Denarda Street, in Toronto's Mount Dennis neighbourhood, is currently characterized by rows of detached homes. Soon, though, the quiet dead-end street could be transformed by a pair of glassy residential towers.
KingSett Capital has submitted development applications for two mirrored towers -- one rising 43-storeys and the other soaring to 44 -- situated across the street from each other on Dernarda. Each will sit atop a six-storey base, framing the street.
The former, Tower A, will create 561 new housing units -- 41 studios, 355 one-bedrooms, 106 two-bedrooms, and 59 three-bedroom units at 2 Denarda Street. The latter, Tower B, will provide 509 units -- 37 studios, 304 one-bedrooms, 111 two-bedrooms, and 57 three-bedrooms at 5 Denarda Street.
KingSett Capital
KingSett Capital
Clad in glass and metal, the Giannone Petricone-designed buildings will create visual interest through articulation and a variety of textures. The ground floors and mezzanines are inset below the upper levels, resulting in cantilevers supported by rows of tree-like columns. The lower floors will be enrobed in glass, allowing for "passive overlook" that will create a sense of safety and community.
The exact amenities have yet to be finalized, although they will span more than 2,000 sq. m per building, but planning documents show the towers will have green roofs, children's play areas, and pet-focused features. Fifty-eight underground vehicle parking spaces will be spread across the towers, as well as more than 1,000 short and long-term bicycle parking spaces.
KingSett Capital
KingSett Capital
The development aims to improve the public realm along Denarda Street by creating an "inviting and attractive streetscape" -- widened sidewalks and lush landscaping will surround the towers, and a new mid-block connection to Ray Avenue will be created.
A new swath of public parkland will be located at what is currently 1 Denarda Street, serving both future residents and the broader community.
KingSett Capital
The current abodes that line Denarda Street are all vacant, which developers say make the site "significantly under-utilized" given the transit-rich surrounding area.
Mount Dennis Station -- the western terminus of the future Eglinton Crosstown LRT -- is approximately a seven-minute walk from the proposed towers. Upon opening, the station will also serve as a new stop for GO Transit, connecting south to Union Station and north to Kitchener, as well as a stop for the UP Express.
The planned Eglinton Crosstown West Extension will extend west of Mount Dennis Station to Renforth Drive. Several existing TTC bus routes are within walking distance of the development, while the Weston GO Station is an 11-minute bus ride away.
With numerous transit improvements slated for the neighbourhood, 2 and 5 Denarda Street are just the latest in an influx of developments proposed for Mount Dennis.
Three residential towers, ranging in height from 26 to 48-storeys, have been proposed in the four blocks between Denarda Street and Eglinton Avenue West. Just south of Eglinton, a development application has been submitted for a seven-tower mixed-use development at 25 Photography Drive.
