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Immediately east of the massive surface parking lot that could soon be replaced by the towers of 88 Queen East, the southeast corner of Shuter and Mutual is now also subject to a high-rise development proposal. Headed by Hyde Park Homes and The Sher Corporation, the recently submitted project calls for a 32-storey architectsAlliance-designed condominium at 81 Shuter, (mostly) replacing a trio of low-rise, late 19th century buildings.
Located at 79-85 Shuter Street, the project's 1,025 m² site runs from Mutual Street to Harbour Light Lane, spanning half of a city block. The lot is currently occupied a row of low-rise buildings, which were constructed between 1864 and 1879. Although these properties are among the older structures in the city, a history of extensive modifications has compromised the 19th-century strip's original character.
Given the scope of alterations—and the relatively low quality of the original construction—none of the properties on the site are designated under PART IV of the Ontario Heritage Act. As outlined in a Heritage Impact Statement prepared by Goldsmith Borgal & Company Architects, the Second Empire-style house at 79 Shuter, built in 1879, meets the City's criteria for 'cultural heritage value' more fully than its older neighbours. As such, much of this structure's skeleton would be maintained as part of the tower podium, while the internal structure (which bears little resemblance to the original interior) would be demolished.
With the retained facade of the house at 79 Shuter Street fronting the corner as the residential lobby, a glassy tower will rise into the east Downtown skyline above. Featuring a total 251 condominium suites, the proposed unit mix calls for 163 one-bedroom (65%), 62 two-bedroom (25%), and 26 three-bedroom (10%) homes. At ground level, the three-storey podium structure meets Shuter Street with a row of five townhomes, each of which features a private entrance onto the street.
Following in the wake of St. Thomas Developments' planned project for the adjacent parking lot at 88 Queen, and CentreCourt's nearly complete Core Condos on the north side of Shuter, the latest proposal is further evidence of a neighbourhood in transition. Replacing the site's current uses—which include a 30-bedroom rooming house, a small tailor shop, and a dance studio, alongside some vacant space—with a 251-suite condo, the project would constitute another fairly dramatic step in the area's transformation.
We will keep you updated as the proposal makes its way through the City's planning process, and the project evolves. In the meantime, more information is available via our dataBase file, linked below. Want to share your thoughts? Leave a comment in the space below this page, or join the conversation in our associated Forum thread.
