Daniels: Changing skylines one building at a time

Historically speaking, the Skyline of a city has always been identifiable by distinct commercial buildings. Chicago was known for the Sears Tower and The Empire State Building has always been identifiable with New York. However, with the rise of the condominium lifestyle, residential condominiums are redefining our traditional city skylines.

Daniels, a company who is always at the top of building with creativity and vision, is a key player in the development of new high-rise condominiums in the Greater Toronto Area.

"Over the past ten years there has been a change in urban design and planning" said Neill Haggart, Executive Vice President of the Daniels Corporation. "We are starting to recognize the gracefulness of a tall building. People react to architecture and design, and they react in a very positive way"

It all started for Daniels in the early 1990s with “NY Towers”, a development in the northern area of Toronto on Bayview Ave. 

“NY Towers” is an award winning condominium development by Daniels, completed almost ten years ago. They where inspired by The Rockefeller Centre. In that theme, the remaining buildings where named after other New York Landmarks; The Chrysler, The Waldorf, The Empire, and the Chelsea. 

"They are very beautiful buildings”

In their next major development area, Daniels took some of the lessons that they learned from their “NY Towers” development to the West.  

Ten Years ago, there was be no true indefinable landmark high-rise buildings in Mississauga. It was an area that was known as a predominantly low-rise community. However, with the vision that Daniels brings to the table, that is quickly changing.

"This really is a master planned community." Said Haggart when discussing Daniels 22 acre development at Mississauga City Center. "What we mean by this is the design cohesiveness, the materials, the pedestrian ways, the ways in which the residential uses cohabitate with commercial uses, it all ties in together very well"

From award winning One Park Tower to the newest Development Limelight Condominiums, it has always been important for Daniels to challenge themselves when it comes to the design and architecture of any of their buildings.

"One City Center is one we all look back on and say we got everything right. In terms of the proportion size and the materials that we used. We are very proud of that building."

With Limelight, the latest Mississauga development released by Daniels, they have pushed the design elements once again.

"We have a bit more of a modern feel with the Limelight Condominiums. These buildings are a bit more contemporary. They do not have the same sort of roof architecture characteristics that some of our other buildings do. They have a real strong nod to sustainability"

It would also appear that consumers are at the forefront of the push for better, higher quality architecture.

"Our experience is that today we have a very educated consumer. They are prepared to pay for design, they are prepared to look at a building and see it as a real landmark destination, and say ‘Hey, this is a place I want to pull up to at night, I want to live here.’"

With all that Daniels is doing in Mississauga, there is little doubt that residents are noticing it.

"I have lost count of the amount of phone calls I would get from people on highway 403 who would call and say 'Oh my god, what you are doing to that Skyline is incredible'. Its neat that you think of these buildings as a magnet, buildings that draw people into Mississauga City Center”. 

Daniels has also left a landmark on the Toronto Skyline with its Festival Tower, which sits on the famous Bell TIFF Lightbox.

"It is probably one of the most complex buildings that we have in Toronto today, given the significant podium expression".

Sitting at the corner of King and John, Festival Tower is nearing its completion, however there is little doubt that it already has impacted Toronto.

"We are already getting accolades with people and future residents walking through it. Festival Tower has a real landmark quality to it.  It’s that real fusion of starting with a phenomenal location and adding significant architecture"

With all this new residential intensification, the question remains. What will our city skyline look like in 10 years? 20 years? One can assume that Daniels will be at the forefront.