Following a 2013 submission, Diamond Corp and Allied Properties REIT's rezoning application for a residential tower at 57 Spadina was approved by Toronto City Council in August 2014. Following the rezoning, the site was sold to Tricon Capital, who are partnering with MOD Developments Inc. to advance the Diamond Schmitt-designed project through Site Plan approvals. While the Toronto-based architects have been retained, the project's programming has evolved from the initial proposal, while the building's architectural expression has also been refined.   

Rendering of the revised building looking north, image retrieved via submission to the City of Toronto

Located on the east side of Spadina Avenue, just south of King St. and north of Clarence Square Park, the 36-storey tower is now planned as mixed-use rental building. The development will comprise of 1,720 m² of retail space on the first and second levels, and 2,658 m² of office space on the third and fourth floors.

With a slightly expanded GFA of 30,593 m², the scope of the project remains consistent with the earlier proposal. By contrast, however, the earlier proposal also called for 370 residential—and likely condominium—units, with no office space included. Now, the update plan has reduced the number of suites to 324.

Rendering of the revised building looking east, image retrieved via submission to the City of Toronto

The residential rental unit breakdown consists of 192 one bedroom units, 98 two bedroom units, and 34 three bedroom suites. Moving below, five levels of underground parking will hold 114 vehicle parking spaces: 82 for residents and 32 for visitors. Access to the garage and loading facilities will be located on the building's southeast side, via an on-site laneway. 312 bicycle spaces are also included, housed on vertical stacks in the fifth floor's bike storage room. The development will also include 898 m² of indoor amenity space throughout the building, along with 605 m² of outdoor space, provided through terraces on floors 9, 13, and 36.

Rendering of the revised building at-grade level, image retrieved via submission to the City of Toronto

Given the slight changes to the building's floorplate, the development currently exceeds the allowed site-specific zoning by-laws. This figure is in excess of 1,593 m² in relation to By-Law No. 1061-2014, or in excess of 2,107 m² within By-Law No. 1062-2014. In addition, the new design has a reduction to the proposed parking ratio, resulting in fewer parking spaces than required by the site-specific zoning bylaw. 

An earlier rendering of the development, image retrieved via submission to the City of Toronto

Aesthetically, the most notable change from the previous iteration (above) is the incorporation of red-brick precast accents across the body of the tower, replacing the buff-brick cladding from the earlier version. Meanwhile, the stacking plans of the two designs remain the same. The project will rise to a height of 404 ft, which falls just under the 413 ft height peak planned for its northern neighbour 401-415 King West Condos.

For the new Tricon Luxury Residences brand, the Tricon and MOD collaboration generally follows the precedent they are setting at The Selby. Like 57 Spadina, the Sherbourne Street residential development was initially proposed as a condominium by other developers—the trio of Cityzen, Fernbrook, and Diamond Corp.—before being sold to Tricon and re-conceptualized as a rental property. 

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We wil keep you updated as this development moves through the Site Plan approval process. Our dataBase file, linked below, also contains additional information on the project. Want to share your thoughts on the new renderings? Feel free to comment in the space provided on this page, or join in the discussion in our associated Forum thread.

Related Companies:  B+H Architects, BDP Quadrangle, Bousfields, CCxA, Cecconi Simone, DesignAgency, Diamond Schmitt Architects, EQ Building Performance Inc., Ferris + Associates Inc., Graziani + Corazza Architects, Great Gulf, Janet Rosenberg & Studio, Kramer Design Associates Limited, Live Patrol Inc., McIntosh Perry, New Release Condo, Peter McCann Architectural Models Inc., RJC Engineers, Tricon Residential, WND Associates Ltd