A City Council on July 7, approval was given for zoning amendments needed for a new mid-rise condominium development from developer Torbel at 741-747 Sheppard Avenue West, located on the southwest corner with Harlock Boulevard. Being marketed under the name Diva Condo, the 9-storey, KFA Architects-designed development will add 107 units, made up of 21 one-bedroom, 80 two-bedroom and 6 three-bedroom units, to the Bathurst and Sheppard area of North York.

Rendering of Diva Condo, image courtesy of Torbel

The building will replace an empty lot, replacing the current blight on the landscape with medium-scale density that will fit well on this stretch of Sheppard. The massing will create an appropriate pedestrian scale, with the south side of the building terracing as it rises, preventing it from overwhelming the adjacent stable residential neighbourhood. Step-backs on higher floors on other sides have been designed to reduce the bulk and also provide privacy for townhomes to the west. 

Aerial view of the Diva Condo site from the northwest, image retrieved from Apple Maps

The addition of 310 square metres of street-facing retail and other streetscape improvements like eight new street trees will greatly enhance the public realm on this stretch of Sheppard. These improvements, along with the building’s massing and relationship with its surroundings all fit the criteria of the Sheppard West/Dublin Secondary Plan, which encourages mixed use development made up of ground floor commercial with residential uses above, with an emphasis on protecting surrounding low density areas and improving the public realm.

Diva Condo site and surrounding context, image retrieved from Google Street View

The approval means that Diva Condo can start construction once permits are obtained and sales hit targets. Once completed, residents of the building's 107 condominium units will enjoy amenities like a gym, games room, and lounge.

Rendering of party room at Diva Condo, image courtesy of Torbel

Residents will also have access to a rooftop amenity space, offering an outdoor area to entertain with views of the surrounding city.

Rendering of rooftop amenity area at Diva Condo, image courtesy of Torbel

Additional information and renderings for Diva Condo can be found in the project’s dataBase file, linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Check out the associated Forum threads, or leave a comment using the space provided at the bottom of this page.