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Several months after UrbanToronto covered its September 2025 ground breaking ceremony, a crane has risen for The Dennis, a purpose-built rental tower named for its location in Toronto’s Mount Dennis area. Designed by WZMH Architects for LIUNA, Fengate Real Estate, The Hi-Rise Group, and ITC Construction Group, the 37-storey development is located just north of Weston Road and Eglinton Avenue West, within a short walk of Mount Dennis station, an interchange for Eglinton Line 5, GO Transit’s Kitchener line, and the UP Express.
One of the first developments supported through the City of Toronto’s Purpose-Built Rental Housing Incentives Stream, The Dennis will provide a mix of market-rate and affordable housing, with affordability secured through long-term municipal and federal housing programs.
Looking from Locust Street in October, 2025, early foundation work is underway. A drilling rig occupies the right side, while a white mobile crane stands behind a red concrete boom pump, extending across the site to deliver fresh concrete as crews work around the placement area. Equipment related to shoring work rests in the foreground.
By March, 2026, excavation for the tower’s two-level underground garage was substantially advanced. Timber lagging shoring walls line the west and north elevations, protected with orange weatherproof tarping and stabilized by tiebacks, while additional canted bracing reinforces the northern corner. An excavator works below grade as a second shovel remains at grade on the left.
Toward the north end of the site in May, 2026, we see the crane, installed the previous month. Cast-in-place concrete foundation and P2 parking level walls have taken shape around the excavation perimeter, with rebar marking future pours, while additional walls and columns surround the crane base. Timber lagging shoring steps inward along the east property line to create a narrower northern section of the pit. At grade, a compact red excavator is parked to the south along Locust Street, while a yellow excavator operates below to the left.
At the southwest corner of the site, below-grade work continues with the concrete perimeter wall extending upwards in front of the shoring wall. Newly formed concrete columns rise throughout the excavation, alongside staged formwork panels and other construction materials. A staircase along the south edge provides workers with temporary access.
Earlier this month, we get a clearer view of the luffing-jib crane. To its left, formwork is assembled for upcoming concrete pours, surrounded by columns.
A closer view shows early forming for the P1 level. Concrete walls have risen at the south end, while a network of timber formwork and horizontal decking has been assembled in preparation for the P1 slab pour. Yellow shoring posts support the suspended deck forms below, with additional posts and formwork components staged nearby. Rebar projects from completed walls and columns throughout the excavation, while stacks of formwork panels, lumber, and other construction materials line the west side of the site at grade.
Upon completion, The Dennis will rise 120m with 448 rental homes, including 95 affordable rental 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's research and data service, UTPro, provides comprehensive data on construction projects in the Greater Golden Horseshoe—from proposal through to completion. Other services include Instant Reports, downloadable snapshots based on location, and a daily subscription newsletter, New Development Insider, that tracks projects from initial application.
| Related Companies: | Bousfields, Gradient Wind Engineers & Scientists, Grounded Engineering Inc., Land Art Design Landscape Architects Inc, Quasar Consulting Group, WZMH Architects |
