Plans are underway for a 30-storey residential/mixed-use building on the northeast corner of Eglinton and Dufferin in Toronto's Fairbank area. DMJ Eglinton have submitted a Zoning By-law Amendment application for a site redevelopment that, if approved, could bring nearly 400 dwelling units to 1812 Eglinton Avenue West.

Rendering of the proposed development: looking northeast. Image by IBI Group.

The site is directly across from Fairbank Station on the Crosstown LRT line, set to open in 2022. Currently occupying the site are two 1 and 2-storey commercial buildings and surface parking lots. The proposed development supports the ongoing renewal and intensification of the Eglinton Avenue corridor and the wider area, which have been subject to several recent development applications.

Context Aerial, indicating the subject site. Image by Bousfields Inc.

Designed by IBI Group, the proposal incorporates two 7-storey podium elements, connected by a 23-storey tower. Within the base building elements, the ground floor’s 490 m² of retail space occupies virtually the entire frontage along Eglinton Avenue. The residential lobby is nestled in the centre and four at-grade townhouse units face onto Livingstone Avenue to the rear. The total gross floor area is 28,455 m², resulting in a density of 9.56 FSI.

The architectural expression of the podiums includes a white metal frame with grey bricks defining the vertical piers, to complement the materiality of main street buildings. North and south facades include inset or projecting balconies, with blank wall conditions to both the east and west.

North elevation – facing onto Livingston Avenue. Image by IBI Group.

Rising from the eighth floor, the 750 m² floor-plate of the tower is stepped back nearly 6 metres from the south façade along Eglinton Avenue and 15.6 metres from the podium along Livingstone. The tower is articulated with vertical windows, black and white metal panels and projecting balconies. The north (above) and south elevations each have projecting balconies in the centre, situated between two fins, which extend the entire height of the building and transition into the tower top. These features help break up the elevation and the balconies are de-emphasized through the rounded edges. The tower’s east and west elevations have a similar language, but the fins do not extend to the top. The mechanical penthouse will be hidden from view within a distinctive tower top feature, which will add visual interest to the skyline due to its curved, oval shape.

Site Plan – Roof Plan. The entirety of the outdoor amenity (781 m²) will be provided on Level 8 atop the north and south podiums. Image by IBI Group.

Level 8 will consist of indoor amenity space, with outdoor amenity space located on the roof of both podiums, directly contiguous with the indoor amenity space. Additional amenity spaces are provided on the 1st and 2nd levels.

Of the 381 proposed dwelling units, the breakdown includes 24 studios (6.3%), 119 one-bedroom plus den (31.2%), 98 two-bedroom units (25.7%), 104 two-bedroom plus den (27.3%) and 36 three-bedroom units (9.4%).

A new public laneway along the northeast edge of the site would provide access to the loading area. Accessed via the proposed driveway along the west property line are two underground parking levels containing 133 vehicle and 344 bicycle parking spaces.

West elevation. A two-way driveway from Livingstone Avenue leads to the underground parking ramp and a pick-up/drop-off area adjacent to the residential lobby. Image by IBI Group.

You can learn more from our Database file for the project, linked below. If you'd like to, you can join in on the conversation in the associated Project Forum thread, or leave a comment in the space provided on this page.

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Related Companies:  Bousfields, Ferris + Associates Inc., Gradient Wind Engineers & Scientists, LEA Consulting