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The transformative development wave sweeping through Toronto's North St James Town has seen multiple developments spring to life on these blocks near Sherbourne subway station over the last several years. Among them, Concert Properties' 53-storey endeavour at the northeast corner of Sherbourne and Howard streets has been making slow but steady construction progress of late. Burke Condominiums, designed by Arcadis, strives to honour the architectural legacy of architect Edmund Burke by integrating 19-century heritage homes at its base.
Work has been taking place at the site, addressed to 603 through 611 Sherbourne Street, since early 2021. An aerial view looking east to the site from July, 2021 includes white excavators and a blue shoring rig at the far back, with a concrete caisson lining being lowered into the earth as part of the shoring wall construction process. Of more interest, one of the heritage structures has been placed on beams and moved east off its original foundations. Those foundations will be excavated for parking levels, and the first part of below-ground forming here will be to create new foundations for the heritage building so that it can be moved back to its original locaton beside Sherbourne.
From ground level looking northeast in March of 2022, we see the progress made on the excavation. The perimeter of the site is secured with orange tarp covering shoring walls with tiebacks. We observe stacked timber and other materials from which formwork to create footings, walls, and columns will be created. White tarp is affixed to the adjacent heritage buildings is there to protect it until the structures are incorporated into the new build.
An aerial perspective looking southeast in December, 2023, shows how much has changed in 21 months' time: the garage levels have been completely formed as have the podium levels, while the heritage structure has been moved back into place, beside one at the corner that was never moved. The podium will be terracotta-clad and provide retail spaces to the Howard Street frontage.
Looking northwest across Howard Street in January, 2024, the development has now reached seven levels above grade, with the structure's skeleton composed of reinforced concrete columns and slabs topped by a tower crane. Formwork for concrete can be seen on the top floor, as well as a white concrete boom pump next to the tower crane, ready for pours for successive floors. A thick transfer slab sits atop the columns of the double-height first level seen along the south and east elevations.
Facing east, hoarding hides the heritage homes, while restoration work is being performed behind them.
Rising to 163.40m, Burke Condominiums will house 501 units.
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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| Related Companies: | Arcadis, Janet Rosenberg & Studio, Rebar Enterprises Inc |
