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Developed by CentreCourt in Toronto's lively Entertainment District, 55 Mercer has risen to join an evermore dense cluster of downtown condominiums. Situated just west of the dual 45-storey Nobu Residences, which have been under construction concurrently, the 47-storey, Arcadis-designed residential development has now topped off about a metre shorter than these neighbouring towers.
Since our last update that covered the tower's quick ascent on the southeast corner of Blue Jays Way and Mercer Street, a significant milestone was reached in October with the dismantling of the construction hoist, captured in the image below. This moment typically signifies both the shift from major external construction activities to completing the interior finishings, while indicating that the building's elevators are in place to transport another necessary upwards from the interior. Also visible in the image below is the remaining facade that to be completed along Mercer Street where the hoist once stood, prepped with steel fencing in advance of the final touches.
Closet to Blue Jays Way where the podium floors are cladding in red brick, work on the main floor's glazing is wrapping up, with workers completing the installation of the final glass panels around the residential lobby entrance using a boom lift. To the right, large-glazed storefronts offer expansive views into the commercial space, still bare concrete inside.
Right at the corner of Blue Jays Way and Mercer, the podium's detailed design — divided light windows punched into the brick and stone cladding in a formal grid — blends 55 Mercer's new structure with the district's heritage warehouse aesthetic.
Looking upwards from street level along Blue Jays Way, the tower is significantly set back from the podium levels, while its cladding moves more towards — but not entirely — to the all-glass facades we see so often. Here, metal panels and louvres interrupt the glass at every floor slab, most of it coloured to sync with the podium cladding below. The southeast and northwest corners of the tower, however, provide contrast through white frames that add a modern twist to those parts of the building’s facades, while also giving the tower a less monolithic look.
Stepping back, the full height of 55 Mercer Condos is captured, showcasing the integration of the more modern glass tower with the heritage-inspired podium. With both the hoist and tower crane taken down, the completed facade of the podium and the nearly fully installed windows show a building poised to take on its final, soon-to-be-lived-in look.
Standing at a final height of 155.5m and set to deliver 543 new residential units, 55 Mercer Condos is heading towards the finish line, to join the ranks of may other surrounding towers in the Entertainment District.
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.
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