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In this week’s look at UTPro Instant Reports, we are taking our software to the northwestern corner of Toronto to get a full rundown on the different kinds of development taking place in Rexdale. Using the Ward Report function, one of our three Instant Report templates (Location Report and MLS Zone Report being the other two), we are zooming in on Ward 1 Etobicoke North.
In comparison to Toronto's 24 other wards, Ward 1 is among the largest by area, bordered by Steeles Avenue to the north, Highway 427 to the west, the Humber River to the east, with a southern border shared by Eglinton Avenue and Dixon Road.
Compiling data on all of the developments found within Ward 1, our Ward Report came up with a list of 33 recent projects. Of them, the majority have yet to be built, with only 4 recent completions and 9 currently under construction; the remaining 20 projects are all identified as pre-construction, which encompasses all stages between proposal and groundbreaking.
Of the four recently completed projects in the Ward, the one that is perhaps the most indicative of a working model for intensifying the city’s suburban areas away from the main streets is Humberwood Heights. Comprising six blocks of 3-storey townhomes, the project was able to activate a site with strong natural amenities, backing onto the abundant greenery of the West Humber Valley. The community began occupancy last summer, and represents the most current form of housing solutions being deployed in the area.
Interestingly, our report identified six different hotels, three of which are already under construction in the ward. Naturally, this is a bi-product of Ward 1’s proximity to the airport, delivering a demand that matches the supply being built. Regal Plaza Corporate Centre is one of these hotel projects currently under construction, pictured earlier this month standing six storeys above grade, on its way to a final height of 11 storeys. It will increase the size of the Holiday Inn at Dixon and Martin Grove roads.
In the pre-construction category, a development that is very much of the moment for Toronto, 1 Adriatic, is seemingly an outlier in Ward 1. The project proposes to construct three new residential buildings with heights of 19, 34, and 38 storeys, delivering over 1,000 new dwelling units as a result. With a Zoning By-Law Amendment application still under review, the project could go either way, but if approved, it would see the construction of the tallest building in the Ward.
Some of the more detailed data we were able to gather through our Ward Report leads to some interesting observations regarding land use in Ward 1. Of the 20 different developments that fell within the Residential category, six of them were hotels. That leaves 14 projects slated to deliver new homes to the Ward, representing only 42% of the 33 total projects identified in the area.
With Neighbourhood and Employment Area designations dominating the land uses in Ward 1, as detailed in the City’s Official Plan (OP), it is clear that intensification by Downtown standards is not in the area’s near future. With improved rapid transit infrastructure promised through the Finch West LRT next year and GO in coming years, there are incentives to catalyze more density along those corridors, and with the persistence of growth in this City, there will likely be more to come.
To access the full data set from this or any UTPro Instant Report, with more stats as well as the full project list, you can purchase a report here! Stay tuned for next week’s instalment to learn more about why the UrbanToronto's Instant Report is one of the most valuable tools for staying informed on development in the GTA.
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As UrbanToronto continues to refine its role in the GTA development industry, our data services have evolved to become one of our defining elements and we want to share those capabilities with our community. The UrbanToronto Pro Instant Reports is just one of the ways our data can be applied to provide quick and convenient insights on the development trends of any area in the GTA. Using this advanced data resource, we are launching a new weekly series to highlight what the UT Pro Instant Reports provide and investigate the latest development trends by ward, by address, or by MLS zone.
| Related Companies: | Arcadis, Bousfields, Ferris + Associates Inc., Gradient Wind Engineers & Scientists, HGC Engineering Inc, Sigmund Soudack & Associates, Tribute Communities |
