On the south side of the Danforth in Toronto's east end, Marlin Spring's 8-storey Canvas Condominium will add a 200-foot retail frontage to the somewhat transitional stretch—where fine-grained retail meets car dealerships and gas stations—between Woodbine and Main Street subway stations. Set to replace a pair of low-rise buildings and the street-level parking around them, the site of the Graziani + Corazza-designed project is now occupied by the 170-unit condominium's sales centre. 

Rendering of the project, image courtesy of Marlin Spring

While the building that houses the sales centre represents slightly more than half of the project's Danforth Avenue frontage, the length of the space hints at what will be an expansive presence. Though many of Toronto's recent mid-rises fit into approximately 100-foot sites, Canvas' larger footprint stretches across the better part of the block.

Aerial view of the site, image via Google Maps

At street level, the Danforth frontage—featuring the widened sidewalks and landscaping improvements required by the City—will be filled in with retail. Although retail tenants have yet to be announced, Marlin Spring COO Zev Mandelbaum has expressed a desire to incorporate elements of the area's fine-grained commercial character into the site.

The scale model, image by Stefan Novakovic

A look at the scale model offers a more detailed preview of the street-level experience. Above the retail frontage, a two-storey dark brick façade reflects the scale and materiality of the street's existing built form, attempting to cosmetically break up the 200-foot frontage into smaller elements. 

A closer look at the Danforth frontage, image by Stefan Novakovic

Meanwhile, the project's south elevation steps down to meet the scale of the neighbouring homes. The area's low-rise character means that many of the terraces will have relatively open views of the city, with much of the skyline visible from the lower floors.

The south elevation, image by Stefan Novakovic

Topping the building, a shared amenity terrace—featuring seating and lounge space, a BBQ area, and a bocce ball court—will look out over the city from a higher vantage point. 

The rooftop amenity area, image by Stefan Novakovic

We will return with a look at the sales centre's model suite and the project's interiors, appointed by U31. 

The south-facing balconies, image by Stefan Novakovic

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