Graywood Developments are preparing to submit another set of revisions for Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment applications to the City of Toronto for a site in the Church-Wellesley Village. The amendments would allow for the development of a 14-storey, stepped, mixed-use, mostly residential building designed by Diamond Schmitt Architects. The site is located on the west side of Church Street, between Maitland Street and Alexander Street.

Looking southwest to 506 Church Street, designed by Diamond Schmitt Architects for Graywood Developments

The proposed development is located at 506-516 Church Street and would replace: 

  • 2-storey house with an addition at the back (506 Church Street)
  • two 2-storey row houses with commercial uses and a 2-storey garage (Crews and Tangos 508 Church Street, and 510 Church Street)
  • surface lot with 31 parking spaces (512-516 Church Street) 

Context map for 506-516 Church Street, designed by Bousfields for Graywood Developments

Surrounding area: 

  • west of the site is a public laneway (Donna Shaw Lane), accessed via Maitland Street and Alexander Street
  • north of the site is a 2-storey restaurant (O’Grady’s, 518 Church Street)
  • south of the site is 2-storey mixed use building with a vacant commercial space at grade 
  • across Church to the east of the site is a mix of 2-storey commercial buildings and older row houses that have been changed to live-work units and retail/commercial at grade (445-475 Church Street)

Looking southeast to 506 Church Street, designed by Diamond Schmitt Architects for Graywood Developments

Resubmission details:

  • reduction of building height to 45.02 metres (14-storeys)
  • revision to massing on north side, 2.0 metre step back introduced above the 10th floor on the North side of the building 
  • added terraces on the Church Street side of the building, every 3 floors up to level 9, and a terrace on every floor after that 
  • decrease number of units from 197 units to 164 units
  • decrease in the number of parking spots from 40 to 32
  • decrease in the number of bicycle parking spaces from 206 to 174
  • increase the amenity space from 724m² to 765m²

Site plan for 506-516 Church Street, designed by Diamond Schmitt Architects for Graywood Developments

As outlined in the planning rationale by Bousfields, the heritage buildings at 508 and 510 Church Street would be preserved and incorporated into the design of the building.

The total gross floor area of the development would be 12,712m² with a floor space index of 7.47. The proposed residential gross floor area would be 11,914m² and there would be 789m² of non-residential space. There would be 164 residential condo units, with 29 studios (18%), 56 one-bedrooms (34%), 63 two-bedrooms (38%), and 17 three-bedrooms (10%).

The 14-storey building would have 765m² of indoor and outdoor amenity spaces for residents to use.  A 46m² dog run would be featured as a 12th floor outdoor amenity space facing Church Street. The total proposed indoor amenity space would be 562m² (3.41m²/unit). The total proposed outdoor amenity space would be 203m² (1.2m²/unit).

Looking southwest to the podium of 506 Church Street, designed by Diamond Schmitt Architects for Graywood Developments

The proposed development would have 32 parking spaces and 174 bicycle parking spaces underground, accessed from Donna Shaw Lane. There would be 1 loading space located on the ground floor, also accessed from Donna Shaw Lane. The site is located 400 metres (a 5 minute walk) from Wellesley subway station and 550 metres (a 7 minute walk) from College subway station. The site is served by the 94 Wellesley bus that travels East-West between Castle Frank station and Ossington station and connects to Wellesley station. The 506 streetcar is located near the site and connects to Main Street, High Park, College and Queen's Park TTC stations. 

Transit map for 506-516 Church Street, designed by Bousfields for Graywood Developments

* * *

EDITOR'S NOTE: This article has been republished. An earlier version included renderings from a previous submission to the City.

* * *

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

* * *

UrbanToronto’s new data research service, UrbanToronto Pro, offers comprehensive information on construction projects in the Greater Toronto Area—from proposal right through to completion stages. In addition, our subscription newsletter, New Development Insider, drops in your mailbox daily to help you track projects through the planning process.

Related Companies:  Bousfields, Counterpoint Engineering, Diamond Schmitt Architects, EQ Building Performance Inc., HGC Noise Vibration Acoustics, U31