The blazing afternoon sun did not deter attendees from gathering for a ceremony at 1071 King Street West on the edge of Toronto's Liberty Village neighbourhood. The event, held on Tuesday, July 23, saw the development team of Hullmark, First Capital and Woodbourne Canada Management Inc. come together to break ground on the 17-storey building on the south side of King Street west of Shaw Street. The flatiron-shaped apartment building – which matches the circular shape of the site with the Toronto West Rail Corridor as its southern boundary – was designed by BDP Quadrangle, with Kirkor Architects Planners as the architect of record.
Representatives of Hullmark, First Capital and Woodbourne Canada Management, photo by Lucas Durofil | First Capital REIT
Those in attendance heard Jeff Hull, President of Hullmark, explain his vision for the project. Hull spoke about its unique elements, saying, “Our vision for this project has always been to create a living space that combines high architectural design, timeless aesthetics, comfort, sustainability and a strong sense of community.”
Jeff Hull, President of Hullmark, speaks to the crowd, photo by Lucas Durofil | First Capital REIT
The development team emphasized that this is one of the first flatiron-shaped buildings to be built in Toronto in years. At 62.2m tall, this 62.2m tall portion of the Liberty Village skyline will house a mix of retail and residential space. The ground floor will offer 489m² of retail space, while an extension of the West Toronto Railpath will be integrated into the building alongside the rail corridor. Above this, the building will offer 17,560m² of residential space and house 278 market-rate rental units and 6 affordable rental units.
Looking east at 1071 King West, designed by BDP Quadrangle and Kirkor Architects Planners for Hullmark, First Capital and Woodbourne Canada Management, Inc.
1071 King West will feature a striking red brick facade that pays homage to the area's past, which several buildings now celebrate with an industrially elegant aesthetic. The building's unique triangular geometry will provide a distinctive presence while optimizing the use of space in a location designed to connect Liberty Village with King Street West.
A key feature of the building will be its sustainability, particularly its geothermal heating and cooling system, an innovative technology that significantly reduces a building's carbon footprint. Hull emphasized this, saying: “This building will not only offer beautiful apartments, but will also include green spaces with a new park and state-of-the-art amenities, as well as innovative sustainable technologies.”
Hullmark officials dig in the ground, photo by Anthony Teles
Attendees were able to witness the construction up close. The ceremony took place at the east end of the site while an excavator was actively moving earth on the west side. A large support rig was ready at the south end of the site. With piled, excavated earth in place, this scene marks the early stages of excavation as one of the few construction projects along this stretch of King Street West.
Looking east at the early excavation phases, image by Anthony Teles
Hull noted that his team at Hullmark was the “driving force behind the zoning and construction readiness of this project.” He thanked the entire team involved in 1071 King West, concluding, “We are privileged to work with such talented and dedicated professionals who share our passion for excellence and innovation.”
UrbanToronto will continue to monitor the progress of this development, but in the meantime you can learn more about it in our database file linked below. If you'd like, you can join the conversation in the associated project forum thread or leave a comment in the space provided on this page.
* * *
UrbanToronto has a research service, UrbanToronto Pro, that provides comprehensive data on construction projects in the Greater Toronto Area – from proposal to completion. We also offer instant reports, downloadable snapshots based on location, and a daily subscription-based newsletter, New Development Insider, that tracks projects from the initial application.