Partially hidden from view at street level, excavation is well underway at the Downtown Toronto site of the architectsAlliance-designed 'Yonge & Rich' condominium development. Poised to reach a height of 45 storeys, the Great Gulf development's paired tower volumes will add a significant high-rise presence to Victoria Street, a block east of Yonge on the south side of Richmond.

Yonge & Rich, image via Great Gulf Homes

At the time of our last update in mid-October of 2016, shoring had recently begun, preparing the L-shaped site—which wraps around the heritage property at the southwest corner of Lombard and Victoria—for excavation. Keeping the surrounding soil in place, the 'pile and lagging' earth retention system installed by shoring machines throughout late 2016 paved the way for the excavation process, with a deep pit now taking shape. 

Excavation in early March, looking southwest, image by Edward Skira

Visible at the bottom left of the image below, the northeast corner of the site is where most progress has been made so far, with work proceeding in relatively muddy conditions. At the top of the image, excess water is being pumped from the site, allowing for a more efficient construction process.

Looking south, image by Edward Skira

With construction now well underway, 2017 will be an active year for the site. Since some of the most labour-intensive below-grade work is set to get underway in the coming months, however, it will be some time before we see the project's concrete structure rising above grade. 

3D aerial pre-construction view (note the yellow NYC taxis, which were used for the filming of 'Suits'), image via Google Maps

Once complete, the condominium development will feature a total of 669 units, with the tower volumes rising from a podium clad in pre-weathered Corten steel. Meeting the scale of the neighbouring heritage property at 26 Lombard, the podium's colour palette also references the older building. At street level, public realm improvements will include the widened sidewalks and enhanced street-level conditions typically required by the City of Toronto, with a landscaping plan by DTAH also introducing new plantings at street level and atop the podium.

A closer view of the podium levels, image via Great Gulf Homes

We will keep you updated as construction continues, and the project begins to make its mark on the streetscape. In the meantime, further information is available via our dataBase file, linked below. Want to share your thoughts? Leave a comment in the space on this page, or join the ongoing conversation in our Forum, where regular photo updates are also posted.