On October 24, 2019 representatives from KingSett Capital and PCL Construction gathered to celebrate the completion of 700 Bay’s concrete structure with the workforce that are making the residential addition and renovation a reality.
“KingSett, on behalf of our core strategy income fund is delighted to celebrate this important milestone with our construction partners,” said Jon Love, KingSett Capital CEO. “Once completed in June 2020, this work will greatly improve the existing resident experience at 700 Bay and add a further 275 rental suites with the top two floors dedicated to leading amenities including an infinity pool, fitness centre, library, lounge areas, an outdoor patio including a dog park, garden, pavilion, outdoor movie theatre, and green roof.”
The multifaceted renovation and expansion project involves a new 32-storey residential apartment tower adjacent to an existing office, retail and residential building, the addition of six new floors above the existing structure, including the two dedicated amenity floors, a new mechanical penthouse, as well as structural upgrades throughout the existing building. The completed project will offer a total of 495 apartment residents premium rental living.
“Construction of 700 Bay at Gerrard has required precise methodology to expertly tie renovations into a new tower, while minimizing impact to tenants and properties along Toronto’s hospital row,” said Kelly Wallace, PCL Constructors Canada Inc. (Toronto) vice president and district manager. “PCL is honoured to share this milestone with our partners, subcontractors, suppliers and over 400 workers who have all played a role in bringing KingSett’s vision for this project to life.”
Interesting highlights that have enabled construction to progress to this point include:
- Demolition of two stories above-grade, and five levels of a below-grade parking structure to create a foundation for the new residential tower;
- Demolition of the level 26 pool roof to allow for reshoring and structural reinforcement to accommodate a crane on the roof of the occupied building, and the six-floor overbuild;
- Extension of two residential elevator cars to service new floors in the overbuild.
For this project, KingSett and PCL partnered with indus.ai, an innovative construction intelligence platform to enhance construction efficiency. The platform utilizes video streams and time-lapse images, leveraging the data collected with AI technology to create actionable insights empowering construction professionals to more effectively manage site activity and mitigate costs and schedule risks.
With sustainability top of mind, the project is being built to Toronto Green Standard Tier II and is targeting LEED® Platinum certification. The building is tying into the EnWave District Steam Heating and Chilled Water-Cooling system, providing leading-edge energy efficiency.
The ground floor retail spaces and original structure are set to be re-clad, and the property will feature new hard and soft landscaping. Occupancy is expected for summer 2020, with the leasing launch coming this spring.
