Does Oxford Have What It Takes to Build Canada's First Supertall Tower?

Does Oxford Have What It Takes to Build Canada's First Supertall Tower?

Oxford Place Towers with Hotel and Convention Space

Now that we have become familiar with the Oxford Place plan for rebuilding the Metro Toronto Convention Centre Space, we must ask ourselves if they have the capacity to follow through on thier promises and even if they have the wherewithal to complete a project as massive as the one they have proposed for Front Street in downtown Toronto.

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Looking at past projects, we find that Oxford Properties has significant experience at building massive street level podiums even in the face of hiderance such as that which they will face in midtown Manhattan where their Hudson Yards Project, will, like the Convention Centre Project require constructing over an exisiting high use, high frequency railyard. There the cost of covering the rails along, will probably cost around 3 billion dollars. Of course the profits entailed in bringing new office space to Manhatten will likely far exceed those costs, as it would in Toronto for a similar project. Toronto is currently undergoing a massive office highrise construction boom, as more companies seek downtown locations to win favor among the young workforce that has moved into the core.

Another one of Oxford's core compentencies has been intergration of Hotel Sites and locations into their office, and civic construction projeccts. As the convention centre space will require internally linked hotel space, this is a another factor playing into Oxford's ability to get this project complete. Oxford will also leverage it's retail leasing arm to bring in the most upscale and luxurious of US retailers to tenant the project when complete to make it and all-around desitination for tourist and locals alike.

Update March 2014

New Trends in Condo Buying Emerging in the Toronto Area

 A few new trends to watch out for in the Toronto area when it comes to buying homes as well as buying condos. When it comes to buying homes, the latest tactic is to put a property which had previously been listed on the MLS system, on a bidding site, or list through an auction house to get buyers, sending the price of single detached homes soaring.

 As for condos the latest buying technique is the new trend with regards to micro housing, or micro condo living. And we’re seeing now, specifically designed condos to meet that purpose. Another new trend to look out for is the lack of supply in the purpose built rental housing market in Toronto. Even as new condos come online there remains a shortage of apartments built specific to that purpose, so condo rentals have increased even as vacancy climbs, rentals rates do as well.

 Busy Condo Market Boosts Toronto Home Sales 

With fewer homes in the detached category available in Toronto, new home buyers seem to be opting for new condos, with sales heading forward at a rocket pace last month. Sales of Existing Homes in the Toronto area moved up by a whopping 2.1% in February 2014, and that is compared to the same time period last year. That was mainly due to a 12.5% increase in the sales of condos within the city so stated by the Toronto Real Estate Board. That will contrasts with the sales declines that occurred in townhomes, detached and semi-detached housing during the month, which was mainly due to a constrained supply of those housing types.

The Canadian Home Mortage Corporation (CMHC) set to alter Mortgage Insurance Rates

The federal agency which regulates mortgage insurance in Canada is set to alter the rates which is charges new home buyers to insure their mortgages against the risk of default.  These premiums which new homeowners must pay to get CMHC insurance may also impact the ability of homebuyers to purchase their homes. The federal government has been trying for quite some time to reign in the Toronto and Vancouver Housing markets where the average cost of a single family detached home has now reached over $1 million dollars. 

RBC Financial Group Warns, that Rising Mortgage Rates will Make Home Ownership Unaffordable for Most Canadians.

The Royal Bank of Canada is warning that the tide of rising interest rates will make home ownership for most Canadians unaffordable. This will be very true in Toronto and Vancouver where home prices have recently climbed over $1 Million dollars for a single family detached home.  Servicing of interest related to home ownership such as mortgage rates, as well as mortgage insurance are set to rise, or have been rising over the past year. The longer term interest rates are moving at such a pace that the incomes of most Canadians will not be able to keep up.  The good news however is that the rising interest rates foretell  a improving economy for most Canadians looking to improve their financial situation

New Report States: Alberta to Lead Canadian Construction Through the Next Decade

The Alberta Home Construction Industry is set to become the new leader on the Canadian scene as states a new report from BuildForce Canada 2014-2023 Construction and Maintenance Looking Forward Forecast which sees the pace of expansion in the western province expanding at an exponential rate.  Home construction in Alberta has now passed the 2008 peak and is set for further growth. Also on the Alberta front outside of homebuilding, the Oil and Gas Sector looks set to power Alberta’s economy into the next decade.  The Alberta Construction Industry has adapted well to conditions on the ground and looks set for future growth.