Revised Official Plan and Zoning Bylaw Amendment applications have been submitted by Larco Investments for a two-tower mixed-use proposal slated to rise above the heritage designated Dominion Public Building at 1 Front Street West in the heart of Downtown Toronto. First submitted for approval in July, 2018, the proposal has been tied up at the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT) following the City's refusal of the applications. Changes made to the proposed mix of uses, massing, and overall siting of the development are intended to resolve outstanding issues.

View from Yonge Street looking south, image via submission to the City of Toronto

The original scheme envisioned a pair of architectsAlliance-designed rental towers of 45 and 49 storeys climbing above the eastern half of the five-storey, Queenston limestone-clad Dominion Public Building, which was built in 1935. The east tower would rise to a height of 156.9 metres to the top of the mechanical penthouse, with the west tower measuring 168.7 metres. A total of 836 residential units, 251 hotel suites, and a three-level underground parking garage accommodating 199 vehicle spaces were proposed.

View from Front Street looking east, image via submission to the City of Toronto

Planning staff recommended refusal of the applications in an April, 2019 report, stating the proposal "does not support the role of the Financial District in maintaining office use on-site, does not provide minimum tall building setbacks, and does not conserve the scale, form and massing of the heritage Dominion Public Building." The applications were subsequently refused by City Council the following month, a decision that was promptly appealed to LPAT.

Looking southwest from Berczy Park, image via submission to the City of Toronto

Addressing one of the City's primary sticking points, the revised application now adds a significant office component to the mix of uses. A total of 36,164 m² of office space would replace the previously proposed hotel and retail uses on levels one through five of the existing heritage building, with additional office spaces located across four levels within a "podium shoulder element" between the two towers.

Looking west from Yonge and Front towards the Dominion Public Building, image via submission to the City of Toronto

The west tower would contain a mix of residential and hotel spaces, while the east tower would be fully residential. The Long Room, inaccessible to the public since 1 Front's conversion to government offices, would be restored and used as part of the proposed hotel facilities. The rear laneway, becoming a shared pedestrian promenade with the second phase of CIBC Square, would be activated with retail.

Massing changes include the elimination of the cantilever of the east tower beyond the south face of the heritage building. Previously triangular in its footprint, the east tower has now been squared off and set back 24.8 metres from the north facade of the heritage building. The west tower, originally trapezoidal in shape, is now triangular and set back ten metres from the north facade. The heights of both towers remain the same, but tower placement has been revised to provide a greater separation distance of 24 to 26 metres between the buildings. 

View from Yonge looking west at the rear laneway, image via submission to the City of Toronto

All 120 studio units proposed under the previous plan have been eliminated. The residential composition now consists of 185 one-bedrooms, 153 two-bedrooms, and 70 three-bedrooms for a total of 408 units, less than half the amount of units originally proposed. Total residential gross floor area has been reduced from 55,727 m² to 31,855 m². The hotel component now encompasses 16,284 m², a reduction from 22,045 square metres. Despite this reduction in overall floor area, two additional hotel suites are proposed, for a total of 253 rooms. Total retail space has also declined from 8,986 m² to 5,083 m².

Statistical comparison between the original and revised submissions, image via submission to the City of Toronto

Located on the sixth level of the podium shoulder element, indoor amenity spaces have been reduced from 1,672 to 1,568 m², while total outdoor amenity spaces have increased from 913 to 1,085 m². A 1,303 m² hotel ballroom is also proposed on this level.

The number of vehicular parking spaces have been lowered slightly from 199 to 195 spaces to reflect the reduction of residential space. Bicycle spaces have also seen a corresponding drop, with 616 spaces now proposed compared to the initial 986.

A Site Plan Approval application is expected to be submitted once City offices reopen.

You can learn more by visiting the project's Database file, linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Check out the associated Forum thread or leave a comment in the field below.

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