The Perry Limestone

Spring has finally arrived in Toronto and as the weather progresses, so too does construction at The Perry, our latest luxury condominium near Avenue Road and Pears Avenue. The building’s natural finishes are unparalleled. A rare feature of the 11-storey condo is the limestone exterior. The rich, blue-grey stone is locally sourced from Royal Canadian Bedrock, owner and operator of multiple stone quarries throughout Canada.

The Ottawa Platinum stone is cut in shapes customized to The Perry’s knife-edge feature wall, with pieces measuring over 2 meters in height, including L and C-shaped corners fitted to wrap the architectural form.  Installed by Clifford Masonry, a company dedicated to craftsmanship, custom construction measures and timeless materials, the attention to detail is achieved at every level.

We recently took a trip to the quarry in Wiarton, Ontario where we witnessed the incredible method of mining: from extraction, to sandblasting, to custom cutting.  The stone is then put onto palettes, packaged, transported, and ultimately installed on the building site in Toronto.  Every step of the process is carefully considered and concisely executed to ensure the highest grade, locally sourced limestone.

Sharok Mansouri and Maryam Mansouri Hurst flying into the Royal Canadian Bedrock quarry in Wiarton, Ontario. Below is a behind-the-scenes look at the fascinating process.

After the stone is extracted, it is power washed and sandblasted directly on site. Next, the stone is custom cut into slabs of varying shapes and sizes to expertly fit the custom architectural specs of The Perry. The palettes are transported to The Perry, where Clifford Masonry takes over the installation of the natural limestone.

Lastly, each custom cut slab is installed individually by hand.

The story behind the stone, from initial extraction at the quarry to final installation at The Perry, is part of what makes the structure so unique. Every element of the exterior was sourced from locally mined materials and constructed with environmental practices in mind. The Ottawa Platinum limestone also adds a natural elegance and artisanship that is rarely seen today.

Upon completion, The Perry will be clad in Canadian history – and there is no greater legacy than that.