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In Toronto's evolving Liberty Village neighbourhood, Collecdev and Shiplake Management Company are planning a new mixed-use building at 80 Lynn Williams Street. Designed by gh3, the 43-storey building is poised to be a commanding addition to the neighbourhood, reaching a height of 143.5m, taller than its immediate neighbours, while incorporating a two-storey heritage warehouse onsite.
The site's history includes numerous development applications, including a 16-storey mixed-use building proposal submitted in 2015. An active consent to sever application, submitted by Arcadis in September 2022, is currently under review. Approval of this application would result in dividing the site into two lots, creating addresses at 86 Lynn Williams (the proposed development site) and 80 Lynn Williams (the heritage building).
The development is set to house 588 residential units and features a six-storey podium. The total gross floor area (GFA) is divided into 34,192m² for residential use and 800m² of commercial on the ground floor of the podium, which would contribute to Liberty Village’s retail offerings. Design elements include a cantilever above the primary entrance and a 799m² terrace on the seventh floor. With four elevators proposed, this translates to 1 elevator for every 147 units, indicating longer wait times.
On the rooftop, a 365m² rooftop outdoor amenity space would wrap around the southern portion of the floor-plate. This outdoor area connects to a 179m² indoor amenity space. In total, the site would offer 1,285m² and 1,186m² of outdoor and indoor amenities respectively.
ERA Architects would oversee the incorporation of facades of the existing warehouse, the southern portion of which is under different ownership and would be fully retained. The northern portion and its surface parking lot would be demolished, with a mid-block connection to retain elements of its steel structure, including columns, truss, clerestory windows, and roof. The proposal includes a public park located at the southwest corner of the site, spanning 337m², in response to the City of Toronto's push for more green space and public amenities in Liberty Village.
The development would feature two levels of underground parking, accommodating 181 vehicles, of which 25 are for visitors plus two accessible spaces. Furthermore, 588 bicycle parking spaces are included, including 530 long-term spots, encouraging sustainable transportation.
The development’s location in Liberty Village means it would be well-connected by the time it could open. The site is located within walking distance of Exhibition GO Station, currently under expansion to accommodate the western terminus of Ontario Line 3, while the anticipated completion of King-Liberty GO Station by 2026 would further enhance the area’s connectivity. Existing transit service includes the King streetcar and bus service along Ossington Avenue leading to Ossington station on Bloor Line 2. The site is about 1km west of bike lanes on Strachan Avenue that connect to the Waterfront Trail.
The project’s vicinity is witnessing a trend of intensification and vertical growth. To the north, a 14-storey building is proposed at 1071 King Street West (with a proposal to increase to 16 storeys), and to the west, the Liberty Yard development is set to introduce three towers ranging from 32 to 36 storeys.
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, Bousfields, Collecdev-Markee Developments, EQ Building Performance Inc., gh3, Jablonsky, Ast and Partners, MCW Consultants Ltd |
