Construction is well underway at the site of MEC Queen Street (Mountain Equipment Coop) located at 300 Queen Street West. MEC will move its flagship Toronto store from King Street West three blocks north to Queen and Soho, to a 3-storey mixed-use building planned and designed by Sweeny &Co Architects for Parallax Investment Corporation. The building will consist of 37,000 square feet of retail space over two floors, daycare and office space above, and 3 levels of below-grade parking with 116 spaces.

Facing MEC Queen Street West, Image via submission to City of Toronto

In November of 2015, a revised Site Plan Application was filed with the City, triggering the end of the lengthy planning process which began in 2012. Crew fenced the site briefly that month and dug some trenches to sample archeology on the site. 

Archaeological tests underway at MEC Queen Street West, Image via Forum contributor 'achenda'

In January of 2017 the parking lot was closed for good, and crews from Broccolini began shoring work. Drilling around the site's perimeter allowed the placement of soldier piles. Timber lagging appears to have been completed by May of 2017, holding back the surrounding earth during the excavation of the site. 

Aerial view of the piling/drilling at MEC Queen Street West, Image via Forum contributor 'Avenue'

A tower-crane was brought to the site in June of 2017, initiating the next phase of construction. Excavation continued up until August, with materials for forming the foundation piling up in the photo below. During this time, individual concrete footings were constructed, the load of the building being carried by columns. 

Crane and construction materials present at MEC Queen Street West, Image via Forum contributor 'ADRM'

In January of this year, construction approached grade as the underground parking levels were being completed. Over the last month, the forming of the ground floor began.

Looking north to the formation of the ground floor of MEC Queen Street, Image via Forum contributor 'Red Mars'

MEC intend to have the store open by the end of 2018, the remaining construction of the building to be completed over the next 8 months. In MEC's literature, they emphasize their commitment to sustainable development, here to be partly reflected through the installation of a green roof, designed to reduce the energy use of the building and to mitigate the building's water runoff.

Building Sections, Image via submission to the City of Toronto

We will keep you updated as construction continues and the project begins to make its mark on Queen West. In the meantime, further information is available through our dataBase file, linked below. Want to share your thoughts? Leave a comment in the space on this page, or join the conversation in our associated Forum thread.