TD Centre - Toronto Dominion Centre
TD Centre is the home of the second largest bank in Canada (sometimes the largest, depending on how you value a bank) It is located at the corner of Bay and King Street in the Financial District of Canada. This corner is also home to First Canadian Place (Bank of Montreal Tower) Commerce Court and Scotiaplaza. When it was completed in 1967 it was the tallest building ever built in Canada and the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere outside New York and Chicago. The building was designed by renowned minimalist architect Mies Van Der Rohe. There are other similar designs by Mies in Chicago, New York and Montreal. The TD Bank Tower, is the main tower and it reaches 56 floors and 223 meters tall. The tower is accompanied by other similar Mies designed towers of varying heights.
The towers surround a plaza and courtyard within the complex which is a favorite spot for workers on their lunch breaks. The first sections of the PATH underground began at the TD Centre Complex and spread outward from there. This is likely the building that put Toronto on its boxy skyscraper path.
A Funny Storey
There is a funny storey (depending on what you consider funny) about a guy that wanted to test the glass of the building in the TD Bank Tower, he was apparently a very intelligent person and a top lawyer at a firm within the building. He had apparently tested the glass many times by running full force into the glass from his office. His name was Garry Hoy and he has become something of an urban legend or myth. Well one time when he was doing his famous running into the glass of the skyscraper test (showing off for his buds and the chicks I bet) this fool flew out the window to his death. For a second there though he probably felt like Batman ( or Superman?) at least before he hit the ground I mean. Anyways this storey is all over the internet and to be honest I've seen it on a few TV shows as well. Funny as hell.
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