STAFF WRITER
The GTA Construction Report Special Feature
The 11-storey, 243 unit Brant Park Condos in downtown Toronto have special site and construction challenges.
The Lamb Development Corp. project in collaboration with Fortress Real Developments, is nearing completion on Adelaide St. W. in a tight and complex location. The condos are being constructed by Bluescape Construction Management Inc. and have been designed by architectsAlliance. The project will also include 6,300 sq. ft. of atgrade retail when it opens early in 2016.
Pat Sena, co-founder and project engineer for Bluescape, says the project has been moving along well. “We do a lot of projects like this so the complexities of constructing property line to property line, the traffic, existing functioning properties and pedestrian concerns are just part of the process.”
Jen-Dan Ltd. was responsible for removing existing sidewalks around the site and installing new concrete sidewalks, curbs and unit pavers and continuous soil tree pits. The company also planted new trees and shrubs and installed an irrigation system and new precast walls at the front entrance and in the laneway.
“We installed the flagstone walkway at the front entrance and the flagstone feature strip that wraps around the perimeter of the building,” says Jen-Dan president Dan McEachen. “We will also reconstruct the laneway that will be the vehicle access point for the residents of the new condo.”
McEachen says his company has more than 20 years’ experience on high rise condos in the GTA, including multiple high rise projects for Lamb Developments over the past 10 years. He says safety for everyone is always a challenge on projects like this, particularly passages for pedestrians and vehicles during the excavation phase.
One additional challenge for this downtown site was the project’s unconventional parking garage. “Instead of a parking garage ramp the building is equipped with a vehicle elevator. Before the elevators were installed, material deliveries had to be lowered into the hole.”
The building has been designed to achieve Toronto Green Standard energy efficiency, with beautiful and sought after features, Sena said, though it has not been designed to achieve LEED. For example, the suites feature floor to ceiling windows and have individually controlled heating and cooling. Exposed concrete flooring and sheer walls provide a characteristic and sought after Lamb Developments’ touch, while contributing to the building’s efficiency.
Sena says this amount of exposed concrete creates greater complexity and attention to detail – down to ensuring the use of only white chalk – but adds that this kind of work has become more in demand so generally trades know what to expect.
EIFS in a white stucco like finish creates a unique building envelope aesthetic, and also adds to its performance. McEachen says the flagstone chosen by the landscape architect looks great in combination with the concrete works installed and overall with the building for a clean and modern look.
Sena says the project team has, from start to near finish, worked well together to meet the project’s demands.
McEachen agrees, adding: “Bluescape and Brad Lamb’s team have been very helpful in bringing us in at the precise time, giving us a large area to work on so we can achieve maximum production, as well keep the project on schedule.”
He says projects like this always have unique challenges and Bluescape has been there to help everyone navigate the challenges successfully.
