Project Overview
CIBC Square is a dramatic office tower complex in Toronto’s downtown core – two separate towers (81 Bay Street and 141 Bay Street) connected by a signature one-acre elevated park that spans the railway lines to the north of the Gardiner Expressway. The two 50+ storey towers offer 3 million square feet for state-of-the-art offices, collaborative spaces, and amenities, with expansive views of Lake Ontario and Toronto’s skyline. Underground, the PATH pedestrian walkway system connects CIBC Square to the Scotiabank Arena, the revitalized Union Station, and an extensive network of restaurants, shops, and services. In keeping with the project’s focus on wellness and sustainability, CIBC Square is certified Platinum for LEED® and for WIRED & WELL Building Standards™.
Project Highlights
CIBC Square is an exceptional project, notable for its ambitious architecture and forward-looking engineering. Guild’s scope included all the electrical and communications work required for both base buildings, first for 81 Bay Street, and subsequently for the 141 Bay Street tower. Both towers presented many opportunities for us to develop and implement creative construction approaches. We also completed tenant fit outs for CIBC and Microsoft, significant projects in themselves.
81 Bay
We overcame many challenges on the way to the successful completion of 81 Bay. Some were expected, like the logistical complexities (deliveries and storage) resulting from the proximity to Bay Street, the Lakeshore, and the rail corridor. But no one foresaw the emergence of the COVID pandemic, which dramatically impacted the scheduling processes and workflow and required constant troubleshooting. 81 Bay was demanding in a number of other ways. At the top of house we had to install power to 382 heated glass panels, as well as power connection points for the building’s mobile window washing unit. And we used a single-person bucket to install and connect exterior lighting 240 metres above the ground. The base of the building is unique in that it houses a bus terminal as well as a traditional parking garage. Our electrical work had to accommodate the structural thickness of the slab floors between the tower and the bus terminal – over a metre thick with steel beam and post tension cable construction.
141 Bay
Construction on 141 Bay began in 2021 and the project is scheduled to be complete in 2024. The elevated park cantilevered over the rail corridor adds considerable complexity to the workflow. The structural team will build the core up to the 10th floor, then the structural steel moves down to “infill” the floors below – a time-consuming process. From an electrical standpoint, the project has several noteworthy features, including a 3,500 kW diesel generator, two 2,500 kW biofuel generators, and six 3,000 A, 13.8 kV-to-600 V power transformers.
Additional Information
Owners: Ivanhoé Cambridge; Hines Canada Management Co.
Contractor: EllisDon Construction Services Inc.
LEED Platinum Certification
WELL Health-Safety Rating