To start UrbanToronto's visit to the new Ritz Carlton Hotel and Residences, we will begin our photo essay on the roof. If you looked skywards yesterday towards the Ritz, you will have seen that its look was changing quickly. First, that gap? Unlike at RBC, this gap is staying a gap. You can see from the photo below that the back of the tall, north glass facade is now being clad.

Back of the Ritz Carlton, image by Craig White

This shot is taken from the penthouse, looking up towards the wall that the crane is lifting cladding panels up to.

Topping off the Ritz Carlton, image by Craig White

Here a construction worker positions and affixes the new panel.

Fitting Panels into Place, image by Craig White

Here's the gap, looking east:

Rooftop Gap Looking East, image by Craig White

Initially, I am somewhat disappointed that the back of this extending fin is being opaquely clad as I have really enjoyed the transparency of the fin as it has been until now, but I expect that the Ritz will have something special to look at here when all is said and done. Below is the gap looking west. You'll notice the thinner scaffolding pipes within the frame; those will be coming down soon, leaving the frame looking cleaner.

Rooftop Gap and Crane, image by Craig White

Here's a fisheye view of the crane, just because:

Fisheye View of the Crane atop the Ritz Carlton, image by Craig White

And just to prove that the crane isn't really warped, here is it, straight up:

Straight View of the Crane, image by Edward Skira

'Why the gap anyway?' you may ask. Well, the gap will be the permanent home to the window washing equipment, for which you can see the anchors below:

Anchors for Window Cleaning, image by Edward Skira

A crane will lift the window washing platform up and over the slanted roof portions. The platform will tie into points on the canted southern facade. Currently at the west end of the gap, we have a cherry picker, contrasting nicely with the day's gorgeous blue skies:

Cherry Picker on the Rooftop of the Ritz Carlton, image by Edward Skira

In those last two images, you're getting a better view of the superstructure for the southern portion of the roof. Turn your head a little more, and this is the view:

CN Tower from the Rooftop of the Ritz Carlton, image by Craig White

Emergency Generators on the Rooftop of the Ritz Carlton, image by Edward Skira

Workers atop the Ritz Carlton, image by Edward Skira

Now, one floor beneath the window washer deck, more fisheye:

Ritz Carlton Hotel, image by Craig White

Less wacky, featuring the crane's shaft running through the 53rd and 54th floors:

Crane Shaft, image by Craig White

Here's Ed007 shooting the view:

View from the 53/54th Floors, image by Craig White

Here's the view:

View from the 53/54th Floors, image by Edward Skira

Well, that was one of the view shots: we're saving our unobscured ones for another report however.

Back outside (well, it's 'outside' for the time being), here's Ed007 with the camera pointed west:

Ed007 Taking Western Shots, image by Craig White

And here are our hosts and tour guides, David Eisenstadt and Tom Bulkovic, patiently attending to i42's gesticulations:

Ritz Carlton Tour Guides, image by Edward Skira

(Painful! Caught me blinking!) So, that's that for the roof tour... other than this last image, pointing down one floor to the Penthouse's impressive southern terrace.

Ritz Carlton Penthouse Southern Terrace, image by Craig White

We'll take you to the penthouse tomorrow. Thanks for coming along on the tour so far! 

posted:2010-04-21 11:26:41