North of the CP rail tracks, a new retirement residence could be coming to Toronto's Don Mills Road. The 10-storey development has been proposed at 905 Don Mills, on a 2,901 m² site at the northeast corner at Green Belt Drive. Currently occupied by surface parking and a small single-storey automotive repair facility, the project would bring 164 residential units to a formerly industrial area of the city. 

905 Don Mills Road, image via submission to the City of Toronto

Located between Eglinton and Lawrence, the residence would intensify the site while extending the residential character of the master-planned Don Mills community further south. Development began here in the 1950s—residential toward the north, while more commercial and quasi-industrial uses were mostly concentrated to the south.

Designed by Kirkor Architects for DCMS Realty Developments Inc., the development arm of Verve Senior Living—a Mississauga-based company specializing in retirement residences—the building will be accessible from Green Belt Drive, with an enclosed outdoor amenity space fronting the Don Mills corner. The ground floor will feature a large dining space and kitchen, as well as an administrative area and various back-of-house uses. Above, a small collection or residential amenities, including a billiards room and a library, as well as a 'country kitchen' with terrace, would take up part of the second level, with the upper levels given over to residential uses. 

The ground floor plan, image via submission to the City of Toronto

Ranging in size from studios to two-bedrooms, the 164 residential units would come in a mix of 92 independent living spaces and 72 assisted-living suites. While the development is designed to accommodate varying—and evolving—individual needs, meals for all residents would be provided in the communal dining room. Below grade, two levels of parking are planned, with a total of 54 spaces. 16 bicycle parking spots would also be provided. (Given the site's automotive uses, soil remediation would be required). 

With the Crosstown LRT set to make the area much more transit-accessible, the project's planning rationale argues that intensification along the Don Mills corridor is appropriate. Closer to Eglinton, larger residential projects like 25 St. Dennis Drive, the two-tower Sonic Condos, and Tridel's multi-tower On The Park, are already in the works, while another cluster of towers is planned surrounding the upscale Shops at Don Mills a couple blocks to the north of this site. 

3D aerial view of the site, image via Google Maps

Assessing the application, a preliminary City staff report was published earlier this month, getting the planning process underway. We will keep you updated as more information becomes available, and the Don Mills corridor continues to take shape. In the meantime, you can learn more about the project by checking out our dataBase file, linked below. Want to share your thoughts? Leave a comment in the space on this page, or join the conversation in our associated Forum thread.