The caisson is in for one of the more remarkable condos going up at the moment.
Massey Tower, the 60-storey
Hariri-Pontarini condo being built on top of the old Bank of Commerce building at 197 Yonge, will be a big curvacious white spike built on toughly the same footprint as the tiny old bank.
The one-storey addition on the back of the bank was demolished, and behind the old masonry facades,
Tucker Hi-Rise has its construction offices, which this week oversaw the completion of the installation of the waterproof retaining structure known as a caisson, constructed out of piles driven deep into the ground around a concrete base.
According to Gary Switzer, CEO of
MOD Developments, “The biggest challenges are the tightness of the site, the limited site access and the care that has to be taken when building next to heritage buildings on all sides.”
MOD is the firm behind the equally noteworthy
Five St. Joseph a kilometre or so up Yonge.
If all goes well, Switzer estimates the tower should be ready for occupants in a little over three years.
Writer: Bert Archer
Source: Gary Switzer