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IBM TO OPEN NEW TORONTO OFFICE, HIRE 500 ACROSS GREATER TORONTO AREA


June 21, 2021

IBM Canada has announced plans to increase its headcount and consolidate its physical presence in Toronto, as it looks to support flexible, return to in-person work and 500 new hires in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).

As part of the move, IBM plans to merge its four existing Toronto offices at Spadina Avenue, Bloor Street, King Street, and Wellington Street into a new downtown Toronto office at 16 York Street.

IBM said the transition to a single hub was “accelerated over the past year when virtual work environments became commonplace.” The company’s new, larger office, which is set to open in November, will include an artificial intelligence (AI) and hybrid cloud client showcase centre, collaboration space for IBM employees and clients, and space for IBM Garage, a design approach to innovation and digital transformation.

 
This is an interesting move as centralizing in the downtown core seems to me to be a vote for transit oriented commuting (which given the pandemic was an uncertain premise at least in the short-term).
 
Didn't they used to own that whole block North of the Science Centre or something, which is now being made one with the ground currently?
 
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Partially. They had the brick building there (1150 Eglinton Avenue East), but the main complex belonged to Celestica. IBM's largest office is in Markham in this WZMH beast:

WZMH-Architects-IBM-Canada-Headquarters-Exterior-Landscape-View-Markham.jpg
 
Partially. They had the brick building there (1150 Eglinton Avenue East), but the main complex belonged to Celestica. IBM's largest office is in Markham in this WZMH beast:

WZMH-Architects-IBM-Canada-Headquarters-Exterior-Landscape-View-Markham.jpg
Just needs a Cyberdyne Systems logo to complete the look
 
Partially. They had the brick building there (1150 Eglinton Avenue East), but the main complex belonged to Celestica. IBM's largest office is in Markham in this WZMH beast:

WZMH-Architects-IBM-Canada-Headquarters-Exterior-Landscape-View-Markham.jpg
One of my favourite buildings, though biased as I grew up just down the street. I am also a fan of IBM's other building on the NW corner (now called Liberty Centre), just not quite on the same level as the NE corner. Both are quite anti-urban with huge parking lots and expansive landscaping, mostly a product of their times.
 
This is an interesting move as centralizing in the downtown core seems to me to be a vote for transit oriented commuting (which given the pandemic was an uncertain premise at least in the short-term).

Traffic is already approaching gridlock downtown at rush hour, and this is with the majority of people still working from home. I suspect many will have the same idea of driving to work instead of the GO, many will realize it’s not sustainable, and all will be normal again in a year in terms of transit volume.

Companies who set up in Southcore during the pandemic like IBM, Amazon, Microsoft, etc. can afford to lock in office space that stays empty for half a year or longer, in exchange for years of prime real estate next to a transit hub.
 

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