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Project Updates & Construction Notices

Lawson Centre for Sustainability

Ç¿¼éÊÓƵ has been working on the planning and design of our new mixed-use residence and academic building for several years. We are excited to announce that mobilization for the construction of this transformational project is underway. We will endeavour to keep all community members informed of the ongoing changes to our campus throughout this time. Project updates and construction notices (including access to campus) will be posted on this page — please check back often.

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Updates & Construction Notices

  • November 18-19, 2024: One of the two construction cranes will be dismantled on November 18 to 19. During these dates, please exercise increased caution and awareness when using the pedestrian walkway between Devonshire Place and Philosopher’s Walk, located south of Varsity Stadium. While pedestrian access will remain open, please be mindful of increased vehicle traffic and overhead activity as we complete the dismantling of the crane.
  • October 2024: Basement mechanical and electrical equipment installation is nearing completion. Ongoing interior work continues in the east wing (Whiteside House) and centre wing (Nevil Thomas Wing). Mass timber installation has begun in the Arthur Scace Academic Building (west wing).
  • September 2024: Mass timber installation in the central wing (Nevil Thomas Wing) is ongoing. Whiteside House (east wing): work on interior finishes begins; and work on residence room bathrooms, tiling, wall finishes and paint also begins.

U of T Update | Devonshire Place: Ongoing construction on the University of Toronto’s Academic Wood Tower project (north end of Devonshire Place at Bloor Street) may cause intermittent delays along Devonshire Place. The City of Toronto has also designated Devonshire Place as a one-way street (south-bound only from Bloor St. to Hoskin Ave.). Please remember to follow all posted signage and safety instructions. Thank you.

Spring/Summer 2024 Updates

  • August 2024: Residence room mock-up and foundation work completed. One residence room has been entirely completed, including all paint and finishes, to act as an example for the remaining rooms. All building foundation work is completed. Façade work is ongoing, and insulation installation is in progress on the Whiteside House exterior.
  • July 2024: Mass timber and work on centre wing. Mass timber installation is ongoing, and work has started in the Nevil Thomas Wing. The centre wing structure is anticipated to be completed by October.
  • June 2024: Window installation. Whiteside House window installation is completed. All windows are triple glazed for superior insulating properties, and also include bird fritting for increased visibility. All residence rooms include operable windows that will open to allow for fresh air into each room.
  • May 2024: Roofing, limestone and brick facade work. Whiteside House structural mass timber is completed. Whiteside House roofing is also completed – this is major milestone for the completion of the building envelope (to prevent water infiltration through the roof). Limestone and brick facade work has started on the southeast corner of the Whiteside House. Mechanical and electrical fit out is ongoing in all locations.
  • April 2024: Mass timber structural and concrete work. Whiteside House mass timber structure for level 3 (of 4) is completed. Nevil Thomas Wing basement concrete work is ongoing, including foundation walls, slab on grade, and structural columns.

Winter 2024 Updates

  • March 2024: Mass timber installation begins. Preparatory work for tunnel opening begins, connecting the new building to Trinity proper building. The Nevil Thomas Wing (centre wing) slab on grade is poured. Mass timber erection begins on the ground floor of Whiteside House (east wing – student residence).
  • February 2024: Foundation wall work continues. The Nevil Thomas Wing (centre wing) foundation wall concrete pour is completed. The Gerald Larkin Building foundation wall waterproofing is completed. Tunnel waterproofing is ongoing between the Gerald Larkin Building and Trinity proper building.
  • January 2024: More concrete pours and basement mechanical/electrical work. Second concrete stairwell core concrete pour began – this will be an elevator and stairwell shaft in the Whiteside House (east wing – student residence). Mechanical and electrical conduits are run along the central core to prepare for the basement concrete slab.

Fall 2023 Updates

  • December 2023: The Lawson Centre for Sustainability reaches another milestone! The first delivery of mass timber is expected at the end of the month. Work on the third floor of the eastern stairwell core has started.
  • November 2023: Bulk excavation in the area surrounding the George Ignatieff Theatre is complete. Concrete columns and foundation walls are poured. Detailed excavation work continues.
  • October 2023: The central concrete structure for the stairs on the building’s eastern side begins to take shape. Bulk excavation, shoring and foundation work across the building footprint is ongoing.
  • September 2023: Bulk excavation continues across building footprint. Bulk excavation work continues in the south and west wings of the Lawson Centre for Sustainability.

Summer 2023 Updates

  • August 2023: Bulk excavation in the east wing of the building footprint is complete. Foundation work and concrete pours have now begun in the east wing.
  • July 14, 2023: Bulk excavation is underway for the Lawson Centre for Sustainability. The construction team is removing soil, rock and other material to prepare for foundation work in the fall. Expect an increase in truck traffic along Devonshire Place, along with increased noise and debris during this time. Please exercise caution when travelling along Devonshire Place.
  • June 19, 2023: Construction Cranes. The assembly of the two cranes on the construction site will take place this week. There may be more truck traffic than normal as construction equipment and materials are delivered to the site, along with periods of increased noise during assembly. Thank you for your patience.

Spring 2023 Updates

  • June 2, 2023: Devonshire Place. The City of Toronto is relocating a fire hydrant along Devonshire Place near St. Hilda’s College. In addition, U of T construction work has also started near the Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport (on the north end of Devonshire Place). Please note, the City may periodically close Devonshire Place (one direction and/or both directions) to vehicular traffic, and pedestrians should follow marked walking paths. Please exercise caution when travelling along Devonshire Place.
  • May 18, 2023: The Lawson Centre for Sustainability reaches a construction milestone! Concrete has been poured for the first of two crane bases and the second will be completed this week. There is still plenty of work to be done to prepare the foundation, but soon both cranes will be erected, marking the exciting start of excavation before building upwards.
  • May 8, 2023: Stormwater retention tank installed in the north field. This large underground reservoir will collect water during periods of heavy rainfall, ensuring that the field will not flood. The collected rainwater will drain back into the building’s water system where it will be reused to flush toilets, and eventually be discharged through the City’s sanitation system.
  • May 1, 2023: North door and gate reopen. Construction along the north edge of Ç¿¼éÊÓƵ (6 Hoskin Ave.) is complete and the door north of the Combination Room and the north gate of the Quad have reopened.
  • April 17, 2023: Temporary closure of the north door and gate of Ç¿¼éÊÓƵ (6 Hoskin Ave). As of Monday, April 17, there will be no access into or out of the building through the door north of the Combination Room or the north gate of the Quad for up to two weeks due to construction activity. Please enter through the west and main doors. Emergency exits will be clearly marked in these areas, please follow signage as posted and check back for regular updates.
  • April 11, 2023: Laneway south of Varsity Stadium reopens. Work on the site services in the northeast corner of the construction site is complete, and Graham Construction has resurfaced the original road serving the Varsity Centre. Please note: There is still no pedestrian access on this road. The pedestrian walkway directly south of the Varsity Centre between Devonshire Place and Philosopher’s Walk will be maintained for the duration of the project (see map, below).
  • April 5, 2023: Gerald Larkin Building classrooms to serve as construction office. We are happy to welcome Graham Construction to the second floor of the Larkin Building. Two classrooms overlooking the construction site will serve as Graham’s office for the remainder of the construction of the Lawson Centre for Sustainability.

Winter 2023 Updates

  • March 31, 2023: Geothermal installation complete. In December 2022, rigs began drilling the geothermal boreholes for the Lawson Centre for Sustainability’s renewable heating and cooling system. A total of 57 boreholes were drilled, which is equal to 11 km worth of geothermal exchange capacity. All tie-ins were finished at the end of March 2023. The tie-ins will be connected to the new building once construction is finished.
  • February 21, 2023: Phase 2 of the Lawson Centre for Sustainability to begin imminently. Graham Construction has installed a temporary road through the site for emergency and authorized vehicle access only to the Varsity Centre. Please note there is no pedestrian access on the temporary road. The pedestrian walkway directly south of the Varsity Centre between Devonshire Place and Philosopher’s Walk will be maintained for the duration of the project (see map below).
  • February 7, 2023: Pedestrian access modifications. There will be ongoing modifications to the pedestrian access north of Strachan Hall and the Combination Room area this month, including an increase in construction traffic in the laneway over the remainder of this week. Access will be maintained during this period. Please follow signage as posted and check back for regular updates.
  • Starting January 2023: Construction activity increases. There will be more traffic, including trucks entering and existing the construction zone, along with intermittent periods of loud or disruptive work. During working hours, construction workers are stationed at the entry/exit route on Devonshire Place to assist with truck traffic. Please travel safely along Devonshire Place. Thank you for your patience.

Fall 2022 Updates

  • December 19, 2022: Geothermal drilling begins. Rigs are in place to start drilling the 200-metre-deep boreholes. There are a total of 57 boreholes to be drilled, which equals 11 km worth of geothermal-exchange capacity.
  • December 5, 2022: Excess soil removal. Topsoil is being removed in preparation for geothermal drilling. Expect increased truck traffic and noise on site.
  • October 3, 2022: Construction mobilization begins on-site. At this time site access will be limited—please see the drop-down menu below for more information about Campus Accessibility. During construction, there will be lots of activity across our campus, including increased traffic in various areas and some intermittent periods of loud or disruptive work.
  • October 2, 2022: Trinity’s parking lot is closed permanently. ǿ¼éÊÓƵ paid parking spaces will no longer be available after this date. There are nearby parking facilities at the OISE above-ground parking lot (71 Prince Arthur Ave.) and the St. George underground parking lot (107 St. George St.)

 

Access to Campus

The map below shows the approximate location of the construction zone (shaded in red) for Phase 1 of the project (October 2022 through March 2023). Descriptions and accessible text are provided below the map.

  • There is no access to the campus through the former parking lot area.
  • For barrier-free access, see the section below.
  • Access to the Trinity campus from Philosopher’s Walk will be limited.

The entire construction site is under the authority of Graham Construction, and for safety and other reasons, no one (students, staff, faculty, and visitors) can enter or travel through the construction zone (fenced enclosure) for any reason at any time. Entrances and egress from all Trinity buildings will be maintained during most of the construction schedule. When there are limited impacts to specific areas, community members will be notified and updates will be provided here.

Legend for the 'Pedestrian Pathways' Image Below

  • Light Blue dotted line: Pedestrian path providing campus access – see items #1 and #4 below
  • Dark Blue dotted line: Pedestrian path providing barrier-free campus access – see items #2 and #3 below
  • Pink dotted line: Pedestrian path connecting Philosopher’s Walk and Devonshire Place – see item #5 below
  • Shaded red area: No pedestrian access – indicates the approximate location of the construction site boundaries: south of the Varsity Stadium lane; west of Philosopher’s Walk; north of Ç¿¼éÊÓƵ proper and the Gerald Larkin Building; and east of the George Ignatieff Theatre and the former parking lot.
  1. Campus Access: Ç¿¼éÊÓƵ main entrance at 6 Hoskin Avenue (during operating hours)
  2. Barrier-Free Campus Access from Hoskin Avenue: north through the laneway between Ç¿¼éÊÓƵ and the Graham Library/Munk School
  3. Barrier-Free Campus Access from Devonshire Place: through the Munk School North Building (1 Devonshire Place) – main entrance and the northeast rear entrance
  4. Campus Access: along the south side of the Gerald Larkin Building at 15 Devonshire Place
  5. Connection between Philosopher’s Walk and Devonshire Place: along the existing covered walkway of the Varsity Centre and along the designated path to Philosopher’s Walk
  6. Henderson Gate, Trinity Quad: no access through Philosopher’s Walk

New Building Construction Site: Pedestrian Pathway - Aeiral View

 

Construction Timeline

Construction Timeline

TIMELINE (fiscal year) PROJECT PHASE STATUSÌý(as of December 2022)
2022-2025 Construction

October 2022: Mobilization, groundbreaking

October 2022 – March 2023: Phase 1 – Early Works, Excavation, Utilities Relocation, Site Services

December 2022: Preliminary excavation and geothermal work

February 2023 – May 2023: Phase 2 – Site Servicing, Duct Bank Routing, Geothermal Borehole Drilling

May 2023: Bulk excavation and foundation work

October 2023: Core mass timber structure begins

December 2023: Interior fit out and finishings

January 2024: Building envelope work begins (roofing, wall assemblies)

October 2024: Power on, commissioning phase begins

June 2025: Interior furnishings

Spring 2025 Project Completion Expected
Fall 2025 Student Occupancy Expected

 

 

 

Ç¿¼éÊÓƵ Project Team

If you have construction or building-related questions, please contact:

Gregor Browning, Special Projects Officer at gregor.browning@utoronto.ca

 

For more information about , how you can , please contact: livingtrinity@trinity.utoronto.ca