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As the Eglinton Line 5 Crosstown LRT nears completion, properties along its route stand to benefit from this major mobility upgrade to Toronto’s mid-town arterial. One such site has been proposed for redevelopment at 2636 Eglinton Avenue West. Fora Developments has submitted applications for Zoning By-law Amendment and Site Plan Approval for the northwest corner of Keele Street and Eglinton Avenue West, an intersection that is also home to the soon-to-open Keelesdale station.
The proposal would result in a new mixed-use tower with retail at grade and residential units above. The building would stand at a height of 112.1m with 33 storeys and a total of 370 residential units. For residents, the proposed design offers 735m² and 622m² of indoor and outdoor amenity space respectively. Retail spaces would be found on the ground floor, with residents and businesses poised to benefit from the easy accessibility brought by Eglinton Line 5.
Of the total 63 vehicular parking spaces in the three-level underground garage, 8 would be for visitors and 2 for retail use. For cyclists, 434 bicycle parking spaces would include 348 for long-term and 86 for short-term use. Along with the new rapid transit line, the TTC also serves Keele and other local routes with buses.
As for the building itself, the design by gh3 would feature a rectangular podium of six storeys or 23.5m. The distinct building design also supports a right-of-way widening Along Eglinton Avenue West and streetscape improvements to the ground realm outside the building. Floors two and three would feature a sawtooth pattern and inset balconies. At the fourth floor, there would be a step-back of 3.0m on the west side, to be in line with the roof of the neighbouring transit station.
For the tower element, there would be step-backs on all four sides at the seventh floor, forming a diagonal sawtooth pattern facing northwest. The intention is to correspond with the building proposed at 1860-1868 Keele Street to the north of this site.
At the time of the application, a number of low-rise buildings are on the assembled site, including a commercial building at 2654 Eglinton Avenue West, as well as a mixed-use building featuring five retail spaces at 2636-2642 Eglinton Avenue West and 1856 Keele Street. The assembly is mostly rectangular in shape and approximately 1,353m² in area.
The site is part of the Beechborough-Greenbrook neighbourhood in Toronto’s West End. The area generally contains low and mid-rise structures, with the main arterials home to larger buildings. These sites currently benefit from Eglinton Avenue West, which features bike lanes on both sides.
With Eglinton Line 5 planned to open in 2023, Keelesdale station would be just one option for commuters living at 2636 Eglinton West. The Caledonia station (with its future connection to a new GO station with fast access to Downtown) is only one stop and 680m to the east of the site. The area is primed to become far more accessible for all Torontonians to live, work, and visit.
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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| Related Companies: | Arcadis, Bousfields, Fora Developments, gh3, MCW Consultants Ltd |
