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Following pushback from the City of Toronto, a proposal to redevelop 6200 Yonge Street is no longer a 25-storey point tower and podium design, but now a 16-storey U-shaped slab building. Proposed by Arkfield and Bento Developments, Official Plan, Zoning By-law Amendment, and Site Plan Approval applications look to transform the site at the southwest corner of Moore Park Avenue and Yonge Street in North York.
The site, an assembly of parcels at 6200 Yonge Street and 11 and 15 Moore Park Avenue, spans approximately 0.35 hectares. Currently, it hosts a one-storey commercial unit alongside two single detached homes, embodying the area's suburban built form. The area is now transitioning to a more urban built form along Yonge, and just in from it.
We reported on the initial 25-storey tower proposal in January, 2022. It boasted 347 units, and was designed by Z01 in the form of a 6-storey podium with a slender tower above. This plan from Ferrow Real Estate had a total Gross Floor Area (GFA) of 25,092m² with a Floor Space Index (FSI) of 7.2, signalling a significant intensification effort within North York's Newtonbrook area. The proposal was appealed to the Ontario Land Tribunal for lack of a City Council decision within the prescribed timeframe, but talks continued with the City and a settlement offer was submitted in April, 2023, which was then ratified by the OLT in in September, 2023.
The revised and approved proposal is now for a U-shaped building with step-backs as it rises, which the City believes will better integrate with the planned mix of taller buildings to the north near the future Steeles subway station, and the lower-density neighbourhood to the west. The project now features 356 units, reaching a height of 57.23m and an FSI of 7.0 as the total GFA is slightly decreased to 24,533m². The City of Toronto's feedback emphasized the need for a ground realm design that complements pedestrian environments, and upper storeys step-backs to minimize the visual and physical impact on the streetscape.
The plan includes 385m² of retail at street level, eschewing a previously proposed daycare space. There would be 623m² of indoor and 817m² of outdoor amenities. The design includes three elevators, with an additional elevator for the underground garage, resulting in approximately one elevator for every 119 units, indicating longer than optimal wait times. Three levels of underground garage would offer 163 vehicle parking spaces, 143 for residents and 20 for visitors, of which 33 would be equipped with Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE). The design further incorporates 268 bicycle parking spots, 243 long-term and 25 short-term.
Located within the Protected Major Transit Station Area for the Steeles subway station on the forthcoming Yonge Line 1 extension to Richmond Hill, the development will also benefit from several surface transit options, including nearby TTC, YRT, and GO bus routes.
Surrounding development applications seek densification of their properties. To the south, 6150 Yonge Street is proposed at 13 storeys, while to the east, 6167 Yonge Street calls for 14 storeys. Southeast, 6125 Yonge Street would stand at 23 storeys, while further south, The Wedgewood on Yonge seeks 42 storeys based on its location close to a proposed but not yet funded station at Cummer and Drewry avenues. Towards the north, proposals grow tall again close to the future Steeles subway station, including 18 Athabaska Avenue which seeks 45 storeys, while the Centerpoint Mall site at 6464 Yonge looks to bring over a dozen new buildings, some as high as 50 storeys. These proposals reflect the City of Toronto's Yonge Street North Vision that would feature taller buildings and greater intensification concentrated closest to subway stations.
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: | Arkfield Development, Goldberg Group, Jablonsky, Ast and Partners, Land Art Design Landscape Architects Inc |
