Towers 1, 2 and 3
Vaughan, ON
55 Stories
Developer: CentreCourt, SmartCentres REIT
Architect: Diamond Schmitt Architects
Pro-Bel services provided: Design, Engineer, Manufacture, Supply and Install
Transit City is the first residential complex developed at SmartCentres Place—a trio of 55-storey condominium towers with over 1,700 units. The lobby design in the first phase will include a BUCA-branded restaurant and BAR BUCA to be operated by King Street Food Company, the first BUCA-branded restaurant concept outside of downtown Toronto. Amenities for residents include a membership to the new 100,000-square-foot, purpose-built YMCA adjacent to Transit City.
The SmartVMC District’s Transit Square is a diverse network of interconnected public spaces supporting a comprehensive mixed-use development that integrates an intermodal transit hub, a YMCA and daycare, a public library, retail and office space, residential towers, and outdoor public art. The Transit City Phase 1 residential towers, including the SmartVMC Bus Terminal and the mixed-use PwC-YMCA Tower, complete this pedestrian-oriented precinct.
Transit City 1 and Transit City 2 are two 55-storey residential towers with at-grade townhouse units. Transparent residential amenity lounge spaces provide animation to the street at the pedestrian level. A 7-storey parking structure is designed to accommodate a minimum of 1100 parking spaces for residents, PwC-YMCA Tower visitors, and transit users. Bicycle parking facilities along the east façade's south portion immediately fronting the SmartVMC Bus Terminal reinforce the transit hub masterplan concept.
Pro-Bel Technical Solution
For the podium at level 8, our team designed a Davit Arm System to reach out past protruding vertical fins on the façade. This is to ensure the vertical rigging lines and lifeline (safety line) do not apply a load on the vertical fins, potentially causing structural damage when in suspension and in the event of a fall arrest.
A narrow maintenance area was provided for installing the davit bases. A wall-mounted Horizontal Lifeline System was installed to provide fall protection while traversing and setting up the equipment in the designated maintenance area.
The Davit Arm system is designed to provide service to the façade for both window washing using rope access (Bosons chair) and façade maintenance or remedial work from a suspended platform. A narrow maintenance area was provided for the installation of the davit bases. A wall-mounted Horizontal Lifeline System was installed to provide fall protection while traversing and setting up the equipment in the designated maintenance area.
The Davit Arm system is designed to service the façade for both window washing using rope access (Bosons chair) and façade maintenance or remedial work from a suspended platform.
Transit City 3 is a 55-storey residential tower with at-grade retail, a 220-space parking structure, and a unique digital art wall along the south façade of the podium, facing the SmartVMC Bus Terminal. The PXL Gallery showcases the work of local and international urban media artists as a destination for the community and the region.
Related Equipment
Towers 4 and 5
Transit City Condos 4&5 are 50 and 45-storey towers from CentreCourt and SmartREIT in the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre. Another 35-storey tower from SmartREIT and Penguin will be a purpose-built rental tower. All are designed by Diamond Schmitt Architects.
Pro-Bel Technical Solution
Link bridges are very narrow and are equipped horizontal lifelines down the center and with customized Davit Bases and Davit Arms. The custom davit bases allow for less portable pieces to be carried out and set up on the narrow bridge roof with fall hazards on both sides. The Davit Arms for the Bridge are also customized with a “rigging sleeve” style boom and are low profile (shorter) for ease of set-up.
The podium level roofs and terrace roofs are equipped with a Davit and Anchor system. The davit arms are used to clear the glass railings to ensure no load is applied. At the bottom of the glass railing, we coordinated a 1-3/4” horizontal gap/space for the pass through of safety lines. By rigging under the glass railing and not over, this gap detail ensures no load is applied to the glass railings, which, in the event of a fall, will prevent the glass from breaking and endangering the workers or public below.
To reduce costs on this podium portion of the project, we value engineered the system by designing for stage work only. Equipment was not added for Rope Access on a Boson’s chair (like we did for the L8 Podium on the Transit City Tower 1&2).
