Toronto CIBC SQUARE | 241.39m | 50s | Hines | WilkinsonEyre

[Amare]

It feels like they're doing this brand transition very slowly and cautiously.

Slowly and cautiously?

They've been rushing to change the signage at all their branches and the like. Unlike Scotiabank and their new ripoff Sonoco logo, which they havent updated across many branches and a couple products years after their rebrand. Not that I mind because I think their old globe logo is better anyways (even though it makes sense why they ditched the globe).

 

[trtcttc]

Slowly and cautiously?

They've been rushing to change the signage at all their branches and the like. Unlike Scotiabank and their new ripoff Sonoco logo, which they havent updated across many branches and a couple products years after their rebrand. Not that I mind because I think their old globe logo is better anyways (even though it makes sense why they ditched the globe).

The Scotia one is a much smaller change though. Just a slightly different font and the solid globe. Whereas CIBC is new colour and shape. Would be very weird for them not to update it quickly.

 

[evandyk]

I don't get out of downtown very much, but they rolled it out across downtown pretty much overnight. Every branch changed their signage almost immediately. I was pretty impressed at the coordination they managed.

 

[AlexBozikovic]

My review in The Globe:

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/art-and-architecture/article-inside-cibcs-new-headquarters-in-toronto-which-aims-to-be-a-different/

 

[Northern Light]

There's some good info in @AlexBozikovic 's piece listed above.

Also some pics of the interior office spaces.

***

In terms of the commercial office market, there is this:

"Other large employers clearly agree with the bank that offices will be necessary. The tower at 81 Bay is now fully leased. The second tower, at 141 Bay, is 42-per-cent leased. Ivanhoé and Hines say that leasing has continued during the pandemic and rents have, in fact, increased. (According to Colliers Canada, rents in the first tower have risen about 10 per cent to $51.60 a square foot, and asking rates in the second tower are higher.)"

***

Also of note is Alex's concern about private 'public' space vs truly public space, particularly outdoors spaces.

I share his concern.

 

[TossYourJacket]

Slowly and cautiously?

They've been rushing to change the signage at all their branches and the like. Unlike Scotiabank and their new ripoff Sonoco logo, which they havent updated across many branches and a couple products years after their rebrand. Not that I mind because I think their old globe logo is better anyways (even though it makes sense why they ditched the globe).

Slowly and cautiously in that they didn't just go straight to using the diamond logo exclusively as an icon. It's always paired with "CIBC" which was the point I was trying to make. Occasionally brands try and rush way too quickly into being like "this is our new icon now", and yet the icon has no brand equity or prior association with the brand, CIBC on the other hand are pairing the icon with the brand name in literally every appearance of the logo, to generate the affiliation between the diamond and the CIBC name. That's a far more cautious (and far more sensible) approach than if they'd just stuck the diamond logo up alone at the top of their buildings, or on the front of their banks. No one who wasn't into branding/marketing would easily recognise it as CIBC. I expect they will eventually get to using the icon exclusively in a few years once it's known as part of the CIBC brand, but this is a much slower way to approach that. I didn't mean them slowly changing the physical signage, just the transition from old logo to any potential exclusive use of the new icon.

 

[mburrrrr]

One from March 12

A bunch of pictures from March 18

This looks ready to open.

A rainy Saturday morning.
It looks like they are preparing to install the top section of the 4th crane today.

 

[trtcttc]

Slowly and cautiously in that they didn't just go straight to using the diamond logo exclusively as an icon. It's always paired with "CIBC" which was the point I was trying to make. Occasionally brands try and rush way too quickly into being like "this is our new icon now", and yet the icon has no brand equity or prior association with the brand, CIBC on the other hand are pairing the icon with the brand name in literally every appearance of the logo, to generate the affiliation between the diamond and the CIBC name. That's a far more cautious (and far more sensible) approach than if they'd just stuck the diamond logo up alone at the top of their buildings, or on the front of their banks. No one who wasn't into branding/marketing would easily recognise it as CIBC. I expect they will eventually get to using the icon exclusively in a few years once it's known as part of the CIBC brand, but this is a much slower way to approach that. I didn't mean them slowly changing the physical signage, just the transition from old logo to any potential exclusive use of the new icon.

That definitely makes sense for banking centres, since it’s also important they be recognizable to people passing by. Although I did hope they’d go with the diamond on the top of the building, because it’d look so nice with the diamonds in the glass. They can still have the full words closer to the ground like they do now.

 

[interchange42]

A rainy Saturday morning.
It looks like they are preparing to install the top section of the 4th crane today.

Two weeks without a top on it, like a freak in a menagerie, I was starting to wonder if I should log it in the cranes list as Eric, the half-a-crane.

42

 

[marcus_a_j]

There's some good info in @AlexBozikovic 's piece listed above.

Also some pics of the interior office spaces.

***

In terms of the commercial office market, there is this:

"Other large employers clearly agree with the bank that offices will be necessary. The tower at 81 Bay is now fully leased. The second tower, at 141 Bay, is 42-per-cent leased. Ivanhoé and Hines say that leasing has continued during the pandemic and rents have, in fact, increased. (According to Colliers Canada, rents in the first tower have risen about 10 per cent to $51.60 a square foot, and asking rates in the second tower are higher.)"

***

Also of note is Alex's concern about private 'public' space vs truly public space, particularly outdoors spaces.

I share his concern.

I’m sorry. Did you just quote/comment on an @AlexBozikovic article without a critique or disagreement? You’ve changed, man.

In all seriousness, I agree with the sentiments as well regarding the “park”. While certainly a positive contribution, even if privately-owned, as a public space, I’ve never regarded it as being accessible. Being above the rail corridor, which is above Bay Street and the public and pedestrian realm, isn’t very inviting to people walking by. Great for office workers, but they would be taking elevators to/from their floor anyways. I’m going to check it out as soon as I’m able to, but that’s because I will be seeking it out. How many people are going to use the space if they don’t know it’s there? I’m not knocking on the space itself, just the notion of this being a huge benefit to the public, which I find to be oversold.

 

[Northern Light]

I’m sorry. Did you just quote/comment on an @AlexBozikovic article without a critique or disagreement? You’ve changed, man.

LOL, it happens every year, twice a year..........

Maybe 3x.....

 

[UtakataNoAnnex]

Two weeks without a top on it, like a freak in a menagerie, I was starting to wonder if I should log it in the cranes list as Eric, the half-a-crane.

42

For me, it's a communications tower until they top it out with crane parts...

 

[mburrrrr]

I guess they are working Saturdays to keep excavation production at capacity during the week.
Last week there was snow on Saturday so probably pushed to today.

 

[polesingularity]

With such a tight space, the excavation looks like a logistical nightmare compared to Phase I. It's almost like they're uncovering the core from the dirt, like an archaeological dig.

 

[mburrrrr]

Phase 1 Yonge St ramp entrance/exit. I wonder where this was on the original construction schedule?