With the retreat of industry from the old city of Toronto, large tracts of land are often left derelict. Liberty Village is perhaps the best example of the repurposing of former industrial land into a new residential community but it is a process that continues, albeit on a smaller scale throughout much of the city. In this case, it is the closure and subsequent demolition of the Glidden Paint Factory in Toronto's Junction Triangle neighbourhood that has provided yet another large plot of land for redevelopment. Below are pictures of the site as it currently appears provided to us by Forum member Travis.

Somerset Wallace Development has submitted a zoning amendment to construct a mixed-use community comprised of 169 stacked townhouses and 25 light industrial units at 362 Wallace Avenue. The proposed 177 parking spaces on site would all be below grade. The inclusion of industrial space is an attempt to at least partially adhere to the city's zoning of this property as employment lands. A new community centre on Ruskin Avenue as well as a series of new connections to the West Toronto Railpath and a new municipal road are all included in the application. The architect of record is Kregg Fordyce of KFA Architects and Planners.  Below is a site plan as well as elevations for the townhouses and industrial lofts.

With the surrounding area including both residential conversions of industrial buildings on Wallace Avenue as well as a mix of detached and semi-detached homes, this development would be in keeping with the scale and character of the neighbourhood. What is most promising about this project is the decision of the developer to refrain from mimicking the style of the surrounding residential neighbourhood in search of design cues. By instead pursuing a modern narrative for the project, the developer contributes to the contemporary dialogue of residential architecture in the city and avoids the diluted reproduction of Toronto's architectural past.

Want to talk about the development? Check out UrbanToronto's thread here.