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Time to Watch Extreme Makeover, St. Lawrence Market Edition

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The area around St. Lawrence Market is about to get a makeover with a swanky shopping development coming to Market Street. The new development from Front Street to the Esplanade will be located directly across from the south St. Lawrence Market building. The market is a popular local and tourist destination with its north building being a farmers market and the south selling the city's freshest fish, meat, fruit and cheese. The new project includes three fully restored heritage buildings and a new contemporary building with 13,000 square feet of restaurants and retail space taking up the entire block. Previously, that section of Market Street had street parking and a pedestrian sidewalk next to the liquor store. You can check out the summer construction photos from UrbanToronto.

In addition, the market's north building is getting an extreme makeover too. City council approved a mind-boggling $91.5 million dollar budget to redevelop and replace the existing 1960s structure. Designed by Adamson Associates Architects, the new four-storey structure includes a glass ground floor, making the market visible to surrounding streets. The upper three floors will "host the city's provincial courts, with glass walkways linking the two sides of the building." There will also be 250 underground parking spots. The architectural firm beat out four other proposed designs and won the bid in 2010. If you thought the area was busy today, wait until its competition date in 2016.

· $91.5-million for redevelopment of St. Lawrence Market [National Post]
· St. Lawrence Market North Redevelopment Fight Heats up [Toronto Sun]
· St Lawrence Market North Building [Toronto.ca]
· St. Lawrence Market's North Building won't be Finished until 2016 [Toronto Star]