8.6K 
Pedestrians who frequent the corner of Adelaide Street East and Ontario Street may have noticed that the hours of sunshine down on the ground are getting shorter - and it’s not just because of the changing seasons. In the last six months, construction of the First Gulf-developed EQ Bank Tower has taken off. With new floors emerging at a rate of nearly 1 floor per 10 days lately, the 23-storey office development is now 9 storeys tall and climbing with gusto.
Designed by Sweeny &Co Architects Inc., the Downtown East project saw heavy traffic on UrbanToronto during the planning stage due to its buzz worthy characteristics, like the gravity-defying massing, the incorporation of the existing 3-storey heritage facade, and the sustainability intentions of the design (aiming for LEED Gold certification). After the early stages of the construction process proved to be drawn out owing to, among other things, the complexities of working behind heritage walls preserved in place, new images shared on the UrbanToronto forum offer a glimpse into how this project has evolved of late.
Beginning with an image from UT Forum contributor Rascacielo, above, the extent of progress overall is made clear. Heritage work is being carried out on the facade of the existing 3-storey heritage building, with weather sealing and thermal bridging being installed in preparation for new windows. As for the tower, we can see that framing has climbed six storeys above the existing building, with the flooring of the seventh appearing partially complete. Additionally, a panel of glass can be seen on the western elevation, sloping out towards the street, demonstrating the building’s characteristic outward-tapering form that begins above the heritage building.
Meanwhile, the aerial image captured by UT Forum contributor Justelena, below, gives us a better understanding of the most current progress happening on the site. Looking at the building’s northwest corner, we can see four levels featuring the chamfered corner floor plate. With a reverse taper as the the building rises, these corners will be clad with a triangular glass face that accents the building’s angled massing. The image also captures the evolving state of the two canted columns on the north and west edges that further emphasize the building’s angularity.
Further to the southeast, a white concrete pump can be seen following the pouring of a fresh layer over the partially completed ninth floor plate. Rebar can be seen extending from the column below, while forms for the rest of the uppermost floor plate appear to be mostly in place.
UrbanToronto will continue to follow progress on this development, but in the meantime, you can learn more about it from our Database file, 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.
* * *
UrbanToronto's new data research service, UrbanToronto Pro, offers comprehensive information on construction projects in the Greater Toronto Area—from proposal right through to completion stages. In addition, our subscription newsletter, New Development Insider, drops in your mailbox daily to help you track projects through the planning process.
