3 d. ago Breathtaking landmark to replace Toronto's abandoned planetarium

A truly stunning architectural statement, years in the making, is coming to the University of Toronto — though it will come at the cost of a nostalgic landmark.U of T announced in late June that it will be moving forward with a redesigned plan for its 90 Queen's Park Crescent, reintroducing the project with a totally reimagined plan after six years of behind-the-scenes planning.The impressive new building, designed by the New York-based architects Diller Scofidio + Renfro, working in collaboration with local firm Architects Alliance, will rise six storeys from the site of Toronto's shuttered McLaughlin Planetarium, which opened in 1968 and was closed unceremoniously in 1995.After 30 years of sitting idle, the planetarium's days are numbered, though while this beloved institution would finally bite the dust to make way for change, the University of Toronto's new project would add an impressive new landmark in place of the mothballed attraction.A jaw-dr...

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3 d. ago Julie Bowen thought she’d be replaced in ‘Happy Gilmore 2’ by ‘hottie’

Actress appeared as Adam Sandler's love interest in the first film

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4 d. ago Raptors mailbag: Masai Ujiri’s replacement? Are they a playoff team?

The NBA draft is over, free agency is underway and Summer League tips in less than a week as the page turns to the 2025-26 season. Which means it’s a good time for a Raptors and NBA mailbag. Wasn’t surprised to see a lot of questions about the departure of Masai Ujiri and his possible […]

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7 d. ago Huge condo tower a step closer to replacing LCBO and Dollarama in Toronto

A massive condo proposal could soon replace an LCBO and Dollarama location on Toronto's Yonge Street — a plan that has undergone several changes over the past year.A proposal to redevelop 543 through 549 Yonge Street landed with Toronto city planners in March 2024 that would spell the end of an existing four-storey office building housing an LCBO location at street level and a Dollarama in its basement retail unit.After 15 months and much back and forth between City staff and developers CentreCourt, Fitzrovia and Choice Properties REIT, the plan resurfaced with an updated submission filed in June.GoogleThe planned 68-storey condo tower's designed by architects Arcadis has undergone several changes since first proposed, addressing comments and concerns raised by planning staff.ArcadisIn a letter included in the submission, the project team explains that "Following initial comments from Staff, we have had multiple meetings with Planning, Urban Design and other comme...

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1 week ago Toronto slaps down plans for massive tower to replace strip club

Plans to redevelop a landmark Toronto strip club with an enormous 64-storey condo tower have hit a bit of a snag following a refusal report issued by city planners in June.A proposed redevelopment of the Brass Rail and surrounding properties just south of Yonge and Bloor has been in the works since September 2022, with a plan from Vancouver-based developer Concord emerging the following year, featuring a design from architects Dialog.However, just months later — in December 2023 — City Council moved forward with a bid seeking heritage designation for properties at 699 Yonge Street and 707 Yonge Street under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act. In February 2024, the designation passed, granting new heritage protections for the properties and foreshadowing the resistance that the redevelopment plans are now facing.On June 19, the Director of Community Planning for Toronto and East York District issued a refusal report directing community council ...

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3 w. ago Here's what will replace Toronto's first suburban shopping plaza after 70 years

Toronto's first-ever suburban shopping plaza is destined for demolition after over seven decades at the Bathurst and Lawrence intersection.Conceptual plans to redevelop the Lawrence Plaza property at 534 Lawrence Ave W. first emerged earlier this year, and the push to demolish the plaza has since taken a big step forward with the submission of a formal planning application with the City of Toronto.Developer RioCan has entered into a joint venture with property owner the Milestone Group with hopes to transform the site — which has hosted a shopping centre since 1953 — into a new mixed-use community that would introduce significant residential density while preserving the site's importance as a retail centre.The project team announced in March that it has begun working on a "vision to reimagine Lawrence Plaza as a vibrant mixed-use community that celebrates its history and context."Locals got their first glimpse at preliminary concept plans for the redeve...

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3 w. ago Here's what's replacing the most iconic former Pusateri's location in Toronto

It's been over a year since Toronto-based luxury grocer, Pusateri's, closed the doors of its most iconic location in the city, and now there's finally news about what will be taking the space over next.Standing at the corner of Yorkville Avenue and Bay Street for over 20 years, the standalone store may have been smaller than its sister locations, but it certainly scored points for being located in an opulent neighbourhood, servicing the well-to-do and fashionable.Things took a turn in September of 2024, though, when the chain declared bankruptcy and shuttered all but its flagship location at Avenue and Lawrence in a restructuring effort.Yorkville had closed its doors about six months before the bankruptcy announcement, perhaps to mitigate the losses the business knew were impending, and has remained vacant ever since; a glaring gap in an otherwise generally gussied-up neighbourhood.As rumours continue to swirl about what could possibly take over the 5,500 sq. ft. storefr...

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