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Industrial Alliance Insurance and Financial Services Inc. has filed a resubmission in support of the Zoning Bylaw Aemndment and Site Plan Approval applications for the building formerly known as the National Life Building at 522 University Avenue, whose original proposal would have seen the 1970s structure demolished in favour of a 62-storey mixed-use building. The updated development proposal by WZMH Architects seeks to rehabilitate the existing building in a manner that conserves the property’s cultural heritage value in accordance with its recent heritage designation, and introduces a new podium addition to link the retained structure with the proposed residential tower that would rise above it.
The 2,413m² site is located at the southwest corner of University Avenue and Elm Street. Occupied by a 15-storey concrete structure designed by renowned Modernist architect John C. Parkin, and built in 1972, the office building is a striking example of city's Brutalist architecture that rose to prominence in the 1960s and '70s. It is characterized by four elevations with a square gridded concrete frame above a colonnade of monumental concrete perimeter columns, and a 2-storey glazed mezzanine raised on a terraced granite plaza. Other notable features include a bold coffered ceiling that visually ties the interior to the exterior, and landscaped planters.
The original application, submitted in August 2022, and illustrated below, contemplated the full demolition of the existing structure and replacement with a new 13-storey office component with a 49-storey residential tower atop, for a total construction of a 62-storey mixed-use building.
As part of the City’s review of the applications, the City requested that a Cultural Heritage Evaluation Report (CHER) be prepared and determined that the property had cultural heritage value. It recommended that Council designate the property under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act. Accordingly, the project team worked collaboratively with staff to develop a new development concept that would respect the existing heritage features while allowing for residential intensification.
The current proposal involves rehabilitating and retaining 60% of the existing structure as well as key architectural features, and the selective demolition of the southernmost bay of the existing building. The new construction involves a reconstructed portion in the same footprint of what was demolished, as well as a new podium addition and elevator core, connecting the retained structure with the new 49-storey residential tower addition above, for a total of 64 storeys (increased from 62). By the numbers, the proposal includes a total GFA of 54,983 m², including 21,202 m² of non-residential uses, 211 m² of retail space and 33,570 m² of residential GFA, resulting in a net density of 22.8 FSI across the site.
Both the residential and office lobbies would be accessed from Elm Street (improving accessibility and better addressing the ceremonial boulevard of University Avenue), while the retail space would be accessed from University Avenue.
The building would house 579 (down from 611) residential dwelling units, in the following mix: 66 studio (11%), 297 one-bedroom (51%), 155 two-bedroom (27%) and 61 three-bedroom (11%). Five levels of underground parking would provide the development with a total 40 (down from 136) parking spaces [33 residential, 7 visitor/non-res], and 732 (down from 768) bicycle spaces.
Over the past two years, several meetings were held to address the conservation strategy and heritage related matters, contextual relationships, massing considerations, and the design of the public realm. In light of feedback received through the review process, many aspects have been refined:
- Improved public realm: deconstructing and reconstructing various planters for more engagement with the streetscape (more inhabitable seating areas).
- More unified ground plane and increased visibility and porosity through the site from University Ave with enhanced accessibility by reorganizing the stairs and barrier-free ramp
- A more animated ‘flow-through’ outdoor plaza programmed with staggered seating and public art.
- A more substantial roof garden over the heritage building with a higher screen for wind mitigation and a large canopy that prevents downwash of wind from the tower above
- Knitting the new façade with the heritage façade; proposing to be clad in limestone to pay homage to University Avenue and the existing building
- Revising the placement and orientation of the new tower and reducing the floor plate to 767m² (down from 792m²) and tower step-back to the south by 10m.
- Refinement of the residential tower expression: materiality and frame detailing.
- Expressing coffered ceiling into the building at office
In June, 2024, the design team met with Toronto's Design Review Panel (DRP), whose members were overwhelmingly supportive with the progress made since the first iteration. “This project could be an exemplar relative with how to sensitively add to existing buildings, and especially a building of this caliber,” said Gordon Stratford. He applauded how the designers kept the completeness of existing building while adding to it, “I appreciate the new is similar to the crisp, brutal existing building but it is different, lighter. It pays homage but is not a copy –it’s a very elegant combination.” Members called this “an exercise in quiet simplicity” and cited the importance of the execution of details, e.g. new joint lines in the limestone, how to treat the tower level soffit, and how to execute the tower’s deep square grid in the proposed white metal.
The panel was pleased with how the design humanized the public realm, and encouraged the design team to consider how the plaza/portico area will be programmed, how to encourage people to stay in the north plaza by addressing cold and windy conditions in winter and shoulder seasons. Since the DRP meeting, additional refinements were made to address commentary specific to the public realm, such as improving accessibility, and accommodating programmable space.
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: | Aercoustics Engineering Ltd, Bousfields, Gradient Wind Engineers & Scientists, Grounded Engineering Inc., PCL Construction, WZMH Architects |
