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A development application for 185 King Street East in Downtown Toronto's Old Town neighbourhood has undergone several revisions. Located on the southwest corner of King and George streets, the project initially proposed a mixed-use building with hotel and residential units. However, the acquisition of the adjacent property at 175 King Street East has led to a revised Zoning By-law Amendment and Site Plan Approval applications. The revised proposal by Gupta Group now envisions a two-storey-taller condominium building, while eliminating the hotel component entirely.
The original proposal, submitted to the City in August 2022, contemplated a 33-storey structure with 190 residential units and 140 hotel units at 179 though 185 King Street East, set to stand at a height of 123.02m. The addition of 175 King Street East to the assembly of land has increased the site area to approximately 1,344 m², leading to several principle changes.
The most striking is the removal of the hotel units, which has led to an increase in the number of residential units to 394. This change also impacts the building's gross floor area (GFA), which has been increased to 24,406m² for residential and 478m² for retail spaces. The height is now less than a metre taller at 123.47m, but now accommodates 35 storeys. With 4 elevators serving the 394 suites, there is 1 elevator for every 98.5 suites, indicating reasonable wait times for residents.
Architecturally, the new design by Arcadis — the Amsterdam-based global firm that acquired Toronto-based IBI Group in Fall 2022 — introduces nuanced alterations that set it apart from its predecessor. The original design had multiple steps in the reveal above the podium and two different expressions in the tower.
The revised design, on the other hand, features a more unified architectural language. The balconies now have stepped articulation across the tower, and there's a distinct but simplified reveal between the heritage homes and the tower, adding a layer of complexity and visual interest to the facade. Furthermore, there would be 788m² and 115m² of indoor and outdoor amenity area respectively, along with a green roof of 649m² in area.
The revised proposal retains the facades of the existing heritage buildings — constructed between 1833 and 1855 — within a 2-storey podium. This aligns with the scale of adjoining properties to maintain a cohesive, human-scaled street front.
The original plan included four levels of underground garage, primarily to accommodate hotel guests. However, with the 36 spaces for the hotel removed, the garage has been reconfigured to better serve the residential units. Similar to the last submission, no vehicular parking spaces have been provided to residents. The new design proposes one level of underground garage, with 355 long-term and 79 short-term bicycle parking spaces for residents. There would also be two long-term and four short-term spaces for retail. This change aligns with the push towards reducing car dependency and promoting public transit, especially given the site's proximity to multiple transit options.
In response to feedback from the City and other parties, changes have included removal of the window well depth, and the tower floor plate having been changed to accommodate the newly acquired adjacent property. Additionally, the tower has zero setback from the ground floor on the west side, based on the acquisition of 175 King Street East. That parcel is now included in the updated structural retention letter by Facet Group Inc regarding the heritage properties.
The site's location in the St Lawrence neighbourhood, characterized by a mix of land uses and varying densities, adds another layer of context to the development. The area is well-served by public transit, with the King and Queen subway stations on Yonge Line 1 within 10-minute walking distance, and the upcoming Moss Park station on Ontario Line 3 only a 5-minute walk away at Sherbourne and Queen streets, making it a prime location for such a high-density project.
The resubmission joins other high-rise proposals along King Street East that are in part a response to the upcoming enhanced transit options of the area. Adjacent to the site, 65 George is proposed to be 17 storeys. East of Sherbourne Street, The Grainger & The Sanderson are set to stand 38 and 40 storeys and are currently under construction. Meanwhile, Allure is approved to stand 43 storeys tall.
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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| Related Companies: | Arcadis, Goldberg Group, Gupta Group, HGC Engineering Inc, Jablonsky, Ast and Partners |
