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Etobicoke's Long Branch neighbourhood would suddenly be pinpointed on Toronto's skyline if a resubmitted proposal is approved at 3807 Lake Shore Boulevard West. Previously proposed as an 37.5 metre-high, 11-storey mid-rise, the proposal here now dubbed Long Branch Tower has quadrupled in height to 143.4 metres and 43 storeys. Designed by Studio JCI for Lake Shore West Co-Ownership, which is a joint venture between Toronto Standard, Major Street Group, and Harlo Capital the site is located within the Long Branch Major Transit Station Area and is just a short walk from the GO station.
The resubmission comes after the land-owner acquired and consolidated the adjacent properties at 3819 through 3829 Lake Shore Boulevard West, expanding the site from 1,428m² to 2,788m² in area. Now an assembly of six properties located west of Fortieth Street, the site currently hosts four two-storey buildings with commercial spaces at grade, some surface parking, and 14 rental units above. The existing rental suites would be replaced as part of the new proposal and made available to the current renters at current rents plus inflation, if they decide to return. Surrounding the site is a mix of low- and mid-rise residential and main street retail along Lake Shore Boulevard West.
Initially proposed in December, 2022, WND Associates has resubmitted the Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment applications to the City of Toronto on behalf of the developer. Along with the major boost in height, the number of residential units has gone from 106 to 549 (including the 14 rental replacement units).
The total Gross Floor Area (GFA) of the proposal has grown to 36,111m², with residential GFA increasing to 35,946m², with a Floor Space Index (FSI) of 12.95. Retail GFA, however, has been reduced from 259m² to 165m². The tower would be anchored by a six-storey podium, with 1,122m² of indoor and 1,536m² of outdoor amenities, including indoor amenities and a terrace on the seventh floor above the podium.
The tower would feature five elevators, resulting in a ratio of approximately one elevator for every 110 units — resulting in longer than preferable wait times on average. While bicycle parking has been significantly expanded from 73 to 380 long-term spaces, 16 to 50 short-term spots, and six commercial spaces, motor vehicle parking has not been expanded at the same rate, owing to the proximity of the GO station; two levels of underground parking would provide space for 72 vehicles, including 62 resident spots and ten visitor spots, a small increase from the 47 spaces in the previous proposal.
Long Branch GO station, within a 400m walk, offers frequent regional rail service between Hamilton, and Oshawa via Downtown. Local transit options include the TTC’s 501 Queen streetcar, 123 Sherway, and 110 Islington South buses, as well as MiWay buses connecting to Mississauga. For cyclists, the area features bike lanes along Lake Shore Boulevard West and access to nearby multi-use trails, including the Waterfront and Etobicoke Creek Trails.
Future transit improvements such as a Lake Shore BRT in Mississauga may improve connections in the future. The Long Branch GO station itself is set to see a major upgrade as part of the GO Expansion project, including more frequent all-day, two-way, and electrified service.
This proposal towers over other projects and proposals in the surrounding area. Low-rise developments are found to the north, with low- and mid-rise proposals to the east, alongside the mid-rise proposal for Revel Condos at 12 storeys. Southeast of the site, a proposal at 220 Lake Promenade could rise up to 30 storeys closer to the waterfront, but has run into opposition from the City. Moving west into Mississauga, mid-rise projects like 9-storey 1407 Lake Shore Boulevard East and the under-construction Exhale Condominiums and Lakeview DXE Club at 11 and 12 storeys respectively, contribute to the intensification of the corridor, which huge plans are in the cards on the former Lakeview Generating Station site.
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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EDITOR'S NOTE: This version of this article corrects the credit for the previous design to Smart Density
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| Related Companies: | Crozier Consulting Engineers, Engineering Link Inc, Harlo Capital, Smart Density, WND Associates Ltd |
