City of Towers

You may be surprised to know that after New York, Toronto has more high rise buildings than any other city in North America.

I am intrigued by the history of Toronto's development and growth. Toronto is indeed a city of towers, sometimes in the most unexpected locales. How could a plan to build 5, 25-story apartment buildings in the middle of a field get approved by Council?

Apartment buildings nearing completion at York Mills (foreground) and Leslie.
In the distance are two towers that stand at the DVP and York Mills.

The housing plan after WWII promoted this. A very simple plan - meet the increased demand for housing without urban sprawl.

Some 50 years ago, Canada's first planned community was built. The Don Mills development included houses, low-rise apartments, schools, churches, a community centre and post office. In the middle was a shopping centre. All of it planned before a shovel hit the dirt. It remains a desirable community with a decent density and maintains its manufactured charm.

Don Mills also showed no one should be afraid of developments that are conceived by an investor and involve large parcels of farmland within "Metro." If one can successfully build out, why not build up?

There was a market for housing, and a market for rental lifestyle properties as well. How cosmopolitan is it to live 20 stories above the city? Trés, I say, trés.

The 60's saw a boom in tower construction. In the 'burbs, the typical land requirements allowing for up to 60% of the property to be green - essentially parkland. The result was tower developments "in parks" suited for the middle class. Developments such as Flemingdon Park, Thorncliffe Park, Bathurst and Steeles, northern Keele and Jane St, the Peanut and Crescent Town went up at a dizzying pace.

The towers of Flemingdon Park, with Thorncliffe Park in the background.

The core city of Toronto was not immune. The St. Jamestown development was a classic example of urban living for urban professionals. The primary difference being developments in Toronto were on previously developed land and therefore did not have near the same green space. St Jamestown remains one of the most densely populated communities in North America. Over 700 residents per hectare, compared to about 225 for the other communities listed above.

Some of St. Jamestown's 19 apartment high rises.

Categories: Buildings, Toronto, Urban, Space