Thanks for that pic Towered! The big questions is… what's that crane doing here this early in the process? Or, could that be there to haul some new HVAC equipment to the top of an adjacent building, possibly? Anyway, since you work near there, please update us when you are able!

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Sorry, I didn't see your response until now - the crane was indeed for HVAC equipment for the neighbouring 80's condo tower. All that excitement for nothing!
 
135 metres, wow! That's pushing 450'. There might not be a taller courthouse building that tall other than in New York.
 
From the top of City Hall during yesterday's Doors Open.

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There's a great article by John Lorinc in the latest Spacing Magazine on the archaeological dig and history of the site before it was paved over.
 
The zoning required for this building was passed at July City Council.

With there only being a massing concept so far, the zoning allows a building as high as 135 metres, while the programme so far requires one which might be as low as 124.1 metres over 22 storeys plus 2 mechanical penthouse levels.

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Hey @biospherian, "in the Fall" is as specific as they have been so far.

BTW, you can alert someone whom you are writing to more quickly by including the @ symbol before their handle!

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While I respect the province's position on avoiding political or partisan gestures in the way we design and build our courthouses, acknowledging black history hardly seems political or partisan. I wouldn't get the impression from a display of the artefacts that black people are somehow of a higher status before the court than others if the connection of the artefacts to the site is made clear.
 
New Release:

Teams prequalified for new Toronto courthouse project
TORONTO, Oct. 4, 2016 /CNW/ - Infrastructure Ontario (IO) and the Ministry of the Attorney General (MAG) have announced two prequalified teams to design, build, finance and maintain a new Toronto courthouse.

The teams were selected based on criteria identified in the request for qualifications (RFQ) process that began in April 2016. Selection criteria included design and construction capability, experience, and the financial capacity to deliver a project of this size and complexity.

The following teams are prequalified for the new Toronto courthouse project:

Plenary Justice:

  • Architects : WZMH Architects, Perkins Eastman, and CGL Ricci Greene
  • Constructor: PCL Constructors Canada Inc.
  • Facilities management: Johnson Controls Inc.
  • Financial Advisor: TD Securities Inc.


Ellis Don Infrastructure:

  • Architects: NORR Ltd, and Renzo Piano Building Workshop
  • Constructor: Ellis Don Design build Inc.
  • Facilities management: Ellis Don Facilities Service Inc., and SNC Lavalin
  • Financial Advisor: Ellis Don Capital Inc.


The two teams will be invited to prepare proposals that will detail how they will design, build, finance and maintain the new courthouse. Once submissions are received, IO and MAG will evaluate the proposals, select a preferred bidder and then negotiate a final contract. A fairness monitor will oversee the entire process and the successful bidder is expected to be announced in fall 2017.

The new courthouse, located steps from St. Patrick subway station, directly north of the courthouse at 361 University Avenue, will bring together most of Toronto'sOntario Court of Justice criminal courts operating across the city. Amalgamation of justice programs and services will reduce operational and facilities costs, make court administration more efficient, and better serve the community.

The new courthouse's design will be modern and accessible with features such as:

  • Video conferencing to allow witnesses to appear from remote locations and in-custody individuals to appear from detention facilities
  • Closed-circuit television to enable children and other vulnerable individuals to appear before the court from a private room
  • Courtroom video/audio systems to allow counsel to display video evidence recorded in various formats and for the simultaneous viewing of evidence
  • A single point of entry with magnetometers, baggage scanners, continuous video surveillance, and separate corridors for judiciary, members of the public and the accused for security reasons
  • Barrier-free access


Quick Facts

  • IO is leading the project on behalf of the Ministry of the Attorney General (MAG).
  • The project is being delivered using IO's Alternative Financing and Procurement model, an innovative way of financing and procuring large, complex public infrastructure projects, with a track record of being 98 per cent on budget to date.
  • The new courthouse will be located at 11 Centre Avenue, bordered by Chestnut and Armoury Streets.
  • Last year, IO led an archaeological excavation of the new Toronto courthousesite that recovered thousands of artifacts, mainly from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
  • In early 2016, IO and MAG convened a Heritage Interpretation Working Group to provide an open forum to seek consultation and advice that will inform the Heritage Interpretation Plan for the new Toronto courthouse.
  • As a first step for heritage interpretation, IO will be installing artwork on construction fencing for the new Toronto courthouse to help commemorate the downtown site's rich cultural history.
  • Amalgamating several courts into one state-of-the-art facility reduces the government's overall footprint and helps ensure the province's real estate portfolio is sustainable, accessible and efficient.
  • The courthouse will be designed to meet the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Silver standard with a focus on energy efficiency, healthy indoor environments and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
  • Ontario is making the largest investment in public infrastructure in the province's history - about $160 billion over 12 years, which is supporting 110,000 jobs every year across the province, with projects such as roads, bridges, transit systems, schools and hospitals. In 2015, the province announced support for more than 475 projects that are helping to keep people and goods moving, connect communities and improve quality of life. To learn more about infrastructure projects in your community, go to Ontario.ca/BuildON.
 
Well, I kinda wanna see one of those teams win the bid.

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