Tall Buildings
A New Aura for Yonge and Gerrard
Caption: Soaring into a new era
The Aura condo, a soaring 78 storeys of urban magnificence, is in its final stages of construction. Located at Yonge and Gerrard, the mixed-use building will play host to a populous community, economically rejuvenate the Yonge and college strip, and contribute to the urban renaissance of Yonge street. Aura is an excellent example of how urban intensification for the city will support economic development and alleviate the pressures of urban sprawl.
The building consists of three stories of retail and 985 residences with underground connection to the College Park subway and future connection to the PATH. The anticipated 2000 residential population will liven up the area and increase pedestrian traffic. At street level, the retail podium and widened sidewalk will support the influx of pedestrian traffic.
Sitting on the previous site of a ground level parking lot, Aura makes use of valuable underused space.
Tall mixed-use buildings such as Aura draw economic, cultural prosperity to neighborhoods as well as contributing to the economic, environmental and social sustainability of cities (Downtown Tall Buildings, 30). In Toronto, urban intensification as a planning mechanism is of strong focus (Bunce, 2004). It supports the increasing intensification of population and infrastructure (Downtown Tall Buildings, 30) as well as accommodating demographic shifts, and affordability of housing.
Tall buildings also serve as an effective measure to combat the social and environmental problems of urban sprawl (Goetz, 2013; Hume, 2012; Bunce, 2004). As people increasingly have to commute into the city, the environmental concerns of traffic increase. Traffic congestion, Hume (2012) argues, is a result of sprawl, not urban density. Increasing the population density in existing centers close to public transit, results in less reliance on vehicles. Therefore, by providing a rich variety of amenities, a pedestrian
Caption: Soaring into a new era
The Aura condo, a soaring 78 storeys of urban magnificence, is in its final stages of construction. Located at Yonge and Gerrard, the mixed-use building will play host to a populous community, economically rejuvenate the Yonge and college strip, and contribute to the urban renaissance of Yonge street. Aura is an excellent example of how urban intensification for the city will support economic development and alleviate the pressures of urban sprawl.
The building consists of three stories of retail and 985 residences with underground connection to the College Park subway and future connection to the PATH. The anticipated 2000 residential population will liven up the area and increase pedestrian traffic. At street level, the retail podium and widened sidewalk will support the influx of pedestrian traffic.
Sitting on the previous site of a ground level parking lot, Aura makes use of valuable underused space.
Tall mixed-use buildings such as Aura draw economic, cultural prosperity to neighborhoods as well as contributing to the economic, environmental and social sustainability of cities (Downtown Tall Buildings, 30). In Toronto, urban intensification as a planning mechanism is of strong focus (Bunce, 2004). It supports the increasing intensification of population and infrastructure (Downtown Tall Buildings, 30) as well as accommodating demographic shifts, and affordability of housing.
Tall buildings also serve as an effective measure to combat the social and environmental problems of urban sprawl (Goetz, 2013; Hume, 2012; Bunce, 2004). As people increasingly have to commute into the city, the environmental concerns of traffic increase. Traffic congestion, Hume (2012) argues, is a result of sprawl, not urban density. Increasing the population density in existing centers close to public transit, results in less reliance on vehicles. Therefore, by providing a rich variety of amenities, a pedestrian
References: Bunce, S. (2004). The emergence of ‘smart growth’ intensification in Toronto: environment and economy in the new official plan. Local Environment, 9(2), 177-191 Downtown Tall Buildings Project. (2012, January 17). City of Toronto. Retrieved November 17, 2013, from http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2012/te/bgrd/backgroundfile-44938.pdf Goetz, A. (2013). Suburban Sprawl or Urban Centres: Tensions and Contradictions of Smart Growth Approaches in Denver, Colorado. Urban Studies, 50, 2178-2195 Hume, C. (2012, October 20). Urban Density is Key to Smart Growth. Toronto Star. Retrieved November 17, 2013, from http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2012/10/20/urban_density_is_key_to_smart_growth.htm Searle, G., & Fillon, P. (2011). Planning Context and Urban Intensification Outcomes: Sydney versus Toronto. Urban Studies, 48, 1419-1438 Weir, S. (2008, November 8). The rebirth of a Depression-era Dream. Toronto Star. Retrieved November 16, 2013, from http://www.thestar.com/life/homes/2008/11/08/the_rebirth_of_a_depressionera_dream.html