Long considered one of Toronto's hippest and most desirable neighborhoods, Queen West maintains a different type of cachet than many of our city's other development hot spots. Eclectic rather than exclusive, the neighborhood's expressive cultural character makes it one of the most democratic and diverse parts of the city. As the area becomes more attractive to new residents, the ongoing revitalization of Alexandra Park seeks to preserve socio-economic diversity while providing new density and updated housing conditions, growing the neighborhood without precipitating the residential exodus that often accompanies gentrification. 

As a partnership between Toronto Community Housing, the City of Toronto, and private-sector developer Tridel, the revitalization of Alexandra Park—like Regent Park before it—is creating a mixed-income neighborhood that attracts a diverse range of residents. Currently under construction, SQ Condos is the one revitalization plan's major Phase One projects, providing new market-priced housing in the form of a 14-storey condo, while also refurbishing and expanding the area's supply of rent-geared-to-income units on adjacent properties.  

Looking southwest from Cameron Street, image by Jack Landau

In recent days, the project has neared a major milestone, with the condominium now approaching grade following shoring, excavation, and below-grade construction. With the laborious below-grade construction now complete, we can expect SQ's playfully expressive volumes to soon begin taking shape. 

Looking northeast from Vanauley Street, image courtesy of Tridel

Designed by Teeple Architects, SQ (Spadina-Queen) is now set to begin rising on Cameron Street, slightly north of Queen. The completed building will be shaped by irregular, avant-garde volumes grounded by an eye-catching white exterior, and will feature interior design by UNION31.

A rendering of the completed project, image courtesy of Tridel

On the west side of the site, meanwhile, some of the new LGA Architectural Partners-designed Atkinson Co-Op replacement townhouse units are already nearing significant exterior completion on Vanaulay Street (below), with the installation of glazing and dark brick cladding now evidencing a sleek and contemporary aesthetic. 

Looking north on Vanauley Street, image by Jack Landau

As SQ continues to progress, the Alexandra Park Revitalization has proceeded to its second phase, marketed as SQ2. Featuring another Teeple Architects design, the 14-storey project will bring an additional 169 units to the area. Located one block to the north, SQ2, which has recently entered its sales phase, will feature a range of amenities, including an outdoor terrace with barbecues, a sun deck, and a hot tub, as well as a yoga/pilates studio, and a private dining room.

A rendering of SQ2, image courtesy of Tridel

We will keep you updated as the Alexandra Park Revitalization project continues. Once complete, the re-built neighborhood will boast a total of 1,540 market-price condominium units, 333 new rent-geared-to-income units, and 473 existing units that are currently being extensively refurbished. All of this will add further vibrancy to what is already one of the most exciting areas of the city.

Additional information and renderings can be found in our dataBase files for SQ and SQ2 Condos, 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.