As the redevelopment project advances and an official launch expected for later this year, we're seeing increased resistance to Lanterra's redevelopment of the historic Sutton Place Hotel. located on the northeast corner of Bay and Wellesley, the development has been making headlines recently for a number of reasons. Despite temporary setbacks, this past weekend Lanterra unveiled plans for the new condominium, including the project's name: The Britt Condos.

Project rendering for Britt Residences at the former Sutton Place Hotel

The original 31-storey structure will be extensively redeveloped to include a rooftop addition, bumping the height of the tower up to 41 stories. The Page + Steele design retains little of the iconic brutalist tower that hosted dignitaries, celebrities and rockstars alike; concrete is replaced by tinted glass, and an 8-storey podium will replace the porte-corchère that has defined the hotel's street presence on Bay.

Project rendering for Britt Residences at the former Sutton Place Hotel

While there's no doubt that the Sutton Place drastically required an extensive update, its complete redevelopment without attention paid to the architectural merit of the former structure (whether you find it aesthetically appealing or not) is a touchy subject. The building may not have been particularly beautiful near the end of its life to most Torontonians, however it cannot be denied that it was an important landmark. The debate as to what makes a building worth preserving (architectural elements or symbolic importance) has been brought to the forefront, and while it would appear Lanterra has pushed through much of the resistance, these questions will surely effect future redevelopment projects.

Let us know what you think of this development below, or join the discussion on the project thread. We've updated the associated dataBase page; check back as more information will be released shortly.