At first glance, everything seems as usual at the southwest corner of Toronto's Bathurst and Bloor intersection. A closer look reveals that not much is left of the iconic Honest Ed's retailer. The longstanding landmark and several adjacent structures are in the process of being brought down to make way for Westbank's Mirvish Village community, an ambitious mixed-use project containing five rental towers, as well as low and mid-rise buildings and public spaces.

South-facing aerial view of the site, image by Sean Galbraith via Twitter

Crews from Rafat General Contracting continue to tear away at the buildings on site, a task which began with interior gutting back in early 2017 following the closure of the store. By last May, removal of the iconic Honest Ed's signage began along the building's Markham Street frontage, and by November, structural demolition of the buildings on site was in full swing.

As of mid-January, only a small portion of the former Honest Ed's building remains at the corner of Bathurst and Bloor, while the west end of the Bloor Street frontage and the entirety of the Markham Street frontage have been removed entirely.

West end of the former Honest Ed's at Bloor and Markham, image by Forum contributor ADRM

An aggressive construction timeline aims to have Mirvish Village completed in a time ranging between 34 and 36 months, measured from the 2017 start of work. Crews are currently in the first phase of site activity, expected to last 7 or 8 months. This phase of work includes now complete abatement and site preparation work, and the very active demolition process. Later stages of phase 1 include shoring and excavation.

Demolition at the site of Mirvish Village, image by Forum contributor ADRM

The second phase of construction is expected to last 18 months. This stage will include the forming of footings and building foundations, the creation of a "Neighbourhood Energy System", and the start of cladding installation. Phase 3 of construction would last 9 to 10 months will includes most of the project's above-grade forming, as well as the installation of finishes including precast concrete and glass. The remaining phase 3 work would include interior finishing, and work on public realm elements like the new park, market area, and site landscaping.

Demolition at the site of Mirvish Village, image by Forum contributor ADRM

Designed by Henriquez Partners Architects working with architects of record Diamond Schmitt Architects, Mirvish Village will introduce more than 800 new rental units to the Bathurst and Bloor area, housed in towers with heights of 13, 19, 24, 25, and 26 storeys.

Mirvish Village viewed from the west, image via submission to City of Toronto

Additional information and renderings of the project can be found in our Mirvish Village database file, linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Check out the associated Forum thread, or leave a comment in the field provided at the bottom of this page.