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After years of conceptualization, community outreach, and land studies, CreateTO has taken the next step forward in their mission to realize the proposed Parkdale Hub. With the submission of a rezoning application for the site located on Queen Street West a few blocks west of Dufferin Street, the City’s development arm has a preview of the programming of the mixed-use, city-building project, created with the help of architects DTAH and heritage specialists ERA Architects.
Since its inception, the Parkdale Hub project has contemplated the injection of gentle density in an area that is home to a unique collection of City-owned heritage buildings: a cultural centre at 1313 Queen Street West, the Masaryk-Cowan Community Centre at 220 Cowan Avenue, and the former Cowan Avenue Fire Hall. With the latest update to the plan, we now have a more clear understanding of how these buildings create opportunities for non-residential programming, as well as how the residential components fit into the vision for the community.
The site of the proposed Parkdale Hub enjoys an extensive frontage along the south side of Queen Street West, and is partially bordered on the south by Masaryk Park. The site is divided into three blocks — East, Centre, and West. Existing uses include the Parkdale branch of the Toronto Public Library, the Parkdale Arts and Culture Centre, the Masaryk-Cowan community recreation centre, a Dollarama retail location, nine existing apartments (all to be replaced), and some surface parking. Of these current uses, all of the public services would be reinstated in the redevelopment.
While the design of the project is meant to be understood as a placeholder at this stage, the proposal puts forward a complete model of the community to demonstrate the proposed massing and the locations for the various programs. Both the East and West Blocks are slated for full scale redevelopment, seeing the demolition of the existing buildings and the construction of a pair of mid-rise residential buildings, while the Centre Block would become entirely non-residential.
The East Block is being zoned to stand six storeys tall, with the grade level offering additional community space. The defining formal element appears to be an angled northwest corner, strategically situated to increase the depth of the already prominent Cowan Avenue sidewalk, so as to draw people down to the community programming to the south.
The West Block is going taller by a bit, seeking zoning approval for 10 storeys, also offering grade level community uses. Looking at the preliminary elevation drawings, we can see that the massing seeks to limit the impact of the building’s height through setbacks towards the south, situating the tallest volumes as far from the Queen Street frontage as possible.
As for the Centre Block, effectively managing the heritage buildings is arguably the top architectural priority. The zoning diagram below shows the extent of the built additions proposed for the Centre Block, pictured in red with the heritage buildings depicted in purple. The exteriors are to be fully retained while the interiors will see some updates to facilitate the activation of the new programming.
With the East Block being redeveloped for residential uses, the current library branch will be relocated and integrated into the new Parkdale Branch Public Library and Community Centre in the Centre Block, that joins the three heritage buildings into one volume. Highlights of the preliminary design include a four-storey addition with a rooftop track, and a striking indoor basketball court repurposing the Masaryk-Cowan Community Centre building, shown in the section diagram below.
The Parkdale Hub proposal is currently its way working through the third phase of its activation plan, which will conclude with a decision on the application for rezoning. The fourth and final phase of the process will see a finalized design before permits are sought to allow construction to begin. The tentative target for completion is 2029.
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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