New documents regarding QuadReal Property Group's redevelopment of half of the Commerce Court site in Downtown Toronto have now been added to the submission following the release of initial second version plans in March 2019. The new documents clarify intentions behind a number of architectural changes to the plan while providing more detailed numbers. The new tower, designed by Hariri Pontarini Architects and architect of record Adamson Associates, will add another peak to the city's Financial Core skyline.

Looking northwest to Commece Court at the heart of Toronto's Financial Core, image from submission to the City of Toronto

While we will look more at other aspects of the development in the future, we will first cover off the question of height, the measurement that skyscraper buffs inevitably quote when comparing the building to other towers around the world.

Commerce Court is built on a sloping site, with the ground floors of the 57-storey Commerce Court West (1972) and the 34-storey Commerce Court North (1931) at 84.25 metres above sea level, which is King Street sidewalk height. The courtyard between the buildings is also at this height, as will be the ground floor of the new Commerce Court 3 (CC3) tower: the Commerce Court East and South buildings that it replaces share that datum. From that level, the top of CC3's west architectural fin is 299.447 metres, just shy of the 300 metre mark at which buildings are considered to be a 'supertall'. 

Looking northeast across Wellington Street towards Commece Court, image from submission to the City of Toronto

CC3, however, begins its rise above ground from the Wellington Street sidewalk along its south frontage. That sidewalk is 2.45 metres lower than the King Street sidewalk, and that additional height brings the top of the west fin to 301.897 metres in height, in 'supertall' territory. It's that number which UrbanToronto will quote for the building's height. 

A spire is planned to rise from top of CC3, image from submission to the City of Toronto

There is yet another height, however, that others may wish to quote. That is to the top of a spire that will rise from the middle of CC3's roof. The spire, which as rendered appears that it may have a utilitarian purpose as an antenna, (its purpose is not stated in the documentation), will top out nearly 75 metres higher, at 373.9 metres above the King Street sidewalk, or 376.35 metres above the Wellington Street sidewalk. Whether it is considered the top of the building or not by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat remains to be seen. If it is, the building will be considered by some as the tallest building in Canada (although the west tower of the Mirvish+Gehry development is proposed to have a higher roof height than CC3's roof).

Looking northeast towards Commece Court by evening, image from submission to the City of Toronto

You will find many more images of Commerce Court 3 in our database file for the project, linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Check out our associated Forum thread, or leave a comment in the field provided at the bottom of this page.

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