Developer: Northwest Healthcare Properties
Architect: WZMH Architects
  
Address: 5 Fairview Mall Dr, Toronto
Category: Residential (Unspecified), Commercial (Office, Retail)
Status: Pre-ConstructionCompletion: TBD
Height: 510 ft / 155.55 mStoreys: 47 storeys
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Toronto 5 Fairview Mall Drive | 155.55m | 47s | NWH REIT | WZMH

Northern Light

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This new to the AIC proposal comes from Northwest Healthcare properties which owns a small, four storey medical office building at the north west side of Fairview Mall.

The office fronts Don Mills Road, but is surrounded by surface parking to its north and west in an L-Shape, separating it from Fairview Mall Drive and the adjacent public library.

Here, the applicant seeks to add 2 residential towers of 36 and 31 storeys on the existing parking, while retaining the 4s building in-situ.

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http://app.toronto.ca/AIC/index.do?folderRsn=uYJC/SwS1Z7h3vZdm6Cdlw==

Site as is, per streetviews (perspective from the north-west, looking south-east):

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From the Docs:

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Same two as above at increased zoom:

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Site Plan:

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Don Mills Road is on this side of the above plan

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Landscape Plan:

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My comments on the landscape plan:

They spent on the renders! LOL (3 more available)

Soil Volumes are good, irrigation provided, planter design solid, nice use of interlock and seating provided.

Two tree species choice are 'ambitious' (Red Maple and Tulip tree), but since I'm not the one warrantying them, why not?)

I'm a bit uncertain about the layout of the planters in terms of sightlines and invitation to use the space, I need to give it more thought.......it is 5am, and I'm pre-coffee.

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Parking Ratio is 0.38

The above seems a bit high given the existing and likely future transit context. (Existing, Don Mills Station on the Sheppard line just to the south, and frequent Don Mills bus service, plus short walk to Fairview mall which will sport a T&T supermarket.) (Future, Sheppard subway extensions and probable Ontario Line).

Would like to see this number come down a bit, and also have a design allowing repurposing the P1 parking level to large-format retail.

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Additional comments:

In light of nearby proposals, both approved and pending, I think the height should sail through here.

While not without its flaws, this proposal is clearly a demonstrable improvement over the existing site.

Architecture is ok, landscape plan above average for the area.
 
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No, STC is about 15,000 units and the Fairview Mall redevelopment is about 6,000.
Is the 6,000 just the units on the Fairview property, or the broader area? There's also Forest Manor right across the street that probably has another dozen apartments. Plus the northwest corner of Don Mills and Sheppard has a two tower proposal, and a couple of other infill proposals

May not make it to 15,000, but I suspect the broader '10 minute walk' number of units would be significantly greater
 
Too much too closely spaced.

It meets certain technical criteria, but those criteria really aren't meant to be taken at an entire neighbourhood scale.

Visually, you need relief from the monotony of towers, as Ken Greenberg recently opined. That aside, I question if the area infrastructure can support the overall density when you keep repeating this pattern.

Their Block Context Plan is wildly out of date.

That doesn't seem to be addressed in the Planning Addendum.
 
Too much too closely spaced.

It meets certain technical criteria, but those criteria really aren't meant to be taken at an entire neighbourhood scale.

Visually, you need relief from the monotony of towers, as Ken Greenberg recently opined. That aside, I question if the area infrastructure can support the overall density when you keep repeating this pattern.

Their Block Context Plan is wildly out of date.

That doesn't seem to be addressed in the Planning Addendum.
As someone who used to live there, it’s a very strange little neighborhood. Theoretically it’s kind of dense and well serviced, but with the highway and Sheppard stroad cutting through, along with the enormous parking lot with crappy pedestrian access, it is terrible to walk in at all. People do it anyways because there’s so many people there but the whole area feels disjointed and awkward to navigate.
 
As someone who used to live there, it’s a very strange little neighborhood. Theoretically it’s kind of dense and well serviced, but with the highway and Sheppard stroad cutting through, along with the enormous parking lot with crappy pedestrian access, it is terrible to walk in at all. People do it anyways because there’s so many people there but the whole area feels disjointed and awkward to navigate.
Completely agree. As someone that grew up there and is still there frequently, there's no street life anywhere. Would be great if the redevelopment included a bit of a high street on the Fairview property
 
Is the 6,000 just the units on the Fairview property, or the broader area? There's also Forest Manor right across the street that probably has another dozen apartments. Plus the northwest corner of Don Mills and Sheppard has a two tower proposal, and a couple of other infill proposals

May not make it to 15,000, but I suspect the broader '10 minute walk' number of units would be significantly greater
I didn't include any other proposals. I don't believe FM has a dozen towers coming, but you're right there's a few projects planned for the NW corner. However, you have to do the same at STC and that would also scoop up a bunch of additional projects.

I'm curious and I'll round up the numbers later today, though I suspect STC will be ahead even if you expand the area under consideration.
 

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