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14 months since the last of Toronto's iconic Honest Ed's store was taken down at Bathurst and Bloor, work is full steam ahead on Westbank Corp’s five-tower Mirvish Village development. The site's 200,000 ft² footprint will eventually be home to 13, 19, 24, 25, and 26-storey rental apartment towers, designed by Vancouver's Henriquez Partners Architects working alongside Toronto-based Architect of Record Diamond Schmitt.
Work for the project is being conducted in three phases by contractor EllisDon. The first phase of work is now wrapping up, involving abatement and site preparation including steel reinforcement of heritage buildings and facades, demolition, shoring, and excavation. The first cranes were expected to go up on the north portion of the east block in March, though recent photos show that this milestone is still to be reached.
The view above, looking northwest, shows the completed excavation at the north end of the site, as well as the yellow-painted steel supports of the preserved facades of the heritage building at the southwest corner of Bloor and Markham. Shoring recently started for the mid-rise building that will rise behind these facades.
While large areas of the pit have bottomed out towards the site's north end, excavation is still progressing for the remainder of the site to the south, expected to wrap up early this summer. In anticipation of the completion of the dig, the steel structure of a temporary work platform has appeared along the south wall of the lone holdout on Bathurst Street that did not sell to the developers.
Meanwhile, work is getting going on the second phase, set to last for 18 months total. The second phase of construction includes the installation of footings and foundations, waterproofing, and the start of work on the central plant for a “Neighbourhood Energy System.” The third and final phase of construction will last 9-to-10 months, consisting of above-grade forming, installation of precast and glass exterior finishes, interior works, and work on landscaping, a new park, and a market.
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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