Expropriation

Parallax Development Corporation has filed plans for a 19-storey, 746-bed private student residence near the College Street and Spadina Avenue intersection in Toronto's Kensington-Chinatown neighbourhood. The area is also home to the University of Toronto, which has its main campus located just east of the proposed development. The site is also in close proximity to Toronto Metropolitan University.

Plans were filed in late-August in favour of an Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment application, as well as a Site Plan Approval application to permit the proposed built-form and use. This most recent application succeeds prior filings beginning in 2014 that resulted in a 12-storey mixed-use building being permitted on the site in October 2017, alongside the land being re-designated from Neighbourhoods to Mixed Use Areas under the City's Official Plan.

Just over a month after announcing they had closed on the sale of the site, investment manager Fengate Asset Management and development and construction company High Rise Group have advanced plans to bring a 44-storey purpose-built rental to 4, 6, 8, and 10 Beamish Drive. The site in Etobicoke has already been rezoned for the proposed tower, and now the developer is seeking Site Plan Approval, which gives the City a chance to review the technical design and functional details of the project.

Fengate announced the acquisition of the site on July 21, describing it in a press release as a “landmark” and “transit-oriented parcel” steps from the Kipling Transit Hub. “Located at the intersections of Dundas Street West, Bloor Street West, and Kipling Avenue, the site is well positioned with direct access to TTC subway lines, GO Transit, and MiWay bus services, providing seamless connectivity across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA),” the release said.