Plans submitted to the City of Toronto in late August by Core Development Group and Shannondale Developments present a modern interpretation of a flatiron building, re-imagining the classic architectural form within the current urban context, as a 35-storey residential tower in Oakwood Village reaching a height of 119.3 metres. Official Plan Amendment (OPA) and Zoning Bylaw Amendment (ZBA) applications have been submitted in support of the development. The applications focus on transit connectivity as the primary grounds for the significant intensification the proposal would bring to the area with 483 proposed units and a gross floor space area (GFA) of 27,355m².
The design from Studio JCI takes advantage of the site location a block southeast of the intersection of Dufferin and Eglinton, where Fairbank station on Eglinton Line 5 is expected to be open by this time next year. At the corner of Vaughan Road and Northcliffe Boulevard, the design incorporates the unique diagonal aspect of Vaughan Road to create a flatiron shape at the southeast corner while maintaining a standard rectangular shape the rest of the way around. The tower is set on a podium that rises 6 storeys, and will feature 2 retail spaces at grade with a 2-storey ceiling height.
The units come in a range of sizes from studio to 4-bedroom, with floor space between 358 ft² at the smallest and 1,151 ft² at the largest. With standard floor plans from the 2nd-6th floors and 8th-35th floors, a collection of units on the 1st and 7th floors deviate from the standard layouts. 6 live/work units are proposed on the ground level, taking advantage of the 1st storey’s double height to offer a unique 2-storey suite. A similar approach appears at the 7th storey, where another 8 units boast loft spaces made possible by the double height of the amenity level.
The proposal offers 980m² of indoor amenity space, and 1,076m² outdoor amenity, for a total of 2,056m², adding up to about 4.25m² per unit.The architectural plans provide minimal detail for the programming of much of the indoor amenity space, but they do show a stepped seating area that leads up to an elevated space on the ground level, which is designed to be double height.
As for the outdoor amenity spaces, they are laid out extensively in the plans, beginning on the ground level with a raised terrace that wraps around the north and east sides of the podium. With access from the ground floor indoor amenity area on the eastern wall, and a sloped entry from Northcliffe Boulevard, residents will be able to enjoy seating and green space as well as a pet friendly area.
Meanwhile, 6 storeys up on the roof of the podium, another indoor and outdoor amenity space occupies most of the southern end of the floor, with a spacious walkout terrace that wraps around the east and west sides of the building that are now open because of the step-back of the tower. A rooftop terrace and indoor amenity area top it off, providing another forum for gathering and enjoying the open air.
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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