After laying relatively dormant for a couple of decades, a unique site on the west side of Downtown Toronto is now changing rapidly. Just east of Liberty Village is something that the City's planning department referred to as the Ordnance Triangle (for the short street that enters into it), but which was rechristened Garrison Point (for its location opposite Fort York) by is developers. Two buildings are rising—Garrison Point—the excavation for another two is close to done—Novus—and now another tower is into the planning process.
The triangular plot of land between Metrolinx's Kitchener and Lakeshore West corridors and Strachan Avenue, will be the site of five primarily residential towers. 45 Strachan, the fifth and final project to submit plans to the City of Toronto, is proposed to rise 39 storeys above the northeast corner of the Strachan and Ordnance intersection. Developer Bentall Kennedy has hired Hariri Pontarini Architects to design the mixed-use development. This building will be the third Bentall Kennedy rental tower to rise in the Garrison Point triangle, following their purchase of some of the land which was once part of Cityzen & Fernbrook’s Garrison Point five-building master plan.
The proposed 39-storey, 433-unit rental apartment tower would also comprise commercial at ground level of the building’s 6-storey podium. The masonry-clad podium distinguishes the proposal from the adjacent Garrison Point buildings at 11, 25, and 30 Ordnance. Hariri Pontarini's description of the work says the building’s two visually distinguishable structural volumes and the grid-like aesthetic created by the balcony cladding have been designed to provide visual interest on the skyline.
The building is proposed to rise 126 meters and would cover 32,830 m² in gross floor area. The 433 dwelling building would comprise 23 studios, 185 one-bedrooms, 200 two-bedrooms, and 25 three-bedroom units. Residents' vehicles would be accommodated by 182 parking spaces and the building visitors would have access to 28, with the total 212 parking spots in four underground levels. In addition, 530 bicycle parking spots are proposed at grade and on the first two levels of the underground garage.
Residents would have access to 866 m² of indoors amenity space and 650 m² outdoors. Indoor amenity spaces are proposed for the 7th and 34th floors and include an arts and crafts studio, a fitness gym, cardio studio, yoga room, tv lounge, games and dining room. The outdoor amenities include an outdoor BBQ area, exterior movie theatre, lounge areas, and an outdoor fitness space comprising yoga and cardio areas.
45 Strachan residents will be in direct proximity to the public park on the easterly tip of the Garrison Point triangle. This public space will provide access to Garrison Crossing, aka the Fort York Pedestrian and Cycle Bridges, that will connect north to Stanley Park and south to Fort York. While the developers have made Section 37 contributions to the bridges and park, and construction of them has started, the final design for the park has not been published yet.