Two months after a February resubmission revealed details about a new plan for State Building Group and Stanford Homes' 400 Front Street West, an updated rezoning application has been submitted for the planned multi-building redevelopment at Toronto’s Spadina and Front intersection. Originally proposed with heights of 2, 24, 25, 58, and 60 storeys with a design by architectsAlliance, the project’s early 2018 resubmission reduced the scope of the project and featured a new design by Kirkor Architects, with proposed building heights of 2, 26, 57, and 59 storeys.

South-facing aerial view, 400 Front, image via submission to City of Toronto

A limited resubmission has since been made in advance of a Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT) hearing in June. Further refining plans, it proposes a total of 1,922 condominium units spread across the buildings, a slight reduction from the 1,947 proposed in the previous version. The most substantial change is a thorough redesign of 24 and 25 storey towers from the first plan into a single 26-storey residential tower set to occupy the portion of the site on Front Street. 

Looking west to 400 Front's 26-storey tower, image via submission to City of Toronto

The previous version in February showed the proposed with a brick-clad base and a series of stepbacks that placed the bulk of the density to the east side of the tower, while the current plan has a far more sculpted design for the 26-storey building. Now proposed with a gross floor area of 32,348 m² (348,189 ft²), sweeping changes to the massing and exterior expression now give this tower a unique identity among the surrounding rectilinear tower designs.

Current and previous designs for 26-storey component at 400 Front, images via submission to City of Toronto

A massing diagram shows how this sculptural form creates a series of terraces, forming private outdoor spaces for residents as well as common outdoor amenity spaces, while reducing shadows on Clarence Square Park to the north.

Diagram of 400 Front's 26-storey tower, image via submission to City of Toronto

Another change to the plans compared to the original is a 1,608m² parkland dedication to be located at the interior of the site, leading from Front Street up to the taller towers on Wellington Street ad to Clarence Square. We will look more at that portion of the proposal as more material is released.

Looking northeast to 400 Front's 26-storey tower, image via submission to City of Toronto

In the meantime, additional information and images can be found in our database file for the project, linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Check out the associated Forum threads, or leave a comment in the field provided at the bottom of this page.

Related Companies:  Bousfields, Cohen & Master Tree and Shrub Services Ltd, EQ Building Performance Inc., Gradient Wind Engineers & Scientists, HGC Engineering Inc, Jablonsky, Ast and Partners, Kirkor Architects Planners, LEA Consulting