King Portland Centre and Kingly Condos

Toronto, ON

The King Portland Centre at 620 King Street West is a 13-storey office building paired with a 15-storey rental residential tower in the heart of Toronto’s vibrant and densifying King West District. Stepping back from the street, the podium is articulated with large brick arches that frame the ground-floor retail, creating a visual link between the new development and the existing urban fabric. Respecting the material character of the neighbourhood, the project seamlessly integrates with the adjacent Victorian commercial building to the east and three restored rowhouses, unifying the surrounding interior lanes and courtyards.

The 35,000 square metres of new space is supported by amenity terraces for both office workers and residents, along with three levels of underground parking. A true mixed-use project, the King Portland Centre brings together a complex mix of buildings and functions into a cohesive, village-like community. Brick-paved, light-filled laneways are lined with shops and cafés, encouraging pedestrian activity and providing direct connections to Adelaide, King, and Portland Streets.

Developed with a long-term commitment to sustainability, the project was carried out using an integrated design approach. The office portion achieved LEED® Platinum certification, while the residential portion reached LEED® Gold.

Project Facts
Client
Allied Properties, RioCan REIT
Location
Toronto, ON
Status
Completed 2019
Size
440,000 sq. ft.
Partner
David Pontarini
Original Concept Sketch

The King Portland Centre considers the elements of Toronto’s trendy King Street West neighbourhood that contribute to its sense of community, character, and vibrant city life. These include spacious outdoor dining areas, heritage brick façades, and an abundance of greenery woven throughout the neighbourhood.

The development optimizes complex urban conditions and creates a network of public laneways connecting King and Adelaide Streets, generating a vibrant inner-block life lined with restaurants, outdoor patios, and passageways that encourage pedestrian discovery.

An early model study of the King Portland Centre shows the residential and office towers set back from the podium and spanning the entire site. A true mixed-use project, the King Portland Centre unites a complex block of disparate buildings and functions into a cohesive development.

This new urban infill development spans north–south from King Street to Adelaide Street, occupying an irregularly shaped site and creating a village-like neighbourhood with an interconnected network of lanes.

Light-filled, brick-paved laneways are lined with shops and cafés, directly connecting Adelaide, King, and Portland Streets. Set back from the street, the base podium will feature large brick arches that frame the ground-floor retail and connect the existing buildings with the new. Pedestrian access will be encouraged throughout the site.

The design takes advantage of this unique site by creating a housing community with high-end office space and ground-level retail that will not only transform the neighbourhood but also set a precedent for future developments of this kind in Toronto.

A tinted curtainwall glazing with curved corners distinguishes the office levels from the red-brick King Street frontage and the Kingly condominiums that connect to Adelaide at the north end of the block.

Fostering professional connections, community engagement, and luxury downtown living, the King Portland Centre is set to become an iconic hub in one of Toronto’s most dynamic neighbourhoods.