From Etobicoke to Scarborough, unassuming parcels of land across the Greater Toronto Area are constantly being eyed up and targeted for housing development by the region's (and country's) array of industrious builders and developers. And as the City sees a steady stream of building applications, STOREYS is right there waiting to sift through architectural plans and planning rationales for the best and biggest (and coolest!) coming up across the region.
Each month brings something different, from affordable housing to multi-tower luxury condos, but here are five stand-out submissions that were on our radar in the month of February.
507-513 Victoria Park Ave.
507-513 Victoria Park Ave/Gabriel Fain Architects, Sigma Group of Companies
Developer: Sigma Group of Companies
Location: 507-513 Victoria Park Avenue and 4-14 Thora Avenue in East York
This handsome rental apartment development would feature designs from Gabriel Fain Architects and rise 39 and 16 storeys. The two towers would be joined by an eight-storey podium and, in total, would deliver 578 rental units, 4,434 sq. ft of retail space, and a 1,603-sq.-ft Montessori school/daycare with an outdoor play area. On top of that, the development would provide a new 15,413-sq.-ft public park.
Unique to this project is that it proposes 46.5% "larger units," including 210 two-bedrooms and 59 three-bedrooms, tailoring unit types to provide in demand unit sizes. Residents will also benefit from being in prime public transit country, with the Danforth GO and Victoria Park subway stations within walking distance, alongside a number of surface transit routes.
609 Roehampton
609 Roehampton Ave/Turner Fleischer Architects, Starbank Developments
Developer: Starbank Developments
Location: 609 Roehampton Avenue in Midtown
The Works Restaurant, Beer Store, and surface parking lot that currently occupy this Mount Pleasant East site could soon be replaced by two 15-storey apartment buildings offering 209 new residential units. Featuring designs from Turner Fleischer Architects, the build is described as "attractive" and "contemporary" by the application's planning rationale.
Once complete, residents will enjoy 9,010 sq. ft of amenity space, 231 bicycle parking spaces, and a close proximity to the recently constructed Leaside Eglinton Crosstown LRT Station, once up and running.
101 Spadina
101 Spadina Ave/Audax Architecture, Devron Developments
Developer: Devron Developments
Location: 101 Spadina Avenue in the Fashion District
While 101 Spadina isn't a brand new application, a recently-filed resubmission is calling for a substantial height increase, alongside a few other changes. The development secured zoning amendment approvals in May 2023 for a 39-storey mixed-use tower with 375 units, 2,088 sq. ft of retail at grade, a stratified public park with a minimum area of 10,763 sq. ft, and a 70-space municipal parking facility below grade.
Now, in the face of an evolving policy and development context, plans are calling for 50 storeys, 452 units, and 715 sq. ft of retail space, with the public park and paring facility remaining unchanged. As for the design, Principal at Audax Architecture Gianperio Pugliese described the building as "timeless" when speaking to STOREYS back in 2021. Thankfully, the design has also remained largely unchanged.
72 Perth
72 Perth Ave/StudioJCI, Castlepoint Numa
Developer: Castlepoint Numa
Location: 72 Perth Avenue in the Junction Triangle
More updated plans come from Castlepoint Numa, and the firm has revised the height and unit count of this Junction Triangle development numerous times since it was first proposed in 2018. It started at 10 storeys, but is now being upped from 15 to 18 storeys.
The developer is seeking approvals for 262 residential units, including at least 15 affordable units, plus a 1,431-sq.-ft public park along the western edge of the property that would widen the West Toronto Railpath. One stand-out aspect of this development is the range of amenities being proposed, including co-working rooms, a fitness centre, a game room, lounge, a coffee bar, a kids’ room, a music room, a multi-purpose room, guest suites, plunge pool, and an outdoor lounge area and BBQ/dining space. Designs come from StudioJCI.
Lansing Square (LSQ)
2550 Victoria Park Ave/WZMH Architects, Almadev
Developer: Almadev
Location:2550 Victoria Park Avenue in Henry Farm
This exciting master-planned community received zoning approvals in July 2022 for seven buildings with heights of 43, 35, 30, 25, 11, six, and four storeys, including a mixed-use, residential, and office buildings. In total, original plans called for 2,835 new housing units within close proximity to Highway 401 and 404.
Now, revised plans submitted in February are seeking to up the heights of already proposed residential buildings, as well as replace an existing 12-storey office building on site with more housing. The new building heights would clock in at 43, 43, 42, 30, 27, 27, and 10 storeys and would deliver 2,035 units, plus 30,677 sq. ft of non-residential space.
