TD Terrace is igniting mixed reactions from Torontonians

A new Toronto skyscraper is sparking controversy among residents over bright green lighting atop the tower.

TD Terrace, located at 160 Front Street West at the corner of Simcoe Street, is 47 stories tall. It has bright exterior lights that can change color and large signs with the bank's logo on the crown. These can vary as well, with some panels now featuring Black History Month.

The building has been under construction for almost five years and celebrated its grand opening on January 29. It is owned by Cadillac Fairview and Investment Management Corporation of Ontario, with TD and the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan as anchor tenants.

The illuminated building can be seen for miles along the Gardiner Expressway and in view of some of the buildings below.

But not everyone likes the new look of their downtown home.

CTV News Toronto asked several people near Union Station Wednesday what they thought of the new building, and it lit a fuse for some locals.

“My mind is TV,” said one man.

Another resident, who lives in a nearby apartment, said the city has a “problem” with lighting.

“Too many colors. I think the building itself is good. Maybe the colors, they should stick to less colors,” he said.

Others spoke of the city's iconic addition, noting how it stood out from the surrounding buildings.

“It's better than all the grays, just the lights. Adds some pop,” one person told CTV News Toronto.

“I think it's good. I think it's beautiful. I think it's better for Toronto to explore different architectural designs and lights,” said another.

In a statement to CTV News Toronto, TD said the lighting will be handled in collaboration with Cadillac Fairview, an architect and signage design consultant.

“TD is proud to continue its long tradition of investing in Toronto,” said a spokesperson. “Light levels, number of activations and degree of change are regulated by the City of Toronto.”

The City of Toronto will consider lighting

Some online are asking who approved the building's lighting and appearance. A spokeswoman said Wednesday that the city is taking a second look.

“The city is reviewing the lighting on the tower,” CTV News Toronto said in a statement. “We noticed lights using different colors. Different light levels were also observed during the test. City officials are talking to the operator about lighting levels and a test scheme.”

The city says the lighting is not part of the permits issued and the City of Toronto Sign Bylaw does not regulate architectural lighting.

“Currently, it is planned that the light will be turned off at 11:00 p.m. City staff are aware that the lights are undergoing testing and plan to contact the building operator to find out the status of the test,” the city said.

“In general, the city's guidelines for tall buildings provide guidance for nighttime lighting: balancing decorative lighting with energy conservation goals, protecting migratory birds, and controlling artificial skylight.”

Exterior lighting should also be appropriate for dark skies, the city added.

A video PCL Construction shared with CTV News Toronto shows the signs being installed and highlights the signs' LED lighting system.

“At night, the signs are combined with a high-tech LED lighting system, transforming the 160 FSW into a unique building,” reads the text on the video.

“These state-of-the-art signs plan to feature different versions of the tenant logo throughout the year, capturing the attention of Torontonians,” another text read.

TD told CTV News Toronto that the City of Toronto may approve some lighting activations to coincide with special events that have different but consistent colors, such as Pride or Indigenous History Month.

The TD logo marks were fixed several years ago

“The TD logos at the top of the building, as well as two landmark signs on the south and west sides, were approved through the 2018 signage master plan,” the city said.

It said the dimensions of the logo signs were 10.5m wide x 9.3m high and the proposal was judged on criteria such as “the signs' compatibility with the building and their surroundings and their impact on nearby properties”.

“This was a public process and all property owners within 120 meters of the property as well as the ward councilor were notified of the application and invited to comment. No comment or feedback was received on the proposal.”

According to the city, the four logo signs at the top of the building were granted permits in 2023 under the Ontario Building Code Act. The sign permit fee was $9,997.93.

The City changed the signage in 2020 to notify all property owners and councilors within 250 meters of the address. No feedback or responses received.

More colors for Toronto's skyline?

Last year, Tanja Livandowska saw the rise of various towers in the city center.

“It's so ugly. It's not too bad to have a big building, but why is it green, can't they make it low key or something? I think it's too much,” Livandovksa told CTV News Toronto from a bridge overlooking the building.

On the one hand, Toronto resident Noah Johnson said it looks “pretty cool,” but on the other, it's “an eyesore.”

“Now there is green, it needs more color. It would be great if there was color all over the skyline. It would be beautiful,” Johnson said.

Colorful buildings are common in Shanghai, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Dubai. Over the decades, Toronto's skyline has evolved with major changes from the 1930s to today. In recent years, buildings like the CN Tower and Rogers Center have been bringing color to the night sky. Now it's TD Terrace.