South of Toronto's Highway 427 / QEW interchange, Etobicoke's Brown's Line stretches from the web of highways at Sherway Gardens down to Long Branch. Past the expressways, the residential Alderwood neighbourhood is characterized by single-family homes which gradually give way to commercial and light industrial uses further south. At the southwest corner of Brown's Line and Horner Avenue, a 6-storey condominium could add another typology to the area, bringing mid-rise density to a long-vacant site.

A rendering of the project, looking southwest, image via submission to the City of Toronto

Designed by Romanov Romanov Architects, the RoyalPark Homes development—marketed as B-Line Condos—is set to feature 83 residential units, along with approximately 280 m² of new retail/commercial space fronting Brown's Line. Proposed for a 0.5-acre brownfields lot occupied by a succession of gas stations and automotive garages for much of the 20th century, the project would bring an urban presence to a site that has sat empty for the last decade. 

The site as it appears now, looking southwest, image via Google Maps

Joining a strip of Brown's Line lined by storefronts, the project's commercial space(s) could contribute to the area's retail/restaurant options, which serve both local residents and nearby workers. Meanwhile, the condominium suites above are proposed with a mixture of 5 bachelor (6%), 55 one-bedroom (66%), and 23 two-bedroom units (28%). 

As the building's mid-rise form would the first of its kind in the area, the 21-metre height peak at the corner of Brown's Line and Horner tiers down to 4 storeys at at the south and west elevations. While these elevations attempt to meet the scale of the commercial and residential neighbourhoods, the 6-storey east elevation faces the industrial lands that begin immediately east of Brown's Line.

The Horner Street elevation, image via submission to the City of Toronto

From a planning perspective, the site sits on what is defined as a 'Mixed Use Area.' As the designation encourages a combination of commercial and residential uses—fostering the development of a local retail hub for the neighbourhood along Brown's Line—the project would require relatively minor by-law amendments in order to move forward.

The planning context, image via submission to the City of Toronto

Changes to the permitted height and mix of commercial-residential uses would be required, with an increase in height (a 6-storey peak of 21 metres is proposed where 14 metres are permitted) met by a small decrease in commercial uses as a proportion of total GFA. Given the relatively limited potential planning obstacles faced by the project, the developers may have reason to hope that the planning process will move fairly quickly. The applicants have brought forward a site plan in tandem with a rezoning application, while a sales website for the development has already been launched. 

An aerial view of the site, showing neighbourhood context, image via submission to the City of Toronto

In terms of design, a combination of brick cladding and lighter, wood-toned accents characterizes the architectural expression. Since the project is subject to revisions as the planning process commences, however, the design presented does not necessarily indicate a finalized aesthetic.

We will keep you updated as the planning process gets underway. In the meantime, additional information is available in our dataBase file, linked below. Want to share your thoughts about the proposal? Leave a comment in the space provided on this page, or join the recently launched conversation in our associated Forum thread.