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Rising in the heart of Toronto’s Chinatown, 315 Spadina Avenue is transforming a low-rise block of Spadina Avenue long defined by modest two- and three-storey buildings. Situated on the northeast corner of Spadina and D’Arcy Street, the 14-storey purpose-built rental project designed by Montgomery Sisam Architects for Podium Developments replaces a row of non-heritage commercial structures with a mixed-use building that will include ground-level retail. When UrbanToronto last provided an update in August, 2023, shoring work was just beginning.
A year later, by August 2024, the blue tower crane was installed on the west end of the site, close to Spadina Avenue, following concrete pours for its base earlier in the summer. Rebar projects vertically at grade from concrete walls for the single-level underground garage. On the right, a red and yellow excavator is seen below grade, while construction materials and conduit coils are organized along the left side at grade. Temporary fencing and safety railings define the site perimeter.
By November, 2024, concrete columns were seen across the ground floor. Looking west, the tower crane is surrounded by columns with rebar extending upward in preparation for future extensions. Toward Spadina Avenue in the background, decking is in place to support the forming of the second-floor slab. The foreground features a concrete bucket alongside staged materials.
315 Spadina is seen below standing five full storeys by March, 2025. Three tiers of vertical formwork panels are positioned closer to the north end for the sixth floor in progress. On the left, three vertical sections of poured concrete are areas intended for future brick veneer cladding, while the bays between them will feature window wall systems alongside dark grey aluminum panels.
As of early April 2025, the north end of the sixth floor was formed, with formwork visible by the crane, and structural columns encased in protective yellow wrap at the south end. Below, we see steel studs on the south side of the third floor in preparation for cladding and glazing installation, while yellow weatherproofing wraps the second floor, and the first floor is temporarily enclosed with chipboard. Two floors of white architectural stone with granite finishes will adorn the first two floors for the commercial entrance along this side, with brick veneer cladding from floors three to eight.
Looking northwest more recently this month, we see progress made on the sixth floor at the top left. Yellow weatherproofing extends across much of the second and third floors, including across the east elevation at right where brick veneer will eventually clad the the north and south walls of the building, interspersed with sections of light and dark grey precast panels. We see step-backs at levels four and six on the building's east side. At ground level, concrete columns frame the future residential entrance on the right, while a cement mixer truck is delivering concrete to a bucket on the left.
Upon completion, the building will rise to 46.91m and contain 219 rental units, including 197 market-rate and 22 affordable 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.
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UrbanToronto has a research service, UTPro, that provides comprehensive data on development projects in the Greater Golden Horseshoe — 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.
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