Developer Castlepoint Numa has been keeping themselves busy with a focus on the revitalization of Toronto’s Weston Village neighbourhood of late, spearheaded by an intriguing pair of proposals with direct adjacency to GO Transit’s Weston Station: Weston Park, and 1830 Weston. Earlier this week, they added a third proposal to the mix, with the planning submission to the City for 1800 Weston, a 40-storey residential tower designed by BDP Quadrangle that will deliver a total of 488 new dwelling units.
Partnering again with KIN Capital Partners and Forthlane Partners to oversee the development of the project, 1800 Weston is the final component of a design and planning mission that has sought to bring new density to the area while simultaneously elevating the community. Together, the three Weston Road projects offer four new residential towers, 1,977 new dwelling units, and 47,816ft² of non-residential floor space.
The project was submitted to the City on January 31, with approval of applications for both Zoning By-Law Amendment and Site Plan Approval required to permit the activation of the development. Located within a Major Transit Station Area (MTSA), with GO Transit and UP Express service offered at Weston Station, as well as a strategic growth area, per the City’s Official Plan, Castlepoint Numa argues that the project represents an effective form of intensification of the assembled site as far as policy is concerned.
From a design perspective, the building features several defining elements that generate visual interest at different positions. The tower itself rises above a 6-storey podium, and is immediately distinguished by an exterior trellis motif created by a number of white-clad vertical fins. The motif covers all but the tower’s south elevation, delivering a stimulating visual element that is visible from the street on all sides.
Meanwhile, the south elevation features the project’s most impressive structural feat, a covered terrace tucked beneath the tower’s cantilevered floor-plate. The cantilever is supported by a number of forked columns that blend into the various plantings populating the terrace.
Down at grade level, the podium provides another distinct design motif in the form of repeating 20 ft-tall arches that wrap around the entirety of the north, south, and east elevations. The arches allow natural light to fill the grade level, which houses a total of 370m² of retail GFA fronting onto Weston Road.
The project also details a strategy to add new life to the public realm beyond the inclusion of retail. The plans contemplate the programming of the existing laneway, representing the site’s eastern border, as a new public gathering space, designed for events, art installations, community uses, and pedestrian traffic in a safe, car-free environment.
Castlepoint Numa is hardly the first developer to recognize the potential for development in Weston Village, but with this latest submission, they are demonstrating that their commitment to the area goes beyond simply injecting units. Their efforts in Weston Village are focussed on the long term, with the goal of setting the area on a stable course towards a vibrant future.
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.
* * *
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.