Just west of Prince Edward Drive, Toronto's Fieldgate Homes and Dorsay Development have proposed an 8-storey, 90-unit condominium at 2915 Bloor Street West. Replacing a low-rise commercial structure known as The Kingsway Medical Building, the TACT-designed project is notable for its two distinct architectural elements.

Looking south, image retrieved via submission to the City of Toronto

According to a planning rationale prepared by Bousfields Inc., "[t]he proposed building will appear as two distinct masses that read as separate structures with a fine-grained rhythm of retail bays at grade, which is generally reflective of the traditional rhythm of storefronts along Bloor Street West."

The site as it appears now, image retrieved via Google Maps

Through combining architectural diversity with a series of small, street-level retail spaces, the project is being presented as a contextually sensitive—and beneficial—addition to Etobicoke's vibrant Kingsway neighbourhood. In visually splitting the project into two structures, the project attempts to avoid disrupting the area's fine-grained character through an imposing new presence.  

Looking southeast, image via submission to the City of Toronto

At street level, the desired fine-grained presence is reinforced by the use of separate lobbies for each of the two residential components, while 1,138 m² of retail area could—depending on how the spaces are used—reinforce the neighbourhood's commercial character. 

A closer look at the street-level retail spaces, image via submission to the City of Toronto

Since the site is surrounded by low-rise structures, the project's massing strategy attempts to minimize the impact of increased density through a series of terraced stepbacks along the south frontage, which gradually meet the residential scale to the immediate north. Meanwhile, the Bloor Street frontages present a more uniform 6-storey façade, with only the upper two storeys stepped further back. 

The east elevation, image via submission to the City of Toronto

The project's 90 residential suites feature a proposed unit mix of 36 one-bedroom (40%), 50 two-bedroom (56%), and 4 three-bedroom (4%) homes. An underground parking garage will provide 90 vehicle spaces, 77 of which will be given over to residents, with the remainder earmarked for visitors. Each unit will also feature a dedicated bicycle space ensuite, while the underground garage will feature an additional 21 long-term and 7 short-term residential spaces, as well as 8 retail spaces, making for a total of 126 bicycle spots. 

Looking southwest, image via submission to the City of Toronto

Proposed on a 2,319 m² lot, the project's gross floor area (GFA) of 9,682 m² makes for an FSI of 4.17. Reaching a height of 27 metres, the proposal conforms to the City's Official Plan—including the site's designation as a Mixed Use Area—and as such does not require an Official Plan Amendment to be made. Instead, the proposal requires an amendment to the former City of Etobicoke's Zoning Code in order to increase the permitted height and density.

The site in its urban context, image via submission to the City of Toronto

We will keep you updated as more information becomes available, and the project makes its way through the approvals process. In the meantime, check out our dataBase file for more information, and additional renderings. Want to share your thoughts? Leave a comment in the space below this page, or join the conversation in our associated Forum thread.