This week's Throwback Thursday takes us back just shy of three years to Toronto's King Street East and Church Street intersection. In May, 2018, a southwest-facing view across the intersection, with St. James Cathedral to our back, captured the construction of Sixty Colborne. The architects—Alliance-designed condominium tower by Freed and Carttera had topped out at 25 storeys, though the building still awaited its colourful podium finishes.

Looking southwest at King and Church, May, 2018, image by Forum contributor PMT

Returning to the same spot in March, 2021, Sixty Colborne has long since wrapped up construction, including the installation of its distinctive orange panels forming a textured grid across the podium. Behind and to the right, another Carttera project is now under construction at 65 King Street East. Set to house new offices for Google, the office tower features a minimalist design by IBI Group and WZMH Architects that is quickly materializing through cladding installation. The new tower's base incorporates the facades of heritage buildings seen in shadow in the before photo, and hidden by the streetcar in the now photo. Meanwhile, in the left background, yet another Carttera project—75 on The Esplanade being a partnership with Harhay Developments and designed by architects–Alliance—has topped out at the foot of Church Street. 

Looking southwest at King and Church, March, 2021, image by Ryan Debergh

We will return next week with another look at the changing face of Toronto. In the meantime, you can submit your own Throwback Thursday comparisons in our dedicated Forum thread for your chance to be featured in next week's edition.

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