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While the controversial sudden closure of the Ontario Science Centre dominates headlines, work on the nearby Crosstown Community is progressing just across Eglinton Avenue East at Don Mills Road. This 60-acre masterplanned community, set to feature 14 buildings, is transforming what was previously the Celestica site, once the Toronto base for IBM. The new community to the south of the Don Mills neighbourhood will be anchored by the soon-to-open Science Centre station of the Eglinton Line 5 Crosstown LRT, also to eventually welcome the northeast terminal station for Ontario Line 3.
Designed by Core Architects for Aspen Ridge Homes, the community’s first residential phase is One Crosstown Towers I, II, III, and The Crest, featuring three high-rises, a mid-rise, and townhomes, ranging 3 to 44 storeys high. Since UrbanToronto’s last update in December, 2023, three tower cranes have come down, two towers have topped off, and cladding installation has begun.
In this drone capture from May, 2024, Tower I is to the left, having all but completed its 32 storey rise, with efforts now on finishing its mechanical penthouse, and cladding installation has ascended approximately six storeys above the base buildings, their heritage exteriors saved from IBM's 1967-built and John B. Parkin-designed offices.
In the centre, above, Tower II reveals about 20 storeys formed and formwork evident at its top. To the right, Tower III displays roughly 23 storeys formed, and initial cladding gracing the first residential floor above the three-storey podium. In the background, the curving, mid-rise Crest, having topped out, presents a completed mechanical penthouse, with its construction crane dismantled in March, 2024.
In this closer view, below, Tower I, on the left, features dark cladding materials rising approximately nine floors, accentuating a staggered facade that features increasing setbacks from right to left. This cladding is complemented by thin, rectangular fenestration that echoes the Parkin base building below. Similarly, Tower II on the right shows three floors of cladding characterized by the same materials, with setbacks moving from left to right.
Looking southwest in June, 2024, we focus on the east and north elevations. Tower III, positioned on the left, shows three to four floors of cladding and glazing applied to it. All three towers will feature distinctive two-storey sections with pronounced columns to articulate the exteriors, seen several storeys below the top of Tower III and in the middle of Tower I in the back. The latter has reached the mechanical penthouse, with its tower crane recently dismantled at the start of July, 2024.
This close-up view looking southwest focuses on the townhouses and The Crest. On the left, the townhouses exhibit grey pre-cast brick-faced cladding that envelops the first storey. This facade is punctuated by rectangular glazing and protruding balconies. To the right, The Crest stands topped out, with a construction hoist still attached to its north elevation. Its white cladding, neatly patterned with windows, wraps around the structure, while the step-backs on the east elevation create a transition in height and design from the lower townhouses to the taller towers.
Upon completion, the high-rise towers will range in height from 109.46m to 129.86m. Occupancy is targeted for the first half of 2025, with this phase of the development supplying a total of 1,273 residential 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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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.
