As policy on the matter has evolved and gained momentum, Toronto has become synonymous with transit-oriented development. And the emphasis makes sense; Toronto recently topped the charts for population growth, beating out every other city in Canada and the US, and building up near transit is one way to meet growing housing demand (while making use of existing infrastructure and without worsening urban sprawl).
This is the central argument behind a revised proposal from Oldstonehenge Development Corporation, which seeks to bring 43-storey residential tower to 1705 Weston Road in lieu of a 24-storey building that was approved for the site in June 2021. The site in Weston Village is just 80 metres — a mere one-minute walk — from the south entrance of the Weston stations of the GO and UP Express.
In addition to upping the storey-count by 19 floors, Oldstonehenge is proposing 549 new residential units, and that figure contemplates 15 rental replacements, six affordable units, and more than a 30% allocation of two- and three-bedroom units. At present, the site is approved for 254 residential units.
A planning report prepared by Bousfields in support of the proposal points out that since the site was approved for 24 storeys in 2021, “both the policy and built form context have evolved,” and there’s been a push for more housing in locations well-served by transit.
Site plan (Graziani + Corazza Architects)
“The subject site has been identified within the Council-adopted boundaries of the Weston Major Transit Station Area, which is a strategic growth area, and where intensification should be prioritized; and both the Province and the City have identified specific housing targets in response to a greater need for housing, with the City committing to creating 285,000 new housing units by the year 2031,” the report says. “In addition, recent approvals in the Weston Village area are reflective of a greater scale of intensification, with heights of up to 50 storeys now approved.”
The planning report further specifies a building height of 149 metres (to the top of the mechanical penthouse), around 33,428 sq. m of residential gross floor area (GFA), and 505 sq. m of retail GFA. The ground floor is set to include two residential lobbies, one with access from Weston Road and one with access from Victoria Avenue East.
For its amenity part, the development is poised to include a total of 2,792 sq. m, with 1,192 sq. m to be located indoor and 1,600 sq. m to be located outdoors (on the third and seventh floors). “The design of the amenity areas will be refined through the Site Plan Approval process, with the intent to include functional and flexible design features that can support the needs of children and their families, including the outdoor play area,” the planning report says.
Concept rendering looking northeast. (Graziani + Corazza Architects)
Concept rendering looking southeast. (Graziani + Corazza Architects)
In addition, 86 vehicle parking spaces (55 for residents and 31 for visitors) and 615 bicycle parking spaces (495 long-term and 120 short-term) are now planned.
The design of the proposed tower is courtesy of Graziani + Corazza Architects, and renderings from the firm show a six-storey base that’s “rhomboid shaped and angled to the west, following both the Weston Road and Victoria Avenue East frontages.” The south facade of the base is shown with inset balconies from floors 4 through 6.
Meanwhile, the tower element consists of two volumes, the planning report says. “Levels 7 to 35 are rhomboid in shape, while levels 36 to 43 are sculpted by chamfering the northwest and southeast corners of the tower, thereby reducing the size of the upper tower floor plate and narrowing the width of the shadow cast towards the northeast.” The east and west facades of the tower are set to have staggered balconies.
