A complex project with a unique vision for overcoming the great railway divide that separates Toronto’s downtown office sector from the shadows of the Gardiner Expressway, the CIBC SQUARE build on Bay Street is now past the halfway mark.
When concluded in 2024, the three-million-square-foot project from Ivanhoe Cambridge and Hines will feature two office towers at 81 and 141 Bay, 49 and 50 storeys respectively, a one-acre engineered park built over Toronto’s rail corridor that will connect the towers, the new Union Station Bus Terminal built within the base of the project, a food hall and conference centre.
In addition, a pedestrian bridge connects directly to Scotiabank Arena as well as the underground PATH system and Union Station.
The first tower at 81 Bay was launched in 2017 and completed last year, and work has started on 141 Bay. The bus station is complete and the overbuild park is close to wrapping up, ready to serve as a temporary laydown area accommodating cranes and materials as the second tower rises.
Hines managing director Alison Kimmell recounted that Ivanhoe Cambridge first conceived of the project 15 years ago, and Hines was brought in first as a consultant then became a development partner. EllisDon is the prime contractor.
“They had a decision where they could build a simple office tower, or they could really go for something much grander. That’s the direction they chose,” said Kimmell.
“To execute a project like this, with this type of complexity, one of these decade-plus-long projects, you really need to have a very strong team.”
Supermetal erects the overbuild
In a project of firsts and superlatives – the project is seeking Platinum status for LEED, WIRED and WELL building standards, it represents renowned British architectural firm Wilkinson Eyre’s first Toronto project, and it’s the new headquarters for CIBC, the principal tenant – the overbuild is perhaps the most significant design and engineering feat.
Quebec-based steel fabricator and erector Supermetal was brought on to the overbuild job in 2020 with the job over half complete but a new design contemplated.
Supermetal project manager Anthony Tessaro described one constraint after another in outlining his firm’s contribution. The team works five hours a night, when the tracks below are not in use, and every night the materials and equipment have to be hauled into place and then removed.
The overbuild as redesigned by Supermetal has no support columns so the custom girders manufactured and trucked from two Supermetal plants in Quebec are required to be massively strong – the largest are 20 tons and require two or three cranes to move each one into place.
Supermetal is building two decks, one below for maintenance and other uses and the top one for public enjoyment.
“The structure creates many, many design and constructability challenges,” said Tessaro.
“The weights of the individual pieces are immense and having to construct such pieces in the middle of the night in a very small window presents its own challenges.”
He described the co-ordination of the project with rail owner Metrolinx as “choreography.”
“This is highly specialized, very heavy, very labour-intensive fabrication and very labour-intensive erection as well,” said Tessaro, noting Supermetal has 20 draftspersons involved in the fabrication of each girder.
With the new structural design not yet finalized, a design-assist consultation was required and Supermetal worked closely with the structural engineer of record, RJC. Basic constructability was an issue, Tessaro said.
“So many of the fabricated pieces require special handling, special rigging, and they’re so complex both in their balance and their centre of gravity. Lifting and installing them is an engineering feat on its own.”
The Supermetal team is working with local unionized ironworkers and the overbuild will be completed late this winter with 1,300 tons of steel installed when all is done.
Supermetal is also working on the second tower.
Kimmell said given the complexity of the overbuild job, the construction schedule was front-loaded to allow for delays.
“I think it came together very nicely,” she said. “We’re still kind of constructing the northern parts, but I think we know how to do it.”
Offices in the post-COVID era
The original completion schedule of 81 Bay called for a 2020 wrap. COVID, of course, affected scheduling but Kimmell said EllisDon and the other contractors did a great job of mitigating problems and the site remained safe through a “very, very difficult time.”
Kimmell said the pandemic will create a large distinction between the best assets and the not-so-great assets. It has proven that people can work from home, and so developers are required to build spaces that give workers a reason to come into the office to work.
“For us, that amenitization has always been a key focus of our developments,” she said.
“The CIBC SQUARE development is highly amenitized but beyond just the amenities, we’ve also really focused on building a sense of community. So I think you’ll see that as we open our park, our food hall and the rest of the fitness centres open, as all that kicks into gear.”
CIBC originally planned to relocate more than 15,000 employees to the two buildings and Charlie Musgrave, a senior leasing director with Ivanhoe Cambridge, noted while CIBC remains committed to its initial obligations, the banker is still working through its back-to-work plan.
“It’s unique times,” said Musgrave.
“It is the onus of landlords to enhance and differentiate and optimize the experience within the office,” he argued.
“I think there are some challenges and headwinds facing our industry. But what I think the overarching theme out of COVID is, average doesn’t cut it anymore. You really need to push the envelope to differentiate your offering to your tenant partners.”
Post-COVID, Musgrave said, the winners will be the landlords, property owners and managers of office real estate who create an elevated partnership with their tenants.
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