Two new developments proposed a block apart just north of King Street West would introduce a mix of residential, retail, and place of worship to Toronto's Little Tibet–South Parkdale neighbourhood. A 15-storey rental building designed by Superkül for Oben Group is planned for 138 Dowling Avenue, while the 10-storey Kagyu Monastery designed by High Park Architects for Karma Sonam Dargye Ling, is proposed at 1464 King Street West. 

Looking northwest to 138 Dowling Avenue, designed by Superkül for Oben Group

On the west side of Dowling Avenue, the 138 Dowling Avenue site (above) is currently occupied by a 4-storey building that previously housed the Chartwell White Eagle Long Term Care Residence. To the east, the Kagyu Monastery site at 1464 King Street West and 10-12 Maynard Avenue (below) is home to an unoccupied single detached dwelling, a low-rise apartment building with 19 rental units, and the existing Kagyu Monastery, which includes 4 living accommodations for Temple Lamas.

Looking northwest to Kagyu Monastery, designed by High Park Architects for Karma Sonam Dargye Ling

The surrounding area features a mix of single-family homes, low-rise apartments, and mid-rise residential buildings. The neighbourhood offers several parks and community services within a 15-minute walk.

An aerial view of the sites for 138 Dowling Avenue (left) and Kagyu Monastery (right), images from submissions to City of Toronto

For 138 Dowling Avenue, MHBC Planning has submitted a Zoning By-law Amendment application to the City of Toronto on behalf of the developer. It would rise 54.9m and contain 147 purpose-built rental units, including two townhouse-style three-bedroom units at grade. The design’s Gross Floor Area (GFA) is 9,942m², resulting in a Floor Space Index (FSI) of 6.0 times coverage of the 1,652m² lot. Indoor amenities are planned on the ground floor, mezzanine, and rooftop, totalling 384m², while outdoor amenities are planned on the ground floor and rooftop, totalling 653m². 

Site plan for 138 Dowling Avenue, designed by Superkül for Oben Group

The proposal includes a one-level underground garage with 30 parking spaces, divided into 25 resident spaces and 5 visitor spaces. The project would provide 136 long-term and 30 short-term bicycle parking spaces. The building would be served by two elevators, roughly one for every 74 units, indicating good service levels.

Ground floor plan for 138 Dowling Avenue, designed by Superkül for Oben Group

For the monastery, Brutto Consulting has submitted Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment applications to the City of Toronto on behalf of the developer. Designed by High Park Architects, the proposed building would rise 48.82m and contain 80 residential units, including 61 market-rate units and 19 rental replacement units. The building would feature a 7-storey base with residential units and a 3-storey temple on top. The project’s total GFA is 9,214m², with a 5.48 FSI times coverage of the 1,683m² assembly. The ground floor would accommodate 254m² of retail space and a 329m² daycare, while the temple's primary functions would be housed on the 8th, 9th, and 10th floors. The 7th-floor mezzanine would include 19 temple visitor units designated as religious residences.

Site plan for Kagyu Monastery, designed by High Park Architects for Karma Sonam Dargye Ling

The proposal includes 292m² of indoor amenity space, with 177m² dedicated to residents and 115m² for non-residential temple-related use. The building would be served by two elevators, providing a ratio of approximately one for every 40 units, indicating very good service. Parking would be located within a one-level underground garage offering 12 spaces for the temple, 5 residential spaces, and 13 visitor spaces. The project would also provide 91 bicycle parking spaces.

Ground floor plan for Kagyu Monastery, designed by High Park Architects for Karma Sonam Dargye Ling

Multiple TTC stops are nearby, including streetcar stops adjacent to 138 Dowling on King Street West and Queen Street West 450m to the north.

The area surrounding both developments is poised for significant intnsification. To the northwest, 1521 Queen West is proposed at eight storeys. To the northeast, mid-rise projects range from 6 to 12 storeys, with the 10-storey 1375 Queen West currently under construction. Further northeast, 1354 Queen West proposes 12 storeys, while the Parkdale Hub would rise 16 storeys. East of the sites, developments include 1337 and 1304 King Street West at 10 and 21 storeys, respectively. Further southeast, 10-20 Tyndall Avenue calls for a 25-storey tower.

UrbanToronto will continue to follow progress on these developments, but in the meantime, you can learn more about them from our Database files, 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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