100 Queens Quay East, located on the north side of Queens Quay East between Cooper and New Street (Courtesy Menkes)

The Toronto Region Board of Trade will lease 90,000 square feet in Menkes Developments’ new office building at 100 Queens Quay East.

The space will feature an enlarged corporate event space with an outdoor terrace overlooking the city, as well as an enhanced workspace for board members. The organization will move from its longtime location at First Canadian Place to the new B+H Architects-designed building in 2022.

“We are quickly outgrowing our home in the financial district, where we have been for 45 years,” said Toronto Region Board of Trade president and chief executive officer Jan De Silva. “Our mission is to be a catalyst for business growth, on a global stage, and we need innovative space to do it.

“Our move to 100 Queens Quay East will double our footprint, equipping us to support the growth of our trade acceleration programs and trade mission service. Our current corporate event space is in high demand, so we are so thrilled to lease an expanded iconic space with a beautiful terrace to refresh the event experience.”

CBRE Ltd. acted as the sole brokerage adviser on the transaction.

Toronto Region Board of Trade mandate

Toronto Region Board of Trade has more than 13,500 members and advocates on behalf of business for policy change to drive the growth and competitiveness of the Toronto region.

The new location will also accommodate its rapidly growing trade services arm, the World Trade Centre – Toronto (WTC-T). As a member of the World Trade Centers Association, it creates global access for the Toronto region’s business community.

It’s connected to 328 branded properties and trade services associations in 91 countries.

WTC-T provides targeted international trade advisory services and expertise through research, trade education, strategy-building workshops, outbound and inbound trade missions, and connections to experts and networks.

Toronto Region Board of Trade and WTC-T currently employ approximately 70 people and De Silva anticipates that will increase to around 100 by the time of the move to 100 Queens Quay East.

“The board and World Trade Centre – Toronto are helping businesses every day to build profile, create influence and simply connect and grow,” said De Silva. “We also are delivering the strategic services of the Economic Blueprint Institute, the board’s new economic data and insights arm.

“To compete and grow further on a global stage, the Toronto Region Board of Trade and the World Trade Centre – Toronto welcome interested parties to join the business and trade ecosystem at our new home at 100 Queens Quay East.”

100 Queens Quay East

The 25-storey office building on the north side of Queens Quay East between Cooper Street and New Street, featuring approximately 690,000 square feet of class-AAA space, is the first phase of Menkes’ 11.5-acre, 4.6-million-square-foot mixed-use community in Toronto’s waterfront Sugar Wharf district.

It was conceived with the objective of achieving the highest standards in environmental sustainability and is targeting a LEED Platinum certification.

“The new waterfront business district is an exciting new centre for Toronto that is attracting a variety of industries,” said De Silva. “Menkes’ vision was well-aligned with what we are trying to achieve as a business connector and advocate.

“We love that we will have area neighbours that are thought leaders and innovators, such as MaRS, WPP, Sidewalk Labs, Corus and George Brown College.

“Proximity to a variety of transportation options for our members, partners and employees was an important consideration. And the waterfront is just a beautiful part of the city.”

The building at 100 Queens Quay East will also be the new headquarters of the Liquor Control Board of Ontario, which will occupy approximately 225,000 square feet. Construction began late in 2017.

Menkes’ development will eventually also include approximately 300,000 square feet of retail space, approximately 5,000 residential units and a three-acre public park.

Other Menkes projects

Menkes is a fully integrated real estate company involved in the construction, ownership and management of office, industrial, retail and residential properties.

Since its founding in 1954, it has become one of the largest private developers in Canada, with a primary focus in the Greater Toronto Area.

Menkes’ past projects include Four Seasons Hotel & Residences in Bloor-Yorkville, 25 York Street and the two-million-square-foot Harbour Plaza/One York Street commercial/retail complex.