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Menkes Developments is celebrating a construction milestone on the first building of their Sugar Wharf community on the Toronto waterfront with the recent topping off of 100 Queens Quay East. The project, developed with TD Asset Management (TDAM), brings a B+H Architects-designed office tower to the south edge of the multi-tower, mixed-use community being built on the former LCBO lands. On Monday morning, August 24, the team behind the project celebrated the pouring of a final concrete column atop the mechanical penthouse of the 25-storey tower.
We last checked in on construction late in June, when the tower's the 22nd and 23rd levels were being formed with the help of two tower cranes. These levels, along with the 24th, 25th, and mechanical floors, have since been formed, bringing the building to its final 117-metre height above Queens Quay. A photo captured from the tower's east crane shows a close-up look at concrete pouring for the mechanical penthouse level, while offering a glimpse at the views awaiting tenants of the tower.
"This is an exciting project for us and we're thrilled to celebrate this milestone with TDAM, our future tenants and of course our dedicated trades who worked so hard, despite the many challenges this year presented," reads a statement issued by Sean Menkes, Vice President of Office/Retail at Menkes.
In place of a traditional topping off party, where work crews are typically treated to an on-site party, physical social distancing measures prevented any in-person celebration of tower's structural completion, and a news release from Menkes mentions that the developer is finding other ways to show appreciation to the various trades for all of their hard work. This latest milestone comes over two and a half years after the project's January, 2018 ground breaking celebration.
"We are pleased to mark the structural completion* of this landmark waterfront office tower. While 2020 has changed many aspects of how we work and operate, in the months and years to come, well-located and high-quality office buildings will continue to serve communities, like Sugar Wharf," reads a statement from Jeff Tripp, Managing Director, Real Estate Investments at TDAM. *(The mechanical penthouse floor still needs to be framed in steel before its cladding is affixed and the building attains its final look.)
The 690,000 ft² tower is targeting LEED Platinum certification, and is expected to open its doors next year. LCBO will anchor the building, occupying 225,000 ft², or 33% of the total gross floor area, including a 25,000 ft² flagship retail location on the ground floor. The Toronto Region Board of Trade will also have a significant presence in the building, set to include a large corporate event space and outdoor terrace. Currently 55% leased, the building is expected to house 4,000 office workers at capacity.
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 below.
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