Toronto’s Downtown will bear witness to another towering mixed-use skyscraper, this time replacing the iconic National Life Building at 522 University Avenue, an area commonly referred to as the ‘Discovery District.’ A Zoning By-law Amendment and Site Plan Control Application, submitted by Bousfields Inc. on behalf of Industrial Alliance Insurance and Financial Services Inc. and 522 University Avenue Holding Inc., will see the 1970s-built Brutalist structure demolished in favour of a 62-storey mixed-use building designed by WZMH Architects.

Proposed aerial view of 522 University Avenue looking south, image from submission to the City of Toronto

The 2,213m² subject site is located at the southwest corner of University Avenue and Elm Street. Occupied by a 15-storey concrete structure designed by acclaimed Toronto architecture firm, John B. Parkin Associates, in 1973, the building is a striking example of city's Brutalist architecture that rose to prominence in the 1960s and '70s.

Existing building on site looking southwest from Elm Street, image from Apple Maps

Designated as “Mixed Use Areas 1 – Growth” by the City of Toronto’s Downtown Secondary Plan, the area is typically defined by a significant number of hospitals, treatment centres, academic buildings, government offices and research facilities. Even though University Avenue is densely populated with an assortment of mid- to high-rise towers, the expansive 55m wide right-of-way, characterized by wide sidewalks and an assortment of mature foliage, leaves this major north-south arterial road feeling spacious. Facilitated by two northbound and two southbound traffic lanes, 522 University Avenue also benefits from excellent transit access, most notably the TTC’s St Patrick Station on Line 1 and the 505 Dundas streetcar, which are both no further than 150m away to the south.

Site location at 522 University Avenue, Toronto, image from submission to the City of Toronto

WZMH Architect’s proposal consists of a 49-storey residential tower atop a 13-storey office podium that steps down to a 4-storey base building along University Avenue, encompassing the entirety of the plot’s 2,213m² area. A series of minor setbacks provide some relief from the adjacent 500 University Avenue to the east and street frontages, allowing for significant improvements to the public realm. Clear vision and spandrel glass panels arranged in a vertical hit-and-miss pattern define the rectilinear podium, which references its brutalist predecessor's height. To maintain a cohesive streetwall, the tower above has been setback from University Avenue by 14.8m and is skewed towards the southern portion of the site. Its rectangular form is disrupted by a series of undulating clear and frosted glass wrap-around balconies that break up the vertical mass and add visual intrigue to the predominantly white panel-clad residential tower.

Proposed view of 522 University Avenue looking south at the intersection of University Avenue and Elm Street, image from submission to the City of Toronto

The proposed development consists of 58,859m² of gross floor area (GFA) across 62 storeys. A recessed ground level contains 354m² of retail space fronting University Avenue to the north. A dedicated residential lobby at the site's southwestern perimeter and a vehicular ramp leading from Simcoe Street allow access to four levels of underground parking, providing the development with 89 residential parking spaces, 47 parking spaces shared between residential visitors and non-residential uses, and 768 bicycle spaces. 23,351m² of prime office space is situated within levels 2 to 13 of the building's proposed podium. The tower component is predominantly residential, supplemented with a series of amenity spaces totalling 2,744m². In total, 611 condominium units will be provided, comprising 94 studios units (15%), 329 one-bedroom units (54%), 127 two-bedroom units (21%), and 61 three-bedroom units (10%), which meets the City of Toronto's requirements for percentages of unit types. This gives the site an overall proposed density of 24.4 FSI.

UrbanToronto will continue to follow updates for this development, but in the meantime, 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.

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Related Companies:

Aercoustics Engineering Ltd, Bousfields, Gradient Wind Engineers & Scientists, Grounded Engineering Inc., PCL Construction, WZMH Architects