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After entering the market in early 2015, the second phase of Urban Capital and ALIT Developments' 'The Ravine' development has taken another step forward, with a site plan application for two residential buildings submitted to the City of Toronto in September. Located east of the Don Valley Parkway and south of York Mills Road, the North York development calls for a total of five new structures, with the current site plan application advancing the phase two buildings on the north side of the 5.21 hectare site.
Now proposed at heights of 12 and 27 storeys, the two buildings (referred to as 'E' and 'D' respectively), will replace many of the 143 rental town homes that currently occupy the new community's site. At the southeast corner of York Mills and Valley Woods, the 27-storey 'Building D' will be a 306-unit condominium tower, while the 12-storey 'Building E' immediately to its east is planned as a 140 unit rental development, replacing much of the site's rental housing stock.
Like the three phase one residential structures to the south, the project is designed by Toronto's Rafael + Bigauskas Architects. Along the lower levels the design makes frequent use of stone finishes and wood tones, attempting to integrate the new development with the natural heritage of the Don Valley while fostering an enhanced pedestrian experience.
South of the phase two buildings, a new road (referred to as 'Street A') will curve southwest from York Mills, ending in a cul de sac just south of Valley Woods Road. The new street will provide vehicle access to both phases of the project, with parking access, loading space, and fire routes, situated between the phase two buildings. The site plan also features the customary sidewalk and streetscape improvements—including widened walkways and new plantings—that typically accompany new developments, along with a small forecourt fronting the 27-storey tower on York Mills Road.
While the southeast end of the site (abutting the 12-storey rental buildings) will feature an outdoor amenity area, a landscaped publicly accessible green space—accented by stones and boulders—will front Valley Woods Road to the west. Just northeast of the 27-storey tower, the condominium's 8-storey base building will be topped by another outdoor amenity space.
For both buildings, the ground floors will be dominated by residential amenities, though the 12-storey 'Building E' also includes four townhouse-style suites at street level. However, the project's entire York Mills frontage is set to be taken up by residential storage lockers and bicycle parking, as well as a number of mechanical installations. These uses will move residential suites away from ground level traffic noise.
In terms of unit mix, the 306-suite condominium will feature 194 one-bedroom (63%), 95 two-bedroom (31%), and 17 three-bedroom (5%) homes. To the east, the 140-unit rental building is set to include 30 one-bedroom (21%), 48 two-bedroom (34%), and 62 three-bedroom (44%) suites, with the relatively high proportion of three-bedroom units in part reflecting the existing community's family-oriented character.
We will keep you updated as more information about the project becomes available, and the project continues through the latter stages of the planning process. In the meantime, you can check out our dataBase file, linked below, to find out more about the development. Want to share your thoughts? Leave a comment in the space provided on this page, or join the conversation in our associated Forum thread.
