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Zoning By-law Amendment applications have been submitted to the City of Toronto for the Transit-Oriented Community (TOC) program for sites close to several stations along the upcoming Ontario Line 3, now under construction. Following UrbanToronto’s looks at the Gerrard-Carlaw South and Thorncliffe Park TOCs, today we shift our focus to the Eastern Avenue TOC, in Toronto's Riverdale neighbourhood. Designed by SvN for Infrastructure Ontario, the project is situated across from the future East Harbour station on GO Lakeshore and Stouffville lines, and the Ontario Line.
TOCs are typically high-density, mixed-use redevelopments of low-density sites close to transit hubs. Such developments are instrumental in advancing planning objectives of the City and Province, echoing the success of TOC models in cities like Vancouver, London, and Tokyo.
Located at the northeast corner of Eastern Avenue and Lewis Street, an assembly of two lots at 356 and 364 Eastern Avenue currently houses a 5-storey Access Storage facility. This site, totalling 3,514m² in area neighbours low-rise and medium-density residential properties that are seeing an uptick in redevelopment applications, mirroring the transformation seen in areas like the West Don Lands, transitioning towards a higher density, mixed-use urban environment.
The proposed development is a response to its urban context. It would introduce an 11-storey (44.4m) mixed-use building replacing the storage facility, bringing 142 residential units with ground-level retail spaces. This development would feature two elevators, resulting in one for every 71 units, providing quick service for its residents. A Gross Floor Area (GFA) of 11,348m² residential space and 907m² of retail is proposed.
Plans also include 354m² of indoor and 291m² of outdoor amenities, situated on the second and 10th floors, including a terrace on the latter. The proposal calls for a single-level underground garage that accommodates 25 resident parking spaces, 8 visitor parking spaces, and 2 car-share spots. It also offers provisions for bicycle parking, with 140 long-term bicycle spots and 22 short-term spaces.
The building is massed with 11-storeys of its northeaste portion, dropping to 9 storeys along Eastern Avenue. The L-shaped design aims to facilitate two distinct yet cohesive building segments: the southern portion, fronting the streets, would offer a vibrant, interactive streetscape, whereas the northern portion, with its series of step-backs, would present a more residentially attuned facade.
Located beside of the Lakeshore East GO Rail Corridor, the site would feature a 9m crash wall running parallel to the rail line, to ensure resident safety and sound mitigation. The development would also feature a Woonerf-style east-west mid-block connection, enhancing the pedestrian and cycling experience and fostering a vibrant, accessible public realm.
The neighbouring transit infrastructure is a key component of the complex's appeal, with the upcoming East Harbour station to be served by GO Lakeshore and Stouffville lines, the TTC's Ontario Line3, and an extension of TTC streetcar service south along Broadview Avenue.
In the vicinity of the site, a spectrum of developments highlights the area's evolution. A long block to the north, mid-rise buildings like the 5-storey 751 Queen Street East and the 6-storey 786-788 Queen Street East are proposed, along with the 12-storey 21 Broadway Avenue to the west. Moving southward, Cadillac Fairview's East Harbour 60-acre site is positioned as a focal point of urban intensification, including a potential eastern downtown for Toronto, with a cluster of towers planned with heights ranging from 23 to 65 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: | HDR, SvN |
