Ontario Construction News staff writer
Waterfront Toronto is looking around the world for a development partner for the Quayside lands. The international competition starts with a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to identify potential development proponents with the proven experience, design portfolio, financial resources, and shared vision necessary to bring Quayside to reality.
“The people of Toronto have told us that they want to see a bold vision realized on the waterfront that reflects the confident, welcoming, and imaginative civic spirit of our city,” said Stephen Diamond, chair of the Waterfront Toronto board.
Through the RFQ stage a short list of proponents will be selected to participate in the Request for Proposals (RFP) to select a winning development team that will deliver a dynamic, inclusive and resilient community, including new affordable and market rate housing, and the conditions for a diversity of businesses to succeed.
To view the RFQ, proponents and interested parties can visit Waterfront Toronto. The RFQ Submission deadline is May 12, 2021.
Waterfront Toronto aims to select a winning proponent before the end of 2021.
“We are looking for leaders in the development field that will share our ambition to create a place that fuses Quayside to the water, and provides more beauty, utility, and originality than previously imagined. We want Quayside to be timeless, adaptive, and to propel us into our rightful place among the great waterfronts of the world.”
Quayside will be a sustainable community for people of “all ages, backgrounds, abilities and incomes” providing market and affordable housing options. The goal is to provide opportunities for aging in place, including the supports and amenities that will allow seniors to live independently. Inclusive economic development opportunities will create jobs and spaces for business owners that reflect Toronto’s diversity.
“Quayside is an opportunity to reimagine a stronger economic future and create a post-pandemic landmark community that addresses many of the vulnerabilities that the COVID-19 crisis has exposed,” said Waterfront Toronto CEO George Zegarac.
“The past year has driven people apart, when they’d rather be together. We’ll know we have been successful when anyone who’s ever thought about moving away from the city looks at Quayside and remembers every reason they wanted to live in Toronto in the first place,” Zegarac added.
The Quayside site includes 12 acres, with eight acres of developable land across five development blocks. It is one of the last undeveloped expanses of land near Toronto’s downtown.
Waterfront Toronto was established by the Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario and the City of Toronto to oversee and lead the renewal of the city’s waterfront. It is mandated to deliver a revitalized waterfront that brings together the most innovative approaches to sustainable urban development, excellence in urban design, real estate development, and leading technology infrastructure.