Murano, Toronto
{{Infobox building
|name = Murano
|image = Murano Condos 2024.jpg
|image_size = 200px
|caption = Murano, Toronto in 2024
|antenna_spire = {{convert|140|m|ft|abbr=on}}
|location = 825 Bay Street
Toronto, Ontario
|coordinates = {{coord|43.662097|-79.386027|region:CA-ON|display=inline,title}}
|roof =
|floor_count = 45, 35
|est_completion = 2010
|status = complete
|floor_area =
|developer = Lanterra
|architect = Peter Clewes of architectsAlliance
|main_contractor =
|building_type = Residential Retail
}}
Murano Condominiums is a two-tower residential high-rise condominium complex located alongside Bay Street, near the intersection of College Street in the Discovery District of downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada.{{cite web|url=http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/2004/agendas/committees/ts/ts040217/it004.pdf |title=City of Toronto Staff Report |format=PDF |accessdate=26 July 2011}} Construction of the North tower (37 Grosvenor Street) was completed in the winter of 2008/9. The South tower (38 Grenville Street) was completed in 2010. The North and South towers are joined by a two-storey podium with planned retail and recreational facilities, including a rooftop garden and glass public art feature.
Architecture
Designed by Peter Clewes of architectsAlliance, Murano was marketed as a "fusion of art, architecture and glass".{{cite web|title=Murano|url=http://montanasteele.com/our-work/murano/|website=montanasteele.com|publisher=Montana Steele Strategic Marketing|accessdate=15 May 2017|language=en}} Toronto City Planning stated that the Murano, together with the neighboring Burano, has "significantly contributed to the improvement of the streetscape and the public realm".{{cite web|title=Toronto Urban Design Guidelines - North Downtown/Yonge|url=http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2013/te/bgrd/backgroundfile-59537.pdf|website=City of Toronto|publisher=Toronto City Planning|accessdate=13 May 2017|page=20|date=June 2013}}
Comparable Toronto structures designed by Clewes include SP!RE and Casa Condominio Residenza.
Construction Problems
Since late 2010, panes of balcony glass have shattered and fallen to the street below.{{Cite web
| url = http://thetorontoblog.com/2011/06/21/sidewalk-along-east-side-of-bay-street-taped-off-after-glass-falls-from-murano-condo-towers-again/
|title= Sidewalk along east side of Bay Street taped off after glass falls from Murano condo towers — again
|author = The Toronto Blog.com
|accessdate= 2011-07-23
|work=
}} An occurrence on one of Toronto's hottest days on record (6 July 2012) resulted in the closure of Grosvenor Street and St. Vincent Lane. The North Tower lobby entrance was condemned by the City of Toronto pending the resolution of this problem.{{Cite web | url = http://www.citytv.com/toronto/citynews/news/local/article/144366--section-of-grosvenor-street-closed-due-to-falling-glass | title = Section of Grosvenor Street closed due to falling glass | author = CityNews Toronto | accessdate = 2011-07-23 | work = | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121003154608/http://www.citytv.com/toronto/citynews/news/local/article/144366--section-of-grosvenor-street-closed-due-to-falling-glass | archive-date = 2012-10-03 | url-status = dead }} More glass fell on August 1 at 3 am and at midday. Police closed the northbound lane of Bay between Grosvenor and Grenville Streets, expecting the closure to be for a week.{{cite news|last1=Hasham|first1=Alyshah|last2=Kwan|first2=Amanda|title=Glass falls off building for the 5th time, closes part of Bay St.|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/article/1033063--glass-falls-off-building-for-the-5th-time-closes-part-of-bay-st?bn=1|accessdate=3 August 2011|newspaper=Toronto Star|date=1 August 2011|location=Toronto ON}}
For the first time, glass fell from the South Tower on August 15 at 11:30 AM, injuring a woman by slicing her wrist and leaving a puddle of blood where she was treated. “We don’t know why it’s happening, and continues to happen,” said Jim Laughlin, the city's deputy chief building inspector.{{cite news|last1=Casey|first1=Liam|last2=McNight|first2=Zoe|title=Falling glass hits woman on Bay St.|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/crime/article/1039620--falling-glass-hits-woman-on-bay-st?bn=1|accessdate=16 August 2011|newspaper=Toronto Star|date=15 August 2011|location=Toronto ON}}
The developers replaced all tempered glass with laminated glass on balconies on both towers,{{cite news|last1=Casey|first1=Liam|title=Developer to replace all balcony glass on three condos|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2011/08/17/developer_to_replace_all_balcony_glass_on_three_condos.html|accessdate=13 May 2017|work=Toronto Star|publisher=Toronto Star Newspapers Ltd|date=17 August 2011}} and sealed the balconies.{{cite news|title=Falling glass shuts down Bay St. for second day in a row|url=http://www.metronews.ca/news/toronto/2016/09/29/falling-glass-shuts-down-bay-street-second-day.html|accessdate=13 May 2017|work=Toronto Metro|agency=Torstar News Service|publisher=Free Daily News Group Inc.|date=29 September 2016|language=en}} The sealing of the balconies resulted in a $20 million class action lawsuit by residents and owners of the condominiums against the developers, builders and architects in 2012.{{cite news|last1=Tapper|first1=Josh|title=Falling glass lawsuits filed|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2012/03/08/falling_glass_lawsuits_filed.html|accessdate=13 May 2017|work=Toronto Star|publisher=Toronto Star Newspapers Ltd|date=8 March 2012}}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- [http://www.muranocondominiums.com/index_html.html Official Website]
{{Toronto skyscrapers}}