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High density projects have been hitting the Yonge & Eglinton corridor especially hard over the past few years. While many of these are for tall mixed-use residential towers or infill developments, there are still proposals that reflect low-scale, low-density development to some of the more established neighbourhoods. Situated just four streets northwest of the Yonge & Eglinton intersection, UrbanQuest Inc.'s development on the site of 117, 121, 123, and 129 Roselawn Avenue is approved and now into sales.
Dubbed The Rose Club, the Drew Mandel Architects-designed project will feature four blocks of 3-storey townhouses with three units each (totalling 12), averaging just shy of 19,000 square feet, and at a height of 39 feet. One level of underground parking will provide 12 residential spaces, and 7 visitor spaces.
The site currently consists of four mid-20th century residential buildings; two detached buildings, one duplex, and a four-unit rental apartment building. As six or more rental units are required to be replaced when buildings are redeveloped, UrbanQuest Inc. is not required to replace the four units. The City has approved the residential rental demolition application.
The lot frontage of the site is just over 41 metres, and has a depth of 40.8 metres. The approved development will have six residential units fronting onto Roselawn Avenue, while a pedestrian mews cuts through the middle of the site and opens up to the courtyard, where the remaining six lots are split on either side of the courtyard.
The proposal was appealed to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) by the developer on the grounds that the City of Toronto did not make a decision within the allotted 120 days following the submission as per the Planning Act. During the Hearing in May 2015, a resident living in the 3-storey apartment building to the east of the site was opposed to the development. In her view, she felt the project was too dense and too tall for the neighbourhood (despite it matching close to the height of the neighbouring apartment building).
The Planner representing the applicant satisfied the Board with evidence stating how the proposal complies with the Provincial Policy Statement 2014 (PPS), The Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, and the Yonge-Eglinton Secondary Plan. With a lack of compelling evidence to the contrary, the Board approved the application.
The Rose Club's dataBase file is now up and running, complete with renderings and additional information on the project. Want to share your thoughts on this development? Feel free to leave a comment using the space provided below, or join in the ongoing conversation in the associated Forum thread.
