Toronto, Ontario
Construction: 2010 – 2011
Owner: Joint venture between Fernbrook Homes, Cityzen Development Group, and Castlepoint Group
Client: Dominus Construction Group
Shoring Contractor: Deep Foundations Contractors Inc.
Architect: Studio Libeskind
Structural Engineer: Jablonsky, Ast and Partners International
The L Tower at 8 The Esplanade is a mixed-use tower at the north-east corner of the intersection of Yonge Street and the Esplanade with a connection to the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts (formerly Hummingbird Centre).
Isherwood designed a caisson shoring wall with two levels of rock anchors to facilitate the excavation of three basement levels and to support a pedestrian tunnel connection to the existing development across the street. Shotcrete was installed at the neighbouring building and rock anchors were drilled into the exposed rock face below. The shoring system was also used to support an onsite sales center and provided access across the excavation using a shoring-supported platform. A Toronto Hydro vault along Yonge Street also required a complex protection detail while a re-entrant corner caused additional challenges when fine soils began to flow into the site through a large hole in the caisson wall. Many of these challenges arose during construction from both client requirements and specific site conditions. Isherwood’s strength lay in our ability to provide quick, efficient solutions that worked.