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Downtown Toronto is a vibrant mix of old and new, showcasing the city’s history while also looking to its future. Now, a proposal from Hazelview Investments attempts to do both in one design. The tower proposal at 34 Maitland Street, southeast of Yonge Street and Wellesley Street West, would feature a modern look while retaining two heritage fronts. Bousfields has submitted Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment applications for the site on behalf of the land owners, CR 2008 Equities Inc., TC Core GP Inc, and TC Core LP.
Located on the north side of Maitland between Yonge and Church streets, the site is comprised of three properties known municipally as 34, 36, and 42 Maitland Street. The properties at 36 and 42 Maitland Street are listed on Toronto's heritage registry; known as the Maitland Apartments, they were one of the first 37 apartments built in Toronto. According to the Heritage Impact Statement included with the application, their façades would be retained through selective deconstruction and reconstruction.
The proposed design by Turner Fleischer Architects calls for a 61-storey tower standing 197.75m high. Along with 529 new rental apartment units, 55 rental replacement units for the ones in the current buildings would be provided. The podium, standing four storeys, would retain parts of the heritage buildings along the south, west, and east elevations; the existing street wall along Maitland Street would be retained.
Through the use of set backs from Maitland, as well as a further set back for the main entrance, the design maintains the separation of the two heritage fronts. At the fifth level the building would step back for the tower portion, with it cantilevering over a recessed fourth level. The tower would be rectangular with a floor plate of about 750m², and contain residential units.
Amenity spaces would be found on the ground, mezzanine, third, and fourth floors. There would also be 844.2m² of outdoor amenity space on the fourth floor and 390m² at-grade on the west end of the site. The podium would contain a variety of amenities promoting the long-term well-being of residents, including a healthcare clinic, physiotherapy treatment, demonstration kitchen space, a dog park, and a space designated for veterinarian and dog training.
Vehicles would access the site from the southeast corner, leading to three levels of underground garage. Of 93 proposed residential parking spaces, four would be accessible; while the building would look to the future with all spaces accommodating electric vehicle hookups. There would also be 656 spots for bicycles, with 526 for long-term use.
The site is a short walking distance to Wellesley station on Yonge Line 1, also served by the Wellesley bus route. The Carlton streetcar route and College subway station is also walking distance to the south. Cyclists also have designated bike lanes along Wellesley Street going both ways.
The site is also near the intersection of Church and Wellesley Street, which is iconic for Toronto's LGBTQ+ community. It was historically a safe space for LGBTQ+ people that played a critical role in the city's cultural evolution. The neighbourhood, along with the proposed design, is a prime example of Toronto’s past and future coexisting in the same place.
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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