It's been five weeks since we last checked in on CHAZ Yorkville, and in the intervening time the future 47-storey condominium tower has hit ground level across the site, and has started its climb into the Bloor-Yorkville area sky.

The crane rises over the CHAZ Yorkville site, image by Craig White

The Page + Steele/ IBI Group Architects-designed project on Charles Street East is under construction on one of Toronto's most quickly redeveloping streets. Casa, the tower immediately to the west is soon to be joined by Casa II, an excavation pit for which is now growing behind the hoarding right across the street from CHAZ. A third phase in that project, Casa III, is now in sales. Further to the east, X2 Condos is similarly rising across from X Condo. Anyone who knew Charles Street a half dozen years ago would have a tough time recognizing the street now, and would be completely lost in a few years time with the transformation that is on its way.

CHAZ Yorkville's hoarding on Charles Street, image by Craig White

Masses of rebar at ground level, seen below still awaiting the concrete pour, indicate that on this level some loads are going to be transferred. That is to say that walls carrying the tower above are not necessarily directly above the load-bearing walls of the garage below. The steel rebar reinforcement of the concrete allows the loads to be transferred from the skyscraper above into the walls which go straight down through the garage to the foundations below.

The ground floor is in and the second floor is just starting at CHAZ Yorkville, image by Craig White

At the back of the site, seen below, the ground floor is poured, and the second floor is just getting under way. Wooden forms will soon be built atop the platform. Electrical lines and cables will go in, and then another floor will be poured.

The second floor has started at the back of the site, image by Craig White

We will be back to check in on progress in a few weeks. Want to know more about the CHAZ in the meantime? There are lots of renderings and info in or dataBase entry for the project, linked below. Want to get in on the discussion? Choose one of the associated Forum thread links, or add your comment in the space provided on this page.