Looks like a good 6' between the bottom of the slab they are forming to where the diagonal steel column starts.

So we are either getting a thick transfer slab - or a dropped slab that will allow for access flooring that a retail tenant might need. :)
Apple runs all their wiring/tech in the ceiling so should this well speculated rumour be true, likely the former. Are we certain that the diagonal columns reach the floor though? Looks like they are clad so that could easily make up the ~6".
 
Screen-Shot-2019-08-09-at-2-31-48-PM.png
 
So does that mean that the "Apple store" wont be using the lobby space?

Nigh impossible. The entrance elevator lobby (you can see the elevator shafts already in the contruction pics) of the hotel/residential portion is off to western side of the building - and that space, like the main retail unit - will be 3s high. The whole point of having this arrangement (and the structure of this entire building) is to enable an uninterrupted ground floor retail unit for <fruitco>.

From the Architectural Plans dated Sept 2018:

Ground:
213873


Level 2 (2 floors above ground, after mezzanine):
213880

(Mizrahi/F+P/Core)

The floors after that are devoted to 2 floors of restaurant/event space, followed by the hotel and residential lobby proper.

On another note - has anyone seen this kind of floor construction before? I have never seen support using steel plates instead of the more typical I-beams before - and those steel plates look thick (but is it sufficient to support a deck without further reinforcement and support, beyond the 6 columns? On the other hand, those columns will not be supporting much beyond the ground floor since the rest of the load above went through the periphery supercolumns)? So. Many. Questions.

AoD
 
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Nigh impossible. The entrance elevator lobby (you can see the elevator shafts already in the contruction pics) of the hotel/residential portion is off to western side of the building - and that space, like the main retail unit - will be 3s high. The whole point of having this arrangement (and the structure of this entire building) is to enable an uninterrupted ground floor retail unit for <fruitco>.

From the Architectural Plans dated Sept 2018:

Ground:
View attachment 213873

Level 2 (2 floors above ground, after mezzanine):
View attachment 213880
(Mizrahi/F+P/Core)

The floors after that are devoted to 2 floors of restaurant/event space, followed by the hotel and residential lobby proper.

On another note - has anyone seen this kind of floor construction before? I have never seen support using steel plates instead of the more typical I-beams before - and those steel plates look thick (but is it sufficient to support a deck without further reinforcement and support, beyond the 6 columns? On the other hand, those columns will not be supporting much beyond the ground floor since the rest of the load above went through the periphery supercolumns)? So. Many. Questions.

AoD
I dont believe they are there to strengthen the floor, they are there in tension, the angle girders transfer the next 80 floors of load down to the mega columns, this creates a massive outwards push on all those columns, the steel acts as ties to tension the columns against each other, otherwise the columns would bow / pancake outwards. Think of them like collar ties / rafter ties on a stick frame house to stop the walls from bowing.

You can tell they arent there for floor support as small regular poured columns are in the level below.
 
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I was looking at older drawings and found some major changes in the lower level. Note the changes in both the layout and the description of the -1 Level.

Previously:
213971


What's being built:
213972


Previously, the lower level was labeled as BOH (Back of House), and there was space for an additional tenant (270 sq ft "store"). That entire space has since been consolidated into a 6,551 sq ft retail unit with not only an elevator, but stairs. This is going to be a 2 story, 15,500 sq ft Apple Store. Some of this space will have to be partitioned off for stock rooms and other back of house operations but given the addition of stairs, it seems that at least a part of the lower level will be accessible to the public.

Also, note the wide PATH connection. I don't think Apple would add a storefront into an otherwise empty lower level but the door is there. Probably just an emergency exit.
 
I was looking at older drawings and found some major changes in the lower level. Note the changes in both the layout and the description of the -1 Level.

Previously:


What's being built


Previously, the lower level was labeled as BOH (Back of House), and there was space for an additional tenant (270 sq ft "store"). That entire space has since been consolidated into a 6,551 sq ft retail unit with not only an elevator, but stairs. This is going to be a 2 story, 15,500 sq ft Apple Store. Some of this space will have to be partitioned off for stock rooms and other back of house operations but given the addition of stairs, it seems that at least a part of the lower level will be accessible to the public.

Also, note the wide PATH connection. I don't think Apple would add a storefront into an otherwise empty lower level but the door is there. Probably just an emergency exit.

"store" in that drawing means storage, not another retail unit.

I wouldn't be surprised if apple had some sort of entrance from the PATH level. The way the retail unit is drawn to interact with the PATH area is prior to tenant fixturing - I would be surprised if it remains a blank wall like that.
 
"store" in that drawing means storage, not another retail unit.

I wouldn't be surprised if apple had some sort of entrance from the PATH level. The way the retail unit is drawn to interact with the PATH area is prior to tenant fixturing - I would be surprised if it remains a blank wall like that.
It looks like the PATH access is really only meant for the hotel and residents. It's more an access stub than any sort of meaningful retail pathway. Now who knows in the future if that'll change, but I don't see that single piddly door being with Apple's aesthetic. Big, wide and open seems to be their thing. Maybe someday if there's a south side connection (it's roughed in for future extension, if I remember correctly)
 
The guy I talked to about the Apple store also mentioned that when I asked about the connection across Bloor to the subway. He said there would be knock out panels but no immediate plans to build the tunnel.

So it basically confirms the architectural plans - "future tunnel connection" meant exactly that. Not much point to it until it gets extended southward anyways.

AoD
 

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