View Full Version : MaRS Centre - Phase II | U/C | 20 st | ??? m | Discovery District


AndrewJM3D
July 27th, 2011, 04:39 AM
Sorry, couldn't find the old thread. Anyway, it's back on track!

Completion September 2013.

http://www.sotawall.com/portfolio/Canada/MarsII-a436/02%20-%20Mars%20Phase%20II%20-%20Rendering.jpg

TORONTO, July 26, 2011 /CNW/ - MaRS Discovery District announced today that construction of MaRS Centre Phase 2 (www.marsdd.com/phase2) will proceed. This 20-storey state-of-the-art convergence centre, a substantial expansion of the facility, will enable MaRS to accelerate its role as a catalyst of innovation in the launching and growth of new science and technology businesses. To complete the development of MaRS Centre Phase 2, MaRS is partnering with the Province of Ontario and continuing its strategic relationship with Alexandria, the world's leading life science developer and owner.

The current MaRS Centre is at full occupancy, and cannot meet the increasing demand for space from both institutional and business tenants. MaRS Centre Phase 2, directly adjacent to the existing facility, will offer tenants co-located technologically advanced laboratory and office space; award-winning communications and information technology capabilities; access to a large multi-function conference centre; and collaboration opportunities with other MaRS tenants and partners across Canada and around the globe.

"The MaRS Centre has been at capacity since it opened six years ago, when we first started working with entrepreneurs building new growth companies. Today the MaRS community has tremendous momentum, and our facility is bursting at the seams! This expansion of the MaRS platform offers a huge opportunity to accelerate that momentum and further strengthen our innovation economy for future generations."— Ilse Treurnicht, CEO, MaRS Discovery District.

In the heart of downtown Toronto, the MaRS Centre is an architecturally inspiring space that has become the undisputed hub of Toronto's renowned Discovery District. The MaRS Centre is at the heart of a vibrant and creative urban environment known for its highly skilled and diverse talent pool. Among globally recognized universities, academic teaching hospitals and research institutes and in close proximity to Toronto's Financial District, business community, and government offices, its location provides a strong, sustainable innovation pipeline.

"Every day, the innovators and entrepreneurs at MaRS work on ideas that will save lives, invent whole new industries and create jobs we can't even imagine today," said Glen Murray, Minister of Research and Innovation and MPP for Toronto Centre. "Our government is proud to help meet the demand for state-of-the-art space that will help bring these projects to life."

Founded in 2000 and opened in 2005, the MaRS Centre brings companies of all sizes, researchers and innovators from different disciplines, investors, professional service firms, community organizations, and policymakers together in a thriving urban facility. This collaborative, interdisciplinary and cross-industry approach is the cornerstone of the MaRS model.

Phase 2 of the MaRS Centre will double the size of the facility to over 1.5 million sq. ft., making it one of the largest innovation hubs in the world. Today more than 2,300 researchers, innovators, entrepreneurs and professionals representing 80+ tenants come to work at MaRS every day. Every year thousands more come to attend seminars, workshops and conferences. MaRS Centre Phase 2, by more than doubling this vibrant and creative core, will dramatically enhance the capacity of the MaRS community as an innovation engine, creating the jobs of the future economy.

Two prominent tenants have already committed to leasing space in the new building. The Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, with its exceptional translational cancer research and commercialization programs, presently in the south tower, will expand into MaRS Centre Phase 2. Public Health Ontario, a central player in public health research and policy and in infectious diseases management, will anchor its provincial network in MaRS Centre Phase 2.

To finance the project, Infrastructure Ontario is providing a fully repayable loan to MaRS, which, with investments by MaRS and the existing investment of Alexandria, will enable MaRS to complete the project. MaRS Centre Phase 2 will be developed and operated by MaRS and has an anticipated completion date of September 2013.

Dino Domingo
July 27th, 2011, 05:57 PM
This is amazing. That corner has just sat there for years so it's great to see this will proceed as planned and NOT in Mississauga. Wonder, though, if all that exposure to the elements has in any way eroded the foundation and if they are able to simply pick up where they left off or if it means additional re-construction...

Jasonzed
August 21st, 2011, 12:43 AM
Good to see the cranes back up again.
http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii108/jasonzedd/Toronto/20110820025.jpg

AndrewJM3D
August 21st, 2011, 12:53 AM
Very good to see the cranes on site.

Jasonzed
September 19th, 2011, 12:41 AM
http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii108/jasonzedd/Toronto/20110917090.jpg

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii108/jasonzedd/Toronto/20110917086.jpg

Travis007
October 11th, 2011, 03:29 PM
http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/10/11/information-booth-three-red-cranes-signal-life-at-mars/#more-99172

Information Booth: Three red cranes signal life at MaRS

Peter Kuitenbrouwer Oct 11, 2011 – 8:33 AM ET

http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/6061/1011mars.jpg

In 2007 MaRS began Phase 2, a 20-storey, 750,000 square-foot glass box. But transforming “Ideas to Reality” proved more difficult than just painting the slogan on a stretch of plywood. Pasadena, California-based Alexandria Real Estate Equities Inc., MaRS’s development partner, halted the project in the fall of 2008, citing liquidity issues. Tenants also proved scarce; Randal Froebelius, vice-president of real estate for MaRS, told the Post: “We don’t want to build an empty building.”

This July workers returned to the job site after Ontario expanded the loan program of Infrastructure Ontario, a provincial Crown agency, to include MaRS. The agency is lending MaRS $230-million to build the tower.

“The current MaRS Centre is at full occupancy, and cannot meet the increasing demand for space,” MaRS said in a news release. The Ontario Institute for Cancer Research and Public Health Ontario have both signed on as tenants at the new tower, which MaRS plans to open in 2013.

Jasonzed
December 6th, 2011, 12:14 AM
from sat
http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii108/jasonzedd/Toronto/20111203075.jpg

Jasonzed
December 11th, 2011, 04:25 PM
http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii108/jasonzedd/Toronto/20111210013.jpg

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii108/jasonzedd/Toronto/20111210011.jpg

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii108/jasonzedd/Toronto/20111210018.jpg

MattToronto
December 12th, 2011, 07:58 AM
Very weird to see something going up here. It was flat concrete since I'd moved to Toronto.

Travis007
February 4th, 2012, 01:10 AM
February 3, 2012


http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7144/6814017277_571b48a412_b.jpg

Dino Domingo
February 4th, 2012, 04:19 AM
Awesome update. ;)

Sid_toronto
February 5th, 2012, 10:30 PM
i believe that a building's progress is negatively correlated to its proximity to the University of Toronto.
This development drove me crazy during my undergrad, they need to finish it in this new decade we're in.

isaidso
February 6th, 2012, 01:27 AM
I have a feeling this will turn out as well as Sick Kids Research Centre. I love both of them.

Jasonzed
February 21st, 2012, 02:47 AM
http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii108/jasonzedd/Toronto/20120220036.jpg

Taller, Better
April 30th, 2012, 04:12 AM
http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/Autumn%202007/SUMMER%202012/IMGP8730iApril292012MaRS.jpg

Sir John A has something new to watch! :)

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j251/dawnd_01/Autumn%202007/SUMMER%202012/IMGP8727iApril292012.jpg

oceanmdx
April 30th, 2012, 05:19 AM
That's funny how it looks like two buildings are going up.

Taller, Better
April 30th, 2012, 05:22 AM
I thought the same thing while standing there.

Nouvellecosse
April 30th, 2012, 05:31 AM
It's already half done and we still don't have an official height?

MattToronto
May 2nd, 2012, 08:06 PM
Show meee the cladding!