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Downtown Yonge Street has always been full of character, with Toronto’s blend of cultures and neighbourhoods on full display. A 2022 proposal from Concord Adex would mark a turning point by replacing the Brass Rail adult entertainment venue and neighbouring buildings. Their Zoning By-law Amendment and Site Plan Approval applications for 699 Yonge Street seek permission for a tall mixed-use, mostly residential building in place of the existing low-rise structures.
The site is at the southeast corner of Yonge Street and Hayden Street, and about 100m south of Bloor Street. The L-shaped site has an overall area of about 1,550m², extending to Charles Street East. It is currently home to five low-rise properties for commercial and office use. In addition to the Brass Rail, there is also an Asian grocery store (H Mart) and pizza restaurant, (Pizzaiolo) among others. The area is cultural and historical, with the buildings dating as far back as the 1860s.
The proposed redevelopment would aim to modernize the area with a more inclusive urban environment. On behalf of Concord Adex, DIALOG has designed a 64-storey building standing 216.54m tall, aiming to modernize the area with a more inclusive environment. With a total gross floor area of about 35,550m², the tower would bring 514 residential units to the neighbourhood. The plans include four elevators, making for 128.5 units per elevator, placing the tower well above the 1 elevator per 100 suites threshold.
The design would retain the 3-storey buildings of 699-705 Yonge Street, designated as heritage sites as per the Heritage Impact Statement included in the submission. Levels 3 to 6 would also be part of the base, with 3.0m stepbacks. They would be part of the podium along Yonge and Hayden streets, with a contemporary 2-storey base fronting Charles Street East. Level 7 would be inset, providing a physical distinction between the base and tower elements.
The tower would include six levels of underground garage with 64 parking spaces, 7 of them for visitors. To further promote a sustainable residential neighbourhood, there would be 517 bicycle parking spots, with 52 for visitors and 2 for retail.
The proposal notes the Yonge Street Revitalization Environmental Assessment, also known as YongeTOmorrow, which has looked at reducing travel lanes for more pedestrian and bike space. YongeTOmorrow will investigate design solutions for the area. The submission also includes a Block Context Plan with planned and proposed developments. These include the 85-storey The One under construction (noting its proposal to rise as high as 94-storeys).
The site is well-serviced by transit, being only metres from Bloor-Yonge subway station Yonge Line 1 and Bloor-Danforth Line 2. The site is also within 320m of Bay Station and 500m from Wellesley station. As Toronto evolves into a community less reliant on motor vehicles, the site’s proximity to cycle tracks on Yonge Street and Bloor Street would serve it well. (In addition to its space for resident-owned bicycles, the neighbourhood has Bike Share docking stations within walking distance.)
The Planning Rationale for the proposed development at 699 Yonge Street argues that the plan represents the ongoing evolution of Toronto’s urban landscape; the replacement of older establishments while retaining heritage elements, as part of a revitalized downtown core.
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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