CF Toronto Eaton Centre roof to get new glass
By Adam Freill
ConstructionCadillac Fairview planning several upgrades to landmark shopping centre.
Eaton Centre’s iconic glass roof.
(Image provided on behalf of Zeidler Architecture Inc. – CNW Group/Cadillac Fairview Corporation Limited)
Toronto’s Eaton Centre is getting a $60 million refurbishment of its galleria skylight roof. Mall owner Cadillac Fairviewsays the existing glass will be replaced with the latest materials and technologies to improve energy efficiency while maintaining its classic design aesthetic.
“At Cadillac Fairview we are proud to continually invest in our properties to deliver a world-class shopping experience,” said Wayne Barwise, executive vice-president of development. “The galleria’s original design was inspired by the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Italy and has served as a distinguishing feature of the mall since the centre’s opening in 1977.”
The refurbishment will involve Zeidler Architecture Inc. and consulting engineering firm Read Jones Christoffersen, with construction overseen by EllisDon Corporation. The project will be carried out in two phases, starting with the south end of the mall in mid-January 2022. Work on the north end will commence in March 2023.
“As the original architects of the galleria, we’re honoured to play a continuing role in one of the city’s most iconic buildings,” said David Collins, partner at Zeidler Architecture Inc. “This revitalization will ensure the skylight roof is fit-for-purpose and sustainable in the long term, all while retaining its original architectural splendor.”
The shopping centre’s “Flight Stop” art installation, which depicts 60 Canada geese mid-flight and has come to serve as a visual identity for the centre, will be temporarily and carefully removed by an art restoration company for professional maintenance and placed in safe storage until re-installation.
The Eaton Centre is also slated to get three new staircases as well; part of a $17 million renovation that will also bring improvements to elevators, and the installation of a larger cab in an existing elevator to better accommodate strollers and mobility scooters.
