Architecture can come in many forms – everyone knows this. In prior weeks, we’ve covered some unusual designs found throughout the world. This week, a different style of architecture demands our attention — buildings that look like animals. Upon first discovering the giant fish complex in India, a whole slew of other zoological buildings came to light. Here is a …

In Toronto, we have the Beaux-Arts styled Union Station: a major inner-city transportation facility, deemed a Canadian National Historic Site since 1975. While this structure has many alluring architectural features, one may feel as if Toronto needs more flare in comparison to Zaha Hadid’s Metro Station, which is to be built in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Since 1990, Saudi Arabia’s capital …

2013 marks the end of a decade for Toronto’s bustling Yonge-Dundas Square. The combination of its central location and social atmosphere has made Yonge-Dundas Square a beloved city hub for businesses and events in Toronto. In celebration of its tenth year, a series of outdoor concerts will run from the start of this week (yesterday) until October. This Friday, catch …

For anyone who commutes daily, it is evident that the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) faces incredible traffic congestion. What many do not realize, however, is that this gridlock situation is not only inconvenient, but is costing the economy $6-billion each year, according to Ontario.ca. For this reason, Glen Murrary, the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, announced yesterday that …

In most industries, technology has change the way people do business. For real estate, technology has had an enormous impact on communications and presentation. The evolution of technology has transformed the desktop PC into a series of mobile devices, powerful in capability and performance. With tablets, smart phones, laptops, GPS systems, CRM software, and many other powerful financial solutions, the …

Earlier this month, Statistics Canada revealed that there was $6.5-billion in building permits issued in March, equating to a 8.6% growth from the previous month. This marks the third consecutive month building permit values have risen, and once again the non-residential sector is responsible for the bulk of the gain. Total value of permits (Stats Can.) Non-Residential Building Permits On …

Considering condos amassed to nearly one half of the homes built in 2012, and that over 1.3-million Ontarians claim to be condo-owners, it is not a surprise that efforts to modernize the Condominium Act of 1998 are underway. Currently, we are in the middle of Stage Two of a three-tier collaborative, public engagement process, designed to amend parameters of the old …

It appears that change is underway for the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. (CMHC) — and this is not the first time. Over the last decade, CMHC protocol has been altered many times to make federal-backed mortgage insurance more difficult to obtain. Since the CMHC is accountable for more than 75% of the mortgage default insurance market, and is 100% …

Earlier last week, Oxford Properties announced that they’ve obtained a building permit for 100 Adelaide West, which will allow them to proceed with their plans to construct a 40-storey, high-performance LEED Platinum CS office tower straight across from the First Canadian Place. The architectural firms assigned to the job, Kohn Peterson Fox Associates and WZMH Architects, will be responsible for not only designing …

Earlier last week, columnist Rob Carrick of the Globe and Mail discussed the types of expenses home owners face when purchasing and maintaining a property. To the surprise of many, it is much more complicated (and much more costly) than making mortgage payments and settling property taxes. First-time home owners are dismayed by the fact property prices have risen above the …