Starting its ascent in the Bayside Toronto community last week, T3 Bayside will bring 251,000 square feet of mass timber office space with 30,000-square-foot floorplates to the eastern waterfront in early 2023.

This is the phase one of a partnership between Hines and Waterfront Toronto that, once complete, will see two twin heavy timber office buildings constructed using a highly sustainable mass timber structure.

T3 Bayside, which stands for Timber, Talent and Technology, was designed by Danish firm 3XN and WZMH Architects and is set to be Toronto’s tallest wood-frame building. CBRE Limited will market and lease phase one.

“These are unique and unprecedented times, and we remain committed to building infrastructure and getting shovels moving across Ontario,” Ontario’s Minister of Infrastructure Laurie Scott said at the ground-breaking ceremony. “The construction of the tall timber buildings will make way for future investments and opportunities in the Waterfront area, while also creating jobs and contributing to our economic recovery and renewal for many years to come.”

Once complete, Bayside Toronto will include two million square feet of new residential housing, including market condominiums and affordable housing, modern office space, shopping and restaurant destinations and cultural venues, along with a newly activated and engaging public realm.

Hines was named the master developer of Bayside Toronto, following an international competition by Waterfront Toronto. Hines brought condominium developer Tridel on as its exclusive residential development partner at Bayside. So far, Hines and Tridel have launched four residential projects: Aqualina, Aquavista, Aquabella and Aqualuna. 3XN’s design for Aquabella marked the Danish firm’s first project in North America.