of approximately 100 metres as cladding installation begins on lower levels. Other changes have also happened in the background, with the upper edge of the photo showing slivers of the Sherbourne and Front streetsites of St Lawrence Condos at 158 Front and Time and Space Condos.

Looking east over site of 75 on The Esplanade, 2020, image by Forum contributor mburrrrr

A GIF helps to visualize the last couple years of change.

Looking east over site of 75 on The Esplanade, 2018-2020, images by Forum contributor mburrrrr

We will return next week with another look at the changing face of Toronto. In the meantime, you can submit your own Throwback Thursday comparisons in our dedicatedForum threadfor your chance to be featured in next week's edition.

* * *

UrbanToronto has a new way you can track projects through the planning process on a daily basis. Sign up for afree trial of our New Development Insiderhere.

Original post:
Throwback Thursday: Parking Lot to High-Rise at Church and The Esplanade - Urban Toronto