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UrbanToronto continues to delve into Transit-Oriented Community (TOC) sites at future stations along Ontario Line 3, with station landowner Infrastructure Ontario leveraging their adjacency to rapid transit to foster mixed-use developments that bring more housing. These have included initiatives on Eastern Avenue, and at Thorncliffe Park, Gerrard-Carlaw, Cosburn, Pape, Exhibition, and most recently Queen-Spadina stations. One stop west of Queen-Spadina will be King-Bathurst station, at a prominent intersection in Toronto's King West area.
The King-Bathurst TOC plan encompasses a North Site and South Site, conceptually designed by SvN for Infrastructure Ontario. The former, situated at the northeast corner of King Street West and Bathurst Street, comprises an assembly of two properties at 662 and 668 King Street West and 91 Bathurst Street, spanning an area of 1,643m². It recently boasted two commercial buildings, including a heritage building constructed in 1902, originally a Toronto Dominion Bank but recently a restaurant and event space, and an adjacent three-storey office building from 1904.
The South Site, covering 1,957m² at the southeast corner, comprises an assembly of two properties that had several entrances; at 69 and 73 Bathurst Street, 647 and 665 King Street West, and 58 and 60 Stewart Street. The buildings here included commercial and residential uses, including a one-storey nightclub with a rooftop patio, and a four-storey warehouse-style building, the latter constructed in 1900.
The TOC application notes that there had been a development application for the South Site calling for a 17-storey mixed-use building, for which an interim settlement was approved by the Ontario Land Tribunal in 2019 for the proposal by the previous landowners.
Concept plans for the North Site are for a 25-storey (88.9m) mixed-use building that integrates residential, retail, and office spaces. It would offer 187 residential units alongside dedicated office areas on the second and third floors. The building's design includes a Gross Floor Area (GFA) of 16,130m², with 14,815m² allocated for residential use and 1,315m² for office purposes.
The site would be notably devoid of vehicular parking, with bicycle parking facilities in its two underground levels including 176 resident and 38 short-term visitor spots, along with 26 spaces for non-residential use. Residents would benefit from 537m² of indoor and 355m² of outdoor amenities.
The tower would preserve would rise from the reconstituted walls of the 2-3-storey heritage buildings at its base. The design incorporates two elevators for the office levels and three for the residential floors, resulting in approximately one for every 62 units, indicating quick elevator service. Integration with the below-grade Ontario Line infrastructure would entail access via at-grade entrances on Bathurst Street and King Street West.
On the South Site, another 25-storey (88.9m) residential tower is planned. Other than its south side subway station entrance, this parcel is dedicated solely to residential use, with 235 units that cater to a mix of affordable and market-rate rental needs. The tower's total GFA would be 23,024m², and would also forego vehicular parking in favour of bicycle parking options, offering 220 resident and 36 visitor spaces, plus 35 bike-share spots in two underground levels.
The building would be served by three elevators, translating to approximately one for every 78 units, indicating short waits for elevators. Allocations for amenities include 818m² of indoor and 357m² of outdoor area. At its base, the design would retain and incorporate portions of the four-storey heritage walls that are being preserved in situ, while other portions would be reconstituted from saved bricks.
As well as the new subway station that will be at the foot of these buildings, the location is also served by the 511 Bathurst and 504 King streetcars.
A range of developments are materializing in the neighbourhood, with heights having been directed over the last several years by the King-Spadina Secondary Plan. To the northeast at 550 Adelaide Street West, a 16-storey development is proposed, while to the south the 17-storey 88 Bathurst Street is currently under construction. To the west, 778, 689, and 675 King Street West are poised to reach 17, 18, and 19 storeys, respectively. Recently completed buildings in the area are around the same height, so the two TOC buildings would be the tallest within a few blocks.
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 |
