Out of view to all but the most curious passersby, the site of Plaza's 50 at Wellesley Station is gearing up for some major construction milestones. Following the excavation of the 37-storey Quadrangle Architects-designed condominium tower's three below grade levels and subsequent installation of de-watering equipment, concrete footings for a tower crane have been put in place at the site's south end. Most recently, a crane base has been added to that footing. At the same time, work is underway on the massive rebar cage that will anchor the building's concrete foundations.

Site of 50 at Wellesley Station, image by Jack Landau

With the crane base in place and work on the rebar cage well underway, expect to see the first concrete pours in the coming weeks. Once the foundation is in place, construction of the development's three below-grade levels is expected to take several months.

Crane base and rebar cage, image by Jack Landau

While the bulk of excavation is complete, an earthen ramp on the north side of the site—up until recently used to allow access down into the pit for personnel and heavy machinery—is now the last part of the site being excavated. With the ramp now out of commission, a mobile crane, and then the tower crane once it is installed, will have to be used to hoist equipment in and out of the pit. Personnel will use a temporary staircase at the southeast corner of the site. 

Excavation of the access ramp on the north side of the site, image by Jack Landau

The excavated pit will eventually support a 3-level, 163 space underground parking garage, with some spaces dedicated a new public pay lot for the Toronto Parking Authority, as well as space for residents.

South view of the site from Dundonald Street, image by Jack Landau

The completed development will bring 365 new homes to the Church-Wellesley Village, with units ranging in size from 462 ft² to 1,283 ft, and priced between $347,000 to $939,000. Residents of 50 at Wellesley Station will have access to a range of amenities on the second floor of the building including a yoga room, a media room, and both indoor and outdoor lounges. 

50 at Wellesley Station, image courtesy of Plaza

Additional information about "50" including renderings and several floor plans can be found in the project's dataBase file, linked below. Want to get involved in the conversation? Check out the associated Forum threads, or join in the discussion by leaving a comment in the space provided at the bottom of this page.