Royal Bank Plaza facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Royal Bank Plaza |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| General information | |
| Type | Commercial offices |
| Location | 200 Bay Street Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Coordinates | 43°38′48″N 79°22′49″W / 43.646528°N 79.380139°W |
| Completed | South Tower: 1979 North Tower: 1976 |
| Owner | Oxford Properties (OMERS) |
| Management | Oxford Properties |
| Height | |
| Roof | South Tower: 180 m (590 ft) North Tower: 114 m (374 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | South Tower: 41 North Tower: 26 |
| Floor area | 90,855 m2 (977,960 sq ft) |
| Lifts/elevators | South Tower: 11 North Tower: 6 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | WZMH Architects |
| Developer | Y & R Properties Ltd. |
| Structural engineer | Quinn Dressel Associates |
Royal Bank Plaza is a very tall building, called a skyscraper, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It's like the main office for the Royal Bank of Canada. This building is in Toronto's busy financial area, right next to the Fairmont Royal York Hotel. A company called Oxford Properties owns the building.
Contents
About Royal Bank Plaza
The Royal Bank Plaza was built in the late 1970s. This was when the Royal Bank moved its main operations from Montreal to Toronto. The plaza is made up of two towers: a South Tower and a North Tower.
Towers and Their Heights
The South Tower is the taller one. It stands about 180 m (591 ft) high. The North Tower is a bit shorter, at about 112 m (367 ft). Both towers have a unique triangular shape at their base. They are located on opposite corners of the building site.
Golden Glass Exterior
The outside of the towers is mostly covered with special gold-bronze glass. There are also tan granite parts that add to the design. Together, the two towers have more than 14,000 windows! These windows stick out a bit from the building, forming angled sections.
The glass for the building was made by Canadian Pittsburgh Industries. To get its golden color, about 2,500 oz (71,000 g) of real gold was used. At the time it was installed, the gold in each window pane was worth about CA$70.
Spiders at the Plaza
Because of the angled windows, many spiders have made their homes on the outside of Royal Bank Plaza. They build their webs in the little nooks and crannies created by the windows.
Inside Royal Bank Plaza
Besides offices and the main Royal Bank branch, Royal Bank Plaza also has a shopping area. This shopping area is part of Toronto's underground walkway system called PATH.
Connecting to the City
The PATH network connects Royal Bank Plaza directly to other major buildings. You can walk underground to places like the TD Centre, Union Station, and Brookfield Place. The shopping area and lobbies were updated between 2005 and 2007.
Changes Over Time
When the building was first built, it had a large open space called an atrium above the main banking hall. This atrium connected the two towers. However, in the 1990s, a trading floor was added. This new floor closed off the open atrium space.
Other Royal Bank Locations
The Royal Bank also has offices in other buildings in downtown Toronto. These include:
- The Royal Bank Building at 20 King Street West.
- The RBC Centre at 155 Wellington Street West.
- A group of buildings at 310, 315, 320, and 330 Front Street West, near the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. These buildings are also owned by Oxford.
Companies in the Plaza
Many different companies have offices in Royal Bank Plaza. Some of the well-known tenants include:
- Royal Bank of Canada
- Vale S.A.
- JPMorgan Chase
- Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ
- Interac Corporation
Images for kids
-
Basement Arcade under renovation in 2021
-
Office Lobby
-
The exteriors of the structures are largely covered with glass (1997)
.jpg)
See also
In Spanish: Royal Bank Plaza para niños
