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Downtown Toronto is being continually reshaped by one high-rise after another, with one of the latest proposals in the St James Town neighbourhood. Pinedale Properties, with a design by BDP Quadrangle, has submitted a Zoning By-law Amendment for a 69-storey tower at 137 through 141 Isabella Street, a 5-minute walk from Sherbourne station on Bloor-Danforth Line 2. This condominium and affordable rental building would be part of Toronto’s vertical growth while also replacing the existing apartment units onsite, amidst a growing need for rental and affordable housing options.
Situated on a site spanning 1,828m² that amalgamates two parcels at 137 and 141 Isabella Street, the current locale features a 7-storey apartment building and a 3-storey single-detached dwelling. These structures are slated for demolition to make way for the new development, with the developer also submitting a Rental Housing and Demolition Conversion application. St James Town, known for its mix of residential buildings, is transitioning from low-rises to towering skyscrapers, with significant intensification over the past two decades, leading to taller buildings and mixed-use streets.
The proposed tower would reach a height of 231.55m with a total of 823 residential units. The building is designed with eight elevators from the parking garage to the second-floor amenities, with seven from the third-floor residential units upwards, resulting in approximately one elevator for every 118 units, indicating longer than optimal wait times. The built form includes a 6-storey podium that transitions into the tower, with a Gross Floor Area (GFA) of 50,463m², reflecting a Floor Space Index (FSI) of 27.61.
Within the design, the provision of amenities includes 2,337m² for indoor and 936m² for outdoor areas. These spaces would be spread across the second, third, and seventh floors. The design includes one level of underground garage that includes 12 spaces for residents, 10 for visitors, and a car share space. There would also be 742 long-term and 166 short-term bicycle spaces.
A key aspect of this project is the inclusion of 61 rental replacement units. These would be grouped on floors four through six, as well as eight and nine, resulting in the full replacement of the apartments currently on the site Existing tenants would have first right of refusal to return to the new suites, which would be offered to them in similar sizes and bedroom numbers as they currently rent, and at the current price plus inflation.
The project's location is within a 10-minute walk of the interchange Bloor-Yonge station, Sherbourne station on Bloor-Danforth Line 2, and Wellesley station on Yonge Line 1. The site is situated within the Protected Major Transit Station Areas (PMTSA) for Bloor-Yonge and Sherbourne stations. These PMTSAs encourage density and transit usage. The site is further served by bus routes along Wellesley, Sherbourne, and Yonge streets. Additionally, the neighbourhood is well-equipped with bicycle-friendly infrastructure, including dedicated cycle tracks on Sherbourne Street, Bloor Street, and Wellesley Street.
Notable nearby projects include a 45-storey proposal at 10 Huntley Street southwest of the site, as well as the 51-storey structure under construction at 591 Sherbourne Street and the 63-storey proposal at 576 Sherbourne Street to the northeast. The development proposal directly to the west at 135 Isabelle Street, is also seeking 69 storeys, providing a precedent that this proposal has taken up. In addition, all of the above-noted sites include affordable or market-rate rentals, a collective response to the city's need for affordable housing options.
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: | BDP Quadrangle, Goldberg Group, LEA Consulting, o2 Planning and Design |
