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With Toronto rapidly evolving, and the planning review process somewhat daunting, it is no surprise to see developers finding ways to save time and money to get new buildings approved. Leader Lane Developments has found one such way by bringing variations on a design by CMV Group architects to three different locations in South Etobicoke. The applications for Site Plan Approvals for 230 Royal York Road, 430 Royal York Road, and 722 The Queensway are all part of a program by the developer focusing on sustainable living options along transit-served avenues in the city.
These sites are all currently occupied by commercial and/or residential units ranging from just one to 2.5 storeys.
The first site is found at the northwest corner of Royal York Road and Drummond Street, a couple blocks south of Mimico GO station, with the second northwards closer to the Gardiner Expressway, at the southwest corner of Evans Road and 430 Royal York Road, while the third is located further north across the Gardiner Expressway at the northeast corner of The Queensway and Rosemeade Avenue.
The trio of developments are part of a program utilizing pre-fabricated mass timber. This approach means no underground construction is required. The similar designs for 230 Royal York, 430 Royal York, and 722 The Queensway respectively stand at 28.30m with eight storeys, 22.61m with five storeys, and 28.60m with eight storeys. The architectural drawings each call for a single elevator for the 40, 19, and 26 units in each respective building.
Both eight-storey designs include just over 100m² of commercial space, with the smaller of the trio set to have 169m² of commercial area, all on the ground floor. The buildings would all have surface-level parking spaces, with five spaces for two of them. The larger 230 Royal York would get 14 spaces and 40 for bicycle parking spots, with 430 Royal York and 722 The Queensway to have 18 and 26 bike spaces respectively.
The pre-fabricated mass timber is lighter material and easier to work with than concrete. By reducing the time and costs for construction, this allows for more sustainable living options in a city where it is much needed. By essentially replicating the same design for three sites, this program allows for even quicker and more cost-effective construction.
Beyond the similar build, the other major component of this program is the focus on transit. All three sites are a short distance to Mimico GO station on the Lakeshore West GO line that connects from Hamilton to Downtown Torontoand beyond. The three sites are also serviced by a TTC bus that goes to the Royal York subway station on Bloor Line 2, providing another option for getting quickly around the city.
The applications for 230 Royal York, 430 Royal York, and 722 The Queensway demonstrate the potential for development not only with lower costs and reduced construction time, but also with a more sustainable and environmentally friendly approach. Plans like these could make major strides in keeping up with housing demand in this ever-evolving city.
UrbanToronto will continue to follow progress on these developments, but in the meantime, you can learn more about them from our Database files, linked below. If you'd like, you can join in on the conversation in the associated Project Forum threads or leave a comment in the space provided on this page.
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