A landmark building at one of Toronto’s most prominent intersections is getting a makeover, as GWL Realty Advisors (GWLRA) begins extensive renovations to modernize 33 Yonge’s façade and lobby which is part of an overall strategy to reimagine the property as a destination.
GWLRA is undertaking the renovations and rebranding on behalf of its owners, the Great-West Life Canadian Real Estate Investment Fund No.1 (CREIF) and the London Life Real Estate Fund. The renovations commenced this summer and will be completed in the fall of 2025.
Along with the renovations, GWLRA is revealing new branding for the property – now called Berczy Square – drawing inspiration from the adjacent Berczy Park and the building’s unique location at the junction of two distinct neighbourhoods in Toronto’s downtown core.
“Steps from the Financial District, Union Station, and serving as a gateway to the St. Lawrence Market and the surrounding downtown, Berczy Square is a beautiful building in a premier location,” said Steffan Smith, Executive Vice President, Asset Management at GWLRA.
“The commercial office market is evolving, and projects like Berczy Square will meet the needs of today’s workplaces while setting a new standard for amenities and design. Our investments will transform the lobby into an active, welcoming space for workers and visitors and revitalize the collection of restaurants on the ground floor.
“It’s a very unique building. It is our most unique building. It’s short but it takes up a full city block. So it’s 13 storeys and it was built in a way where the developer created an atrium with natural light from top to bottom. Nobody would ever build a building this way. We’re just lucky enough to have these bones where there’s natural light coming right into the core. You can walk into the lobby, look straight up and see the sky.”
The building will be home to five new or refreshed restaurants.
“We had four restaurants to begin with. When we were rebranding and going to do the lobby renovation, we didn’t want to do the lobby repositioning without knowing who our long-term F&B (food and beverage) clients were going to be,” said Smith.
“So once we started showing these folks what we were planning for the asset, we got best in class breakfast, lunch and dinner. And even to the Michelin Star rated group.”
Three of the restaurants are open while two are being built out and will be completed by mid 2025.
The Joneses, owned and operated by the Oliver & Bonacini Group, is open as is Biff’s Bistro and Café Landwer.
Ceci Bar, by O&B, and Sammarco by the group behind Giulietta and Osteria Giulia are the ones next to open.
“This is not your standard Bay Street rectangle tower. It has very large floorplates. It has the natural light spilling into the core but we are a six-minute walk from Union Station so you still have that great location which is what folks are looking for as they start or continue to bring people back to the office,” said Smith.
“But we also have this natural greenspace and this park just on the other side of the street. We believe it checks all the boxes with natural light, wellness, greenspace, close to Union Station, across the street from Brookfield and the Path so it really does everything without being 100 per cent corporate.”
An interpretation of the classic Italian steakhouse, Chef Rob Rossi and David Minicucci’s latest entry to Toronto’s culinary scene, Sammarco, will offer an upscale dining experience. With interiors by II by IV Design and branding by Concrete, Sammarco will feature unique stone detailing, terrazzo and marble flooring, and warm wood-accented walls. Guests will enjoy a private dining room for corporate events, a wine room, and an outdoor terrace.
“There is a renaissance of restaurants happening in Toronto, and we look forward to opening in one of the most iconic parts of the downtown core,” said Chef Rob Rossi, whose Yorkville restaurant Osteria Giulia earned a Michelin Star in 2023. “Sammarco will build on the success of our other locations to offer guests exceptional food and an unparalleled dining experience that reshapes the concept of a steakhouse. From simple and beautifully presented food, attentive service, and a curated wine list, to bespoke plateware and fine Italian linen, we are creating an incredible hospitality venue.”
“Extensive renovations to the building’s lobby are intended to create a sense of community, with a design that evokes feelings of pause and escape. Helmed by Alison McNeil from DIALOG, who drew inspiration from her extensive background in hospitality and workplace design, each of the lobby’s bold design moves draw direct inspiration from natural elements,” said GWLRA in a statement.
“Upon entering the lobby, visitors will be greeted by oversized pillars which serve as a backdrop for a natural stone front desk. Evoking the feeling of arriving in a hotel lobby, the dramatic entrance is meant to offer a sense of discovery. Behind the arrival area, a pond surrounded by seating under hanging moss pendants offers a place for solitude and relaxation. An expansive wooden deck will take up the middle section of the lobby, offering a range of seating options and a fireplace feature.
“To accentuate the soaring ceilings of the building’s atrium, the elevator bay will be wrapped in a nine-storey trellis-like structure. The trellis will feature live plantings and will be accompanied by an 80-foot-tall digital screen displaying art work.”
“There is a perception that there is a sudden change in what workers need out of an office, but the way people work has been evolving for nearly two decades,” said McNeil. “A building must offer more than a computer, a desk and a chair. Buildings need amenities, spaces that inspire collaboration and, most importantly, they need to foster a sense of community. We’re excited to be working with GWLRA because they understand the importance of experience.”
The lobby design is the latest in a series of upgrades to 33 Yonge, including an exclusive gym for building tenants and end-of-trip facilities including bike parking, showers, and a change room. The façade upgrades were designed by Gensler and are intended to bring a feeling of warmth and uniformity to the retail experience. Wood soffits, warm lighting and consistent materiality are being introduced to both entrances, as well as to the outdoor patios that line the podium.
Renovations on the façade have commenced and will be coordinated with hospitality tenants to avoid any disruptions during patio season.
A much better name. I think pulling people people through the Atrium to the park will be a hard one though. Also, Scott Street needs to be pedestrianized, yesteray.
Once known as the LePage building. I wonder if any of the people interviewed know its original name. They may not care, because it’s from yesteryear. At least the giant EDS logo is no more.