It has been a busy seven months at the site of the CIBC Square's first phase, located across Bay Street from the Air Canada Centre in Downtown Toronto. Since Ivanhoé Cambridge and Hines' new office development broke ground last summer, much of the 49-storey first phase tower's site has been excavated to a depth of three storeys, and up to yesterday, two cranes had been installed at the west side of the pit.

Northwest facing view of the CIBC Square site, image by Forum contributor Jasonzed

As of this morning, however, a portable crane has arrived onsite to help assemble the third and final crane which will help build the largest new office tower to be constructed in Toronto in many years.

The third and final crane being assembled this morning, image by Forum contributor sikandar

A January 19 update from the site covers the start forming at the west end of the pit, below, where initial forming activity has created the start of the site's P3 parking level. The area below the temporary construction platform along the east side of Bay Street continues to progress as well, with footings having been excavated and rebar installed in advance of a coming concrete pour.

West side of the CIBC Square site, image by Forum contributor Michael62

At the east end of the site, the third crane base was also there on Friday, waiting for the work that is happening today. Near the northeast corner, excavation work is progressing close to 18 Yonge Street (the condominium complex you can see on the right side of the photo below), and should soon reach the same depth as the rest of the pit. A ramp between 18 Yonge and the Union Station rail corridor will take vehicles up to Yonge Street from the garage.

East side of the CIBC Square site, image by Forum contributor Michael62

North of the pit, preparatory work is underway in the rail corridor that divides the active 49-storey phase 1 site from the upcoming 54-storey phase 2 site to the north. An elevated park will eventually bridge over this section of the rail corridor, linking the two towers with a new public green space, and some supports for the bridge will be created between tracks.

Future park site at CIBC Square, image by Forum contributor Michael62

Phase 1 will include a new GO Bus Terminal for Toronto, and its completion will free up space to the north of the tracks where the current terminal is. Once the current terminal is no longer needed, construction of the phase 2 tower will be able to proceed.

Designed by UK-based WilkinsonEyre Architects with Toronto's Adamson Associates serving as Architects of Record, the first phase of CIBC Square is expected to open in 2020, with phase 2 to follow in 2023. Once complete, the two towers will introduce a combined 2.9 million ft² of commercial space to Downtown Toronto. The park, the new GO terminal, new retail, and an extended pedestrian PATH network will also come about from CIBC Square.

CIBC Square, image courtesy of Ivanhoé Cambridge/Hines

We will keep you updated as construction continues. In the meantime, you can learn more about the project via our updated database file, linked below. Want to share your thoughts? Leave a comment in the space provided on this page, or join the ongoing conversation in our associated Forum thread.