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Last month we reported on the start of construction for the new LCBO Headquarters office tower on Queens Quay East, marking the first step in redeveloping the 11.5-acre LCBO lands in Toronto's 'Lower Yonge Precinct' by the harbour. The project from the team of Menkes, Greystone Managed Investments Inc. and Triovest Realty Advisors Inc. celebrated an official ground breaking yesterday afternoon, while announcing that the community of up to 6 towers will be known as Sugar Wharf, reflecting its location across Queen's Quay from the Redpath sugar refinery and proximity to popular Sugar Beach.
Just north of where the 25-storey, B+H Architects-designed office tower has started construction, media and dignitaries gathered inside a tent where a reflective scale model showed off the project's design and its integration with surrounding streets.
Mayor John Tory was on hand, remarking that “This development represents confidence in our city. I want to thank Menkes and partners for helping reimagine Toronto and build up the city. Dynamic developments like this make Toronto attractive for jobs and investment and reaffirms why we’re the best place in the world to live, work, play, and invest.”
The ceremony then moved outside for an official ground breaking. Seen participating in the image below are (L-R) Menkes President Low-Rise Residential Division, Steven Menkes; Ward 28 Councillor Lucy Troisi; Menkes President High-Rise Residential Division, Alan Menkes; Toronto Mayor John Tory; Ontario MPP and Finance Minister Charles Sousa; LCBO President & CEO George Soleas; Menkes President, Commercial/Industrial Division, Peter Menkes; Greystone Managed Investments Managing Director and CIO Ted Welter; and Triovest CEO Vince Brown.
Seeking LEED Platinum certification, 100 Queens Quay will bring 690,000 ft² of commercial space to the site when it opens in 2021, approximately 615,000 ft² of it for offices and 75,000 ft² for retail. Anchor tenant LCBO is signed on to occupy approximately 200,000 ft² of office space, while at street level a 25,000 ft² flagship LCBO retail store will replace the store currently occupying the west end of the redevelopment site.
The office tower will be followed by five architectsAlliance-designed condo towers ranging in height from 64 to 90 storeys, to be known as Sugar Wharf Condominiums, as well as a mid-rise rental residential building. Roughly 300,000 ft² of commercial space is proposed across the site, including the new LCBO flagship store and a grocery store.
The southwest quadrant of the site, between Freeland and Cooper Streets where the current LCBO flagship store is found, is reserved for a two-acre park, the design of which will be subject to a competition. The north side of the park will front onto a retail pavilion, if approved, with an extension of Harbour Street running north of it. Harbour will eventually extend as far east as Jarvis.
Once complete, Menkes says Sugar Wharf will stand as the largest mixed-use development on the Toronto waterfront, providing employment space for up to 4,500 people, and hosting a residential population as high as 8,000 people. To support the massive influx of residents brought on by Sugar Wharf and surrounding developments, the developer is working hand in hand with the Toronto District School Board to integrate a new school into one of the podiums. It is planned to be the board's first 'vertically-integrated' school. The development will also connect via the PATH network through Pinnacle's One Yonge development to Union Station and beyond.
Additional information and images can be found in the associated project Database files, linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Check out the associated Forum threads, or leave a comment using the field provided at the bottom of this page.
