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This morning, Cadillac Fairview (CF), the Investment Management Corporation of Ontario (IMCO), and TD Bank Group (TD) hosted a ground breaking ceremony for 160 Front Street West, a new 46-storey office tower coming to Simcoe and Front at the southwest edge of Toronto's Financial District. The event, attended by representatives of the those companies, tenant Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, and Mayor John Tory, was held on the already active construction site as demolition and shoring progressed around it.
Guests and dignitaries gathered in a temporary event tent for remarks led by Wayne Barwise, Executive VP of Development for CF, who kicked things off greeting the crowd and stating about the project "what we're celebrating here today is precedent setting. I've never had the honour of attending a ground breaking where before even stating excavation, we're 100% leased. That speaks to the quality of the design, the quality of the architecture."
Next, the was podium was given to Mayor John Tory, stating "This is a very auspicious and important occasion for the city, because this kind of development is the type that is going to help keep up with the incredible growth our city is experiencing," continuing on to discuss the standout design of CF's recent Eaton Centre bridge and his optimism for a similar outcome on a grander scale at 160 Front. Tory's remarks on the project are best summarized in one line, calling CF's investment "a vote of confidence in the City of Toronto."
John Sullivan, President & CEO of CF, spoke next, discussing CF's prescient decision to construct the 16 York office tower on speculative demand, which he called "a [successful] bet on Toronto," as well as the overwhelming demand for new office space in Toronto leading to 160 Front being 100% leased before shovels could even go in the ground.
Next, the mic went to Bharat Masrani, Group President & CEO at TD, who opened by joking with Wayne Barwise that he "thought the TD logos were supposed to be larger," motioning to the roof signage shown in the renderings on display. Masrani spoke on TD's partnership in designing the project, stating that "the new tower represents a re-imagining of the way we work."
After more remarks from Bert Clark, President & CEO at IMCO, and Ron Mock, President & CEO of Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, the group moved outside for a sod-turning and tree-planting ceremony to mark the start of construction. While high winds delayed the actual tree-planting, the planter box was ceremonially filled by the Mayor and project team for news cameras.
While a portion of the site was cordoned off for remarks and the photo op, the rest of the site is already quite a busy construction zone. At the east end of the site, the bulk of a six-storey commercial warehouse building has been demolished, while its south end will be preserved in-situ and eventually incorporated into the base of the new tower.
At the north end of the site, the first drilling rig has arrived to begin installing piles for the shoring walls. Piling will progress around the perimeter of the site, followed by excavation to make way for the tower's foundations and four underground levels.
Today's announcement also comes with an updated rendering that offers a closer look at anchor tenant TD's prominent signage near the tower's roofline. Four illuminated signs will grace the tower's top floors, including one projecting from the curved east facade.
Designed by lead architects AS+GG Architecture working with Architects of Record B+H Architects, 160 Front West is slated to open in the fall of 2022. The 100% leased 1.2M square feet of office space will incorporate innovative smart technology in an effort to achieve LEED® Platinum and WELL Building Standard® certifications, while also aiming to meet the standards of CF's Green at Work® sustainability program.
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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