Developer First Gulf is expanding their portfolio of office buildings on the east side of Downtown Toronto with a new tower coming to Ontario Street between King and Adelaide. On Monday morning, a ground breaking was held to officially mark the start of construction for The Shift, a 23-storey tower that will eventually bring 460,000 square feet of office space and 4,000 jobs to the neighbourhood.

The Shift at 25 Ontario Street, image courtesy of First Gulf

The Shift is designed by Sweeny &Co Architects Inc. the project is a joint venture between First Gulf and HOOPP. The modern tower will rise from behind the heritage frontage of a building that previously housed the failed Sun Network News television station. It will have its Art Deco details preserved through a plan by heritage specialists ERA Architects. Above, with a faceted massing and flashes of copper-hued finishes, the tower will stand in stark contrast to the heritage base.

Attendees to the ground breaking ceremony for The Shift, image courtesy of First Gulf

Among those who spoke at event marking the start of construction were First Gulf CEO David Gerofsky and HOOPP CEO Jim Keohane. Last month, First Gulf finalized a lease agreement with Think Research, which will take up 88,000 square feet of space. Sachin Aggarwal, CEO of Think Research, said in a prepared statement that “We’re excited to have the opportunity to establish a new headquarters here in Toronto. First Gulf was an essential partner in our search, and we’re proud to be the first tenant in the latest of their much-lauded development projects here in the city."

Additional information and images can be found in our database file for the project, linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Check out the associated Forum thread, or leave a comment in the field provided at the bottom of this page.

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