2.1K 
Progress is being made on the ground floor staging slab at the Cielo Condos construction site at 300 Bloor Street West in Toronto's Annex area, as Collecdev-Markee Developments’ venture prepares to rise behind the walls of the historic Bloor Street United Church. The modernist design of the development by KPMB Architects speaks to a marriage of past and present, with the preservation of the east and south walls of the church, including their Gothic Revival detailing, while the heritage Pidgeon House, a Victorian home at the site's north end will be integrated into the complex's podium. Cielo Condos will rise in Toronto's celebrated Arts & Cultural hub, situated between Spadina and St George subway stations.
Gazing eastward through the middle of the site gives us a view of formwork work on the ground floor staging slab. A concrete column, its rebar protruding skyward, is at the forefront. In behind, the east wall of the church is protected against the weather and held in place by a scaffold over the Huron Street sidewalk.
Below, we look south through a thicket of formwork and rebar soon to support the new build. Dominating the background, the church's heritage Bloor Street walls stand proud against the sky, with the mobile crane's jib poised overhead.
Looking to the southwest, we get a clear view of the formwork with densely packed rebar in preparation for a transfer beam. To the left of the white formwork walls are yellow horizontal walers that stabilize the formwork panels. In the foreground, wooden struts and shoring braces crisscross, to act as support from after the pour until the concrete cures.
Finally, we step back for a southeast view of the Cielo Condos site, the neighbouring buildings in the Annex rising from behind the church’s walls. The church's walls, enveloped in protective Tyvek wrap, continues to stand over the site, while beneath it, the tiebacks for the shoring wall along the south elevation are visible.
Cielo Condos continues to await a decision from the Toronto Local Appeal Body, which would confirm its final height at 120.35m and 34 storeys, housing 349 units. With April set to mark the completion of the staging slab, the anticipation builds for the resumption of excavation and shoring work slated for early May.
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 has a research service, UrbanToronto Pro, that provides comprehensive data on construction projects in the Greater Toronto Area—from proposal through to completion. We also offer Instant Reports, downloadable snapshots based on location, and a daily subscription newsletter, New Development Insider, that tracks projects from initial application.
