Arguably the most architecturally significant high-rise condominium to be built in Toronto since the onset of our massive building boom, Cityzen, Fernbrook and Castlepoint’s L Tower has been turning heads at Yonge and Esplanade as cladding continues to climb the structure’s curving, 58-storey profile.

L Tower seen from Yonge and Front, image by Jack Landau

Though the crowd-pleasing Studio Daniel Libeskind-designed tower reached its structural peak earlier this year, the narrow and sloping peak of the building limits the roof space to a mere sliver with no usable space. 

L Tower viewed from the southeast, image by Jack Landau

Due to the shape and composition of the building’s upper section, a temporary scaffold has been erected at the top of the L Tower which provides a level area for the rigging of swing stages. These swing stages are now operational and they will soon begin to install cladding to the upper portion of the east, south and west façades.

Temporary scaffold with swing stages visible below, image by Jack Landau

Despite the fact that the ground floor is still being used as a busy staging area for the very active construction site above, certain elements of the ground realm are starting to take shape amid the chaos.

Ground realm still in a raw state by southern staging area, image by Jack Landau

To the north, the space that will be home to a Claude Cormier + Associés-designed public piazza seems primed for its definitive tessellated paving pattern.

Space immediately north of L Tower, image by Jack Landau

Rendering of the future Claude Cormier-designed space north of the L Tower

On the Yonge Street edge of the piazza, two sets of black stone stairs connect the level graded area to the sloping sidewalk of Yonge Street.

Stairs connecting Yonge's lower grade to the level public space above, image by Jack Landau

Libeskind's crystalline forms make up the rest of the Yonge Street face of the piazza.

Western elevations for future public space, the stairs seen in the previous photo are shown on the right

Moving just to the south, a large vehicle turntable is being installed in the L Tower’s base. The narrow footprint of the building complicated the task of designing a service area for trucks, which require a large area for turning. The turntable will allow the trucks to drive straight in, spin, load or unload, and drive straight out again. 

Vehicle turntable being installed, image by Jack Landau

While the service entrance will be located at the base of the building, the L Tower’s underground portion is too small for a parking garage for residents directly underneath it. Under construction across The Esplanade to the south, the L Tower’s sister development, Backstage on The Esplanade, will contain parking for both towers, linked via an underground pedestrian tunnel. Now that Backstage is above grade, crews will be busy finishing off the parking garage below for use by L Tower residents.

Backstage on The Esplanade now above grade south of L Tower, image by Jack Landau

Looking for more information? A comprehensive collection of project facts, floorplans and renderings can be found in our dataBase file, linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Check out the associated Forum threads, or voice your opinion in the comments section provided at the bottom of this page.