303 
In a bid to enhance build-ability without bumping the storey count, a resubmission to the City of Toronto for 2801 Keele Street presents a refined plan for an 11-storey mixed-use condo on the northeast corner of Keele Street and Paxtonia Boulevard in North York. Developed by Trinity Point Development and designed by Graziani + Corazza Architects, the developer aims to make the building more effective to construct while providing more housing through the massing adjustments.
The site encompasses two adjacent parcels at 2801 Keele Street and 6 Paxtonia Boulevard, collectively spanning approximately 3,433m². Presently, the site houses a two-storey commercial building and a vacant lot. This location is positioned in a diverse urban area, bordered to the north by Downsview Elementary School past Tilbury Drive, and to the south by the Toronto Public Library’s Downsview Branch.
Since an initial application submission in March, 2023 proposed a building with multiple step-backs on its east side, the City has dropped the guidelines that have created ziggurat-like mid-rise buildings along Avenues across the city. While the step-back guidelines were in place to transition the new buildings down to the height of adjacent lower buildings, the depth of the housing crisis we now face has taken precedence, and the suites that were lost to the step-backs no longer will be. Not having to reconfigure a building multiple times on its way up also drops construction costs, savings which should be reflected in the price of the units.
Following these planning policy changes plus consultations the community, refinements were made to the Official Plan, Zoning By-law, and Site Plan Approval applications. The building proposal remains at 11 storeys, but now reaching 44.27m, slightly elevated from the initial 40.5m, while the dropped "wedding cake" tiered massing has now changed to a C-shaped configuration, which is fully setback from the rear lot line.
These changes allow an increase in residential units from 156 to 186 while the Gross Floor Area (GFA) expands from 13,700m² in the initial proposal to 14,926m² in the revised plan, bringing a higher Floor Space Index (FSI) of 4.36, up from 4.0 across the site. The Residential GFA ask is now 14,310m², with ground-floor Retail GFA increased from 389m² to 615m². Indoor and outdoor amenities have been increased to 516m² and 475m² respectively, compared to the previous total of 693m². With two elevators, there would be a ratio of one elevator for every 93 units, indicating reasonable wait times.
A two-level underground garage would house 156 resident parking spaces, with 11 visitor and two commercial spots at grade, an uptick from the initial 157 spaces total. Cyclists would be accommodated with 132 long-term and 16 short-term spots, an increase from the previously proposed 118 spaces.
Noteworthy too is the ground floor reorganization; the developer has removed residential units from this level, instead creating a more prominent and accessible lobby, along with increased retail space. This adjustment aims to enhance the entry experience and provides a direct connection to both Keele Street and the rear of the site.
Further modifications include significant increases in setbacks, particularly at the rear of the building. This alteration is complemented by the removal of secondary vehicular access on Paxtonia Boulevard, a response to community feedback, which has also made space for a new 324m² POPS (Privately Owned Publicly-accessible Space) at the southeast corner of the site.
TTC bus routes with stops along Keele Street and nearby Wilson Avenue provide a network of local and express buses linking the area to higher-order transit routes, including multiple stations along University Line 1, plus the Barrie GO Train Line at Downsview Park station.
Other projects and proposals can be found in the surrounding areas. To the immediate west across the street, 2808 Keele Street is proposed at 12 storeys with three-storey semi-detached homes also proposed onsite. To the south, 2699 Keele Street calls for a 30-storey tower. Southwest, proposals at 1326 and 1304 Wilson Avenue entail 10 and 11 storeys, respectively. Also in the vicinity are submissions for Wilson West and 1277 Wilson Avenue, each aiming for 12 storeys, and the dual-tower project at 1265 Wilson Avenue with heights of 12 and 31 storeys. Further north, the id8 Downsview Framework Plan calls for a 10-district master-planned community around Downsview Park. At the southwestern end of the Downsview Airfield lands, the Hangar District would feature 26 buildings from 3 to 14 storeys, adding up to 2,850 units.
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.
* * *
UrbanToronto has a research service, UrbanToronto Pro, that provides comprehensive data on construction projects in the Greater Toronto Area—from proposal through to completion. We also offer Instant Reports, downloadable snapshots based on location, and a daily subscription newsletter, New Development Insider, that tracks projects from initial application.
| Related Companies: | Bousfields, Graziani + Corazza Architects, Land Art Design Landscape Architects Inc, LEA Consulting, RWDI Climate and Performance Engineering |
