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In Toronto's Moss Park neighbourhood, excavation and heritage work have taken some of the attention away from the iconic Kim's Convenience store. Across the street from it at 261 Queen Street East, ROQ City is advancing steadily following the completion of demolition in late 2022. The site, located on the south side of Queen a bit east of Sherbourne, is set to house two towers standing 24 and 33 storeys, designed by Hariri Pontarini Architects for Tricon Residential.
The site was previously featured in daily photos showcasing the tower crane and heritage facade. Initially an assembly of the parcels running east to Ontario Street and south to Richmond Street East, the site was severed into two to allow portions to be developed independently.
In December 2022, a view looking northwest captures early excavation following the completion of demolition. Earthmoving equipment, including excavators and bulldozers, are actively engaged in site preparation and grading. The backdrop of historic low-rise buildings against the developing cityscape underscores the transformation underway.
By early 2023, a view looking northeast illustrates the care taken in preserving the site’s heritage, overseen by ERA Architects. A steel scaffold is erected around the heritage walls of a former warehouse from the 19th century, a key feature to be integrated into the new construction. The presence of a mobile crane hoisting structural steel highlights the heavy lifting required to stabilize and blend the historic masonry with modern development.
A view looking north showcases extensive excavation and shoring, with pile and lagging walls holding back the earth surrounding the excavation. Concrete footings emerge from the earth at the bottom of the pit, indicating the commencement of foundation work.
As of October the installation of a tower crane in the northwest corner of the site marks the transition from excavation to below-grade construction, while formwork for garage levels can be seen in the pit behind the heritage walls. We also see a yellow shoring rig in the centre.
By November, a grid of rebar and utility conduits are laid, awaiting a concrete pour to become future floor slabs. Concrete walls and vertical rebar, near the tower crane, indicate that the lower levels of the development are taking shape.
ROQ City at 261 Queen Street East is set to house 795 residential units across two towers standing 88.35m and 113m. It will also offer a public park in the middle of the site, further adding to the evolution of the Moss Park neighbourhood.
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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