Work on Westbank Corp and Allied Properties REIT's 19 Duncan Street project is accelerating in Toronto's Entertainment District as demolition gets underway to make way for the 58-storey office and residential rental tower designed by Hariri Pontarini Architects. The project will incorporate large sections of the 1908-built Southam Press Building, with the north and west facades being retained in-situ, and the partial reconstruction of the south and east elevations.

A steel framework holds the outside walls in place at 19 Duncan, image by Craig White

The Southam Press Building's preservation and integration are being led by heritage specialists ERA Architects. Work began last year with the disassembly of bricks from the building's south and east facades, and more recently the installation of steel supports for the in-situ retentions of the north and west facades. The recent completion of the north and west facades' temporary supports has allowed work to begin on tearing down the remaining structure.

Looking southwest across 19 Duncan site, image by Forum contributor ProjectEnd

The latest photos of the site show that the eastern half of the building has been taken down, as demolition progresses from east to west behind the heritage facades. Teardown activity is expected to continue for several weeks until the building has been reduced down to just the two supported facades. 

Looking south across 19 Duncan site, image by Forum contributor friendlyfuture

After the demolition crews vacate the site, the next steps will be shoring and excavation for the building's foundations and four-level underground garage. Following the construction of the underground levels there are nine podium levels of office space to create before the repeating residential tower floors get going above above. The office space on the podium levels will be the new Toronto home of news media giant Thomson Reuters, who are expected to begin their 12-year, $100-million (USD) lease in early 2021.

19 Duncan, image via submission to City of Toronto

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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