The Well: Proposed for Front and Spadina in Toronto

By Penny Munoz

Fingers crossed for Diamondcorp and RioCan REIT/Allied Properties REIT’s new development proposal for the eight-acre site at Front and Spadina, where The Globe and Mail’s Toronto headquarters used to be.

If the $1.4 billion project is approved, “The Well” will span across Spadina Avenue, between Front Street and Wellington Street. The seven building community will include over a million square feet (about half of the project) of retail and office space, with exciting proposals for restaurants and entertainment venues. Residential space will occupy a little less than half of the space with room for condos, rental apartments, as well as some townhome units. According to the proposal (which is subject to change), one of the buildings will be a 34-storey office tower.

An ace team has been assembled for The Well. Diamondcorp, RioCan, and Allied are working with Pickard Chilton, an architecture firm based in Connecticut, Claude Cormier + Associes from Montreal, and Toronto’s own Hariri Pontarini Architects to bring this vibrant project to life.

It is rare that developers have the opportunity to shape a mixed urban space that links us to all that is essential in our lives. The Well will be a world class mixed development that expands and enhances the experience of downtown living while integrating seamlessly with all of our neighbours, adding to Toronto’s attraction as a great city.

– Stephen Diamond, President & CEO of Diamond Corp.

Drawing inspiration for retail space from London, England’s Wharf Area, The Well will feature open-air shops and restaurants that will attract a large range of businesses to the area. The developers also speculated on the great capacity for job creation in this new community, creating over 5,000 retail and office jobs.

As we all know, the site is the former Globe and Mail building, which will be demolished once they have settled at their new King and Berkeley facility in 2016. But what was here before? Reaching as far back as the 1880s, this area was occupied by William Storm’s Northern Railway of Canada offices, and along Wellington, there was a spacious green area. The Well developers are dedicated to restoring this green space back to the community, commemorating a valuable part of Toronto’s history by installing new green spaces and pedestrian-only pathways.

As construction wouldn’t commence until 2016 in the best case scenario, there are no physical renderings, but Diamond did describe the formation of the buildings as increasing in height as they move towards the inner core. Other creative elements discussed include Jon Pickard’s (the architect behind the office space designs) vision for the 34-storey office tower as an oval-shaped structure with cut-out style balconies.  David Pontarini, in charge of residential spaces, revealed that the site includes pedestrian-only walkways which are set to extend north to south linking at Wellington and Draper. The community’s open-space, pedestrian oriented pathways aspire to reduce traffic and integrate residents with nature by maintaining natural temperature control (meaning, there are no plans for heating or cooling) and offer seating throughout the community with a main green space along Draper Street.

“It’s a project that breaks the mould of your typical downtown development project,” said Adam Vaughan, councillor for Ward 20 (Trinity-Spadina). The development, said Vaughan, will help reduce traffic congestion by facilitating walkable pathways between mixed-use buildings, ultimately creating safer communities. “It really is proactive, community-based planning at its best.”