With some of the city’s most anticipated partnerships and innovations all coming to Toronto’s eastern waterfront, the area is set to undergo a cutting-edge transformation that’ll lead Toronto into the future. See five changes coming soon to Queen’s Quay East that place this area in the hub of transformation, with Empire Quay House at the heart of it all.
New Parks, Beaches and Even a New Island Will Become Local Hot Spots
There’s no denying that Toronto’s waterfront is undergoing an incredible transformation, and two of the most excitable changes coming to the East End are a new park and beach space, as well as a brand new island. Much like Sugar Beach, the city’s new sandy beach will serve as the perfect summer hangout spot, and its adjacent two-acre park can be used outdoor concerts or other public events. Set to be complete in 2024, Villiers Island in the Port Lands is also poised to become a local favourite spot, with 25 hectares of public park space, trails, canoeing and kayaking opportunities and the city’s biggest playground.
Increased Transit Measures will Make Getting Around Even Easier
One of the most significant changes to Queen’s Quay East is the City of Toronto’s waterfront transit reset, an ambitious undertaking that will include two lanes of east-west traffic and a dedicated Light Rail Transit (LRT) in the middle for commuters; wide sidewalks lined with mature trees for cyclists and pedestrians; and new pathing connections on the Martin Goodman Trail, allowing for uninterrupted access from the Lake Shore through to lower Spadina Avenue. The Esplanade is also undergoing transformation, with bi-directional bike lanes that stretch from Yonge Street all the way to Bayview Avenue.
Global Giant Google Will Open a New HQ
In early 2020, Google announced that one of its three new offices on Canadian soil would be located on Toronto’s eastern waterfront, just a seven-minute drive from Quay House at 65 King Street East. In line with the area’s next generation of technological development and sustainability, the Google office will feature over 18,000 sq.ft. of outdoor terraces and bike stalls, over 10,000 sq.ft. of public retail space and over 400,000 sq.ft. of office space across 18 floors. Their office is expected to be complete in 2022 and bring 5,000 new jobs to the area.
The Waterfront Innovation Centre will Usher in a New Era of Commercial Development
Now under construction on Toronto’s east end, the Waterfront Innovation Centre is a cutting-edge project that will lead the next wave of commercial office development by creating an environment that sustains and prioritizes creativity, collaboration and community, and be as useful for recreation as it is for production. Part of the renewal of Toronto’s waterfront and an answer to the city’s rapidly evolving creative and technology sectors, the Waterfont Innovation Centre will include built-in workshops and lab spaces for productivity, as well as direct fiber connection that can achieve speeds as fast as one terabyte per second.
The centre’s smart design also includes sustainability goals, with green roofs and reflective high-albedo surfaces, multiple outdoor terraces for lounging, geothermal heating, purposeful solar orientation and reduced mechanical systems. Upon completion, the Waterfront Innovation Centre will blend seamlessly into Toronto’s revitalized waterfront and is projected to create approximately 40,000 new jobs.
‘Parliament Ship’ Will Give Torontonians New Access to the Water
Sidewalk Labs’ ship may have sailed, but there’s already a game-changing plan in place to develop the 12-acres of land the Google affiliate group left behind. Located at the foot of Parliament Street, the proposed Parliament Ship will be a local landmark for those who can’t get enough of the water, and will include lakeside pools, a floating restaurant, lakeside amphitheatre, kayak and canoe launches and more.
Empire Quay House was made for a new generation of Torontonians, with recreation, education, employment and entertainment opportunities on its doorstep. To learn more about Quay House and the Queen’s Quay East area, click here.
Images courtesy of Wikipedia (transit); Daily Hive (Villiers Island); National Post (Parliament Ship).