A new location has been announced for Toronto culinary institution Buca, set to transform the retail podium of Slate Asset Management's 2 St. Clair Avenue West, a 20-storey office building at the northwest corner of Yonge and St. Clair. Part of Slate's ambitious plan to modernize their collection of properties centred around the Yonge and St. Clair intersection, the renovation of 2 St. Clair West's podium will bring a simplified and elegant aesthetic to the building's base, with design work by global architecture firm Gensler.

Existing podium of 2 St. Clair West, image retrieved from Google Street View

“The existing podium is the result of a series of renovations and modifications over the last 40 years. We want to peel away the layers and strengthen the relationship within the surrounding area,” reads a statement issued by Steven Paynter, Associate at Gensler. Revisions to the podium will introduce a lofty, double-height space for Buca, with an added patio at street level. The aim is to bring what Paynter describes as "a sense of volume and grandeur" to the intersection.

New podium design for 2 St. Clair West, image courtesy of KGA

The announcement follows a series of upgrades brought to the neighbourhood by Slate, including the 8-storey mural by international street artist Phlegm in 2016, as well as the Gensler-designed "Ravine Bench" public realm upgrade recently installed across Yonge Street at 2 St. Clair East.

Ravine Bench, image by Craig White

We will return with updates as more information about the project emerges. In the meantime, you can share your comments in the field provided at the bottom of this page, or join the conversation in our dedicated Forum thread.