Photos: James Bombales
Once home to Toronto’s longest operating luxury Four Seasons Hotel, the stretch of Avenue Road between Yorkville Avenue and Cumberland Street looks a little different today.
After the Four Seasons moved into a brand new tower down the street at 60 Yorkville Avenue in 2012, the existing complex was sold to developer Camrost Felcorp. While the original 31-storey, Brutalist concrete tower remains and has been converted into the Yorkville Plaza Condos, the south podium was demolished to make room for the Cumberland Tower residences.
Designed by WZMH Architects, the modern glass and concrete structure now rises 40-storeys above the prominent Yorkville intersection as construction nears completion. Work on the site officially began in 2012 with the demolition of the old Four Seasons concrete podium and retail area, followed by the excavation of the underground garage. A crane was installed in early 2015 and construction reached grade level later that year. The first signs of exterior cladding appeared in 2017, and the crane was dismantled shortly after the building topped off in 2019.
Today, crews are putting the finishing touches on the exterior trim pieces above the tower’s distinctive tilted glass section. At ground level, the area surrounding the main podium entrance remains fenced off as workers continue to install the finished exterior panels. On the south facade, building wrap covers the section where a waterfall will be installed, however, the adjacent driveway tunnel is no longer blocked off.
When complete, Cumberland Tower will house 255 units including 48 suites that are part of the Yorkville Private Estates series. This exclusive collection of ‘superluxury’ suites range in size from 1,000 to 3,605 square feet and boast premium features and finishes like Miele appliances, Waterworks and Downsview kitchens, and five-star, white-glove service from The Forest Hill Group.
In addition to a 24-hour concierge, lifestyle management team and valet services, residents will have access to a wide range of à la carte services, such as personal shopping, fresh flower delivery, catering by Pusateri’s, pet care and in-suite cleaners, just to name a few.
