Downtown Plaza confirmed + tallest

[Wendell FOX]

It appears that Harry Stinson, the developer of Downtown Plaza (see other article), has confirmed his plans to build it to 80 stories even before the scheduled announcement date of April 9, and now says that it will be the city's tallest, trumping the TTT.

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Thin, trim and growing

One King reaches new heights

Developer has plans to trump Trump

JOHN GODDARD

STAFF REPORTER

One stunning idea leads to the next for Harry Stinson.

His latest flash is to turn his proposed 54-storey Downtown Plaza tower into an 80-storey building instead, making it the country's tallest building.

Construction on the existing condominium hotel design was to start this spring at the corner of Temperance and Sheppard Sts.

But two weeks ago, New York developer Donald Trump announced renewed plans for a 68-storey Trump condominium hotel, half a block away at the southeast corner of Bay and Adelaide Sts. With higher ceilings and a rooftop needle point, its height is to exceed that of the country's tallest existing skyscraper, the nearby 72-storey First Canadian Place.

"Inspired by Mr. Trump's determination to proceed with his tower, we've decided to up the ante and see if we can trump Mr. Trump," Stinson says with boyish candour.

"Eighty storeys," he can't resist adding. "Architecture that is far superior to what they are proposing. Visually, it will be an interesting contrast."

Managing to stop himself, he says: "We'll have an announcement in a couple of weeks."

Stinson is a tall, slender man with an enthusiasm for tall, slender buildings. He stands six feet and during one stressful period a few years ago confessed to weighing 120 pounds.

He looks healthier now. He sets a quick pace when climbing 13 flights of stairs earlier this week to give an update on his other major work-in-progress, the rapidly rising condominium hotel at One King St. W.

Consisting of lower and upper levels, it includes the city's skinniest tall building

[Wendell FOX]

Some renderings of it (copied over from the leak a couple of days ago):

[Wendell FOX]

Here's a picture of the guy and what is meant by "skinny":

[Allan]

Great news for Toronto! I wish we could be building a 1000 foot tall building here!

[BlackFlag]

LOL! A height war between developers!

Lets hope Trumps ego is as big as his wallet (which I'm sure it is), and he'll have a further height increase!

God, two 1000ft'ers! All I can say is its about time. That condo marked has been hot as hell for years...what were they waiting for!