Toronto's largest private construction project, 'The Well,' has been making steady progress at Front Street and Spadina Avenue throughout the year, and now is starting to reveal some of its finishing touches. The mixed-use development is comprised of a 36-storey office tower plus with residential rental and condominium buildings of 14, 16, 16, 22, 39, and 46 storeys, all rising above a major retail base.

The Well's 36-storey, Hariri Pontarini Architects-designed office tower is being built for Allied REIT and RioCan REIT at the eastern end of the site and on the northwest corner of Spadina and Front. The building has now topped off at 174 metres, and been all-but completely clad with green-blue curtain wall. The glass staircase-like east side has been completed, and decorative cross-braces are now affixed on its south-facing side.

Exteriors completed on the 36-storey tower, image by UT Forum contributor Lachlan Holmes

At the base of the podium, the office lobby finishes are in the midst of being installed. Large marble tiles have been laid in the walls, and more slabs can be seen sitting on slats, awaiting installation. 

Marble tiles begin to be installed in the office lobby, image by UT Forum contributor Red Mars

Just west of the office tower along Front Street, The Well will house a group of three architects—Alliance-designed residential towers. The easternmost tower will have rental apartments and is set to be the tallest of the residential buildings, standing at 46 storeys and 157 metres. Developed for RioCan Living and Woodbourne Canada Management, the tower shares a podium with the office tower. 

West of the 46-storey tower, a 38-storey Tridel condo tower has risen well above its podium, while a 22-storey Tridel condo is just a few floors up now. Meanwhile, on a section of property that extends westward to Draper Street and which will become a POPS (Privately Owned Publicly accessible Space), sidewalk pavers have been installed and benches have been placed.

Pavers and benches installed between buildings, image by UT Forum contributor RonThom

North of the Front Street buildings, three Wallman Architects-designed residential buildings are under construction along Wellington Street West. Two of these are 16-storey rentals for RioCan Living and Woodbourne, with the third being a 14-storey Tridel condominium. The rental towers have both topped off, and are now being clad and glazed.

Cladding and glazing continue on the Wallman-designed buildings to the north, image by UT Forum contributor Red Mars

Just north of the Wallman buildings and the Stantec building next door to the east, ground was recently dug up, into which silva cells are currently being installed to accommodate the trees that will be planted along the Wellington Street sidewalk. The cells are installed below pavers to prevent the compaction of earth below so that the roots of the trees planted along the sidewalk can continue to grow more freely, allowing the trees to flourish. 

Silva cells being installed before trees are planted and sidewalk is set, image by UT Forum contributor Red Mars

All of these new buildings will be joined together by a BDP-designed multi-level retail galleria that sweeps through the centre of the site, eventually to be lined by retail and dining spaces. The galleria will be sheltered by a glazed steel canopy, which is now beginning to be covered with pre-made skylight tiles.

Pre-made skylight tiles being installed on the galleria canopy, image by UT Forum contributor RonThom

 A north-south section of the galleria is pictured in the rendering below.

KLooking north through the finished galleria of The Well, image courtesy of RioCan, Allied REIT

When finished, the massive project will be home to a combined 287,640m² of multi-use development and offer a unique mix of shops, restaurants, fresh food markets, workspaces, and residences. 

Looking southwest to The Well, image courtesy of RioCan, Allied REIT

You can learn more from our Database file for the project, linked below. If you'd like, you can join in on the conversation in the associated Project Forum thread, or leave a comment in the space provided on this page.

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Related Companies:  Adamson Associates Architects, architects—Alliance, ASSA ABLOY Canada Ltd., Bass Installation, BDP Quadrangle, BVGlazing Systems, CCxA, Doka Canada Ltd./Ltee, EQ Building Performance Inc., Figure3, Giannone Petricone Associates, Hariri Pontarini Architects, II BY IV DESIGN, Jablonsky, Ast and Partners, Knightsbridge, Kramer Design Associates Limited, Live Patrol Inc., LiveRoof Ontario Inc, LRI Engineering Inc., Mulvey & Banani, New Release Condo, Ontario Panelization, Peter McCann Architectural Models Inc., Precise ParkLink, Rebar Enterprises Inc, RioCan REIT, RJC Engineers, RWDI Climate and Performance Engineering, The Fence People, Tridel, Trillium Architectural Products, Unilux HVAC Industries Inc., Urban Strategies Inc., Vortex Fire Consulting Inc.