With construction now underway on the first elements of Lash Group Of Companies' ME Living Condos—named for its position at the intersection of (M)arkham and (E)llesmere—a new phase has been proposed for the Turner Fleischer Architects-designed master-planned community in Scarborough. A rezoning and site plan approval application was filed with Toronto's City Planning department in the final days of 2016, calling for a 39-storey condominium tower rising from a mixed-use podium, with a height of 123.4 metres.

1021-1035 Markham Road, view east on Brimorton, image retrieved from submission to City of Toronto

The proposal seeks a gross floor area (GFA) of 31,184 square metres, 2,384 square metres of which will be dedicated to new retail space. Much of the remaining GFA would be dedicated to the tower's 380 residential units, which are proposed in a mix of 73 one-bedroom units, 156 one-bedroom plus den units, 133 two-bedroom units and 18 two-bedroom + den units. Combined with the existing ME Living development, the new phase will bring the total unit count on the block up to 1,367.

Located at 1021-1035 Markham Road, the tower's 6-storey base would build upon the earlier phases' urban street wall, an atypical characteristic for buildings along this suburban arterial. At ground level, the building would contain a residential lobby, 660 m² of retail space, three residential units on the east side of the building, and a garage access ramp plus loading areas at the rear. In addition to the at-grade retail space, the entire 1,536 m² second level of the podium would be occupied by retail space. 

1021-1035 Markham Road, aerial east view, image retrieved from submission to City of Toronto

Level three would be split between amenity and residential uses, with eight units along the south side of the floor, and 660 m² indoor and 211 m² outdoor amenity spaces on the north and west sides. Level three would also house residential lockers. The remaining fourth through sixth levels of the podium would house a mix of residential units and storage lockers.

Additional amenities will be located on the seventh floor of the building, including a 407.8 m² indoor space connected to a 304.6 m² of outdoor amenity space. The seventh floor will also include a 212.9 m² green roof at the south side of the building, and four residential units at the northeast corner. Above the podium and 7th floor amenity level, the tower steps back slightly for floors 8 through 39, which will be entirely occupied by residential units.

1021-1035 Markham Road, view west on Brimorton, image retrieved from submission to City of Toronto

The new phase would be served by a six underground levels containing the building's parking garage as well as bicycle parking spaces, a garbage room, and other building service areas. The parking component would be housed on all six of the below-grade levels, containing 405 parking spaces divided between 325 resident spaces, 57 visitor spaces, and 23 commercial spaces. 311 bicycle parking spaces, divided between 272 long-term spaces and 39 short-term spaces, will serve both residents and retail spaces within the building. 

With the second phase of ME Living Condos, ME2, only recently having launched sales this past fall, and this new phase freshly submitted for rezoning and site plan approval, it may still be some time before shovels hit the ground. 

1021-1035 Markham Road, aerial west view, image retrieved from submission to City of Toronto

We will return as new information emerges about the project. In the meantime, additional information and renderings can be found in our expanded ME Living dataBase file, linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Check out the associated Forum threads, or leave a comment using the field provided at the bottom of this page.

Related Companies:  Counterpoint Engineering, EQ Building Performance Inc., Live Patrol Inc., McIntosh Perry, NEEZO Studios, Sigmund Soudack & Associates, STUDIO tla, The Fence People, Turner Fleischer Architects