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We have been keeping a close eye on the construction of the first phase tower at CIBC Square, a two-tower office complex from Ivanhoé Cambridge and Hines, set to add a combined 2.9 million ft² of new commercial/office space to Downtown Toronto. The project celebrated ground breaking just over a year ago, and the last 12 months of work have involved shoring, excavation, and below-grade forming for the 49-storey, 1,300,000 ft2 first phase office tower, culminating in a construction milestone reached earlier this month.
The recent pouring of the ground-level elevator core marked the first above-grade construction for the new tower along the west side of the site, closest to Bay Street. To the east, below-grade forming continues for the site's underground levels. A view looking west across the site reveals a cross-section of two underground levels and the first elements of the ground floor above.
To the immediate north and slightly overhanging the east end of the Union Station shed, a section of rail corridor dividing the first phase tower from the future 54-storey second phase is being decked over to create an elevated park bridging the two phases. Steel structural elements have been taking shape since May.
GO train commuters arriving and departing from Union Station are getting an up close and personal look at structural details of the new park "bridge", set to contain over 100 large truss sections and 1,900 tons of structural steel and metal deck upon completion.
Designed by UK-based WilkinsonEyre Architects with Toronto's Adamson Associates serving as Architects of Record, CIBC Square will also house Toronto's new downtown GO bus terminal on the ground floor. The completion of the tower and the new bus terminal, expected to open in 2020, will free up space for the second phase tower at 141 Bay Street, where the current GO bus terminal is, just north the rail corridor and future park site. This second phase tower is expected to open in 2023.
We will keep you updated as construction continues. In the meantime, you can learn more about the project via our updated database file, linked below. Want to share your thoughts? Leave a comment in the space provided on this page, or join the ongoing conversation in our associated Forum thread.
