The slow-to-fruition Eglinton Line 5 Crosstown LRT will offer a much-needed boost to public transit in Toronto’s midtown. This in turn means further potential for intensification and development, including a new proposal submitted for a tower above the line's Leaside Station at Bayview and Eglinton. Condor Properties Ltd. has retained IBI Group for the proposal design at 1779-1787 Bayview Avenue, while Bousfields has submitted an application for an Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-Law Amendment on behalf of Country Wide Homes (Bayview) Inc., the owner of the site.

Looking southeast to 1779-1787 Bayview Avenue, designed by IBI Group for Condor Properties Ltd

The proposed structure would stand at 118.27m and include 35 storeys. There would be a podium of seven storeys, with a two-storey transitional section before the tower starts. The mixed-use building would have 373 dwelling units in total and 541m² of retail Gross Floor Area (GFA) on the ground floor.

There would be 108 rental units from floors two to seven. The design would have a step back from the second floor, and the fourth level would hover on columns above the entrance to Leaside station. The podium would step back again at the fifth floor, and there would be another step back at the bottom of the tower portion on the eighth floor. That floor would also contain a sky lobby of 239m² in size, with an elevator for residents to move between the podium and tower.

An oblique aerial view of the site near the southeast corner of Bayview Avenue and Eglinton Avenue, image from submission to City of Toronto

At this time, the site consists of two multiplex buildings with two storeys each. Both structures date back to the mid-1930s, and the building at 1783-1785 Bayview Avenue is a designated heritage site. The demolition of these two sites for the proposed tower is acknowledged in the Heritage Impact Statement, which explains that there are other similar buildings in the area.

The current two-storey buildings at the site, facing southeast on Bayview Avenue, image retrieved from Google Street View

Beneath the podium there would be a four level garage with 138 parking spaces, of which 9 would be allotted to visitors and retail. The proposal would also entail 488 bicycle parking spaces on the mezzanine and ground floor, of which 10 would be for short-term use for non-residents.

Looking northeast to 1779-1787 Bayview Avenue at ground level, designed by IBI Group for Condor Properties Ltd

The main entrance to Leaside (already built, if not yet open) would be integrated into the proposed tower for direct access for residents. The building would be the first example of Transit Oriented Development built in conjunction with new Metrolinx-built rapid transit stations, several of which are coming to the Ontario Line in particular.

UrbanToronto will continue to follow progress on this development, but in the meantime, you can learn more about it from our Database file, 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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UrbanToronto has a research service, UrbanToronto Pro, that provides comprehensive data on construction projects in the Greater Toronto Area—from proposal through to completion. We also offer Instant Reports, downloadable snapshots based on location, and a daily subscription newsletter, New Development Insider, that tracks projects from initial application.

Related Companies:

Arcadis, Bousfields, Gradient Wind Engineers & Scientists, NAK Design Strategies