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A low-rise pocket of Scarborough's Clairlea-Birchmount neighbourhood could change dramatically with a primarily residential, 33-storey proposal at 614 Danforth Road, located just west of the Scarborough Junction Masterplan proposal which has set a precedent for height and density in the area. Designed by BDP Quadrangle for Achille Developments, MHBC Planning has submitted a Zoning By-law Amendment application to the City of Toronto on behalf of the developer.
While the site sits just outside the City-designated Major Transit Station Area (MTSA) for Scarborough GO station to the east, it is directly across Danforth Road from the expansive Scarborough Junction site. The proposal follows Achille Developments’ acquisition of the site last year.
The site sits on the northeast corner of Danforth Road and Hubert Avenue. Currently occupied by a one-storey auto body shop, the irregularly shaped lot is at the south end of the block where St Clair Avenue East and Kennedy Road intersect, in a pocket where low-rise homes, auto uses, and commercial plazas converge.
Rising atop a six-storey podium to a height of 110.24m, the tower would deliver 380 residential units of unspecified tenure. The tower would be served by three elevators, or approximately one per 127 units, suggesting a need for high-speed motors for adequate service. The building’s total Gross Floor Area would span 26,017m², consisting of 25,695m² of residential space and 322m² of ground-floor retail fronting Danforth Road, for a Floor Space Index of 12.1 times coverage of the 2,204m² lot. Amenity offerings would be split between 1,011m² indoors and 509m² outdoors, located at grade and on the seventh floor.
Below grade, a three-level underground garage would provide 82 parking spaces, including 60 for residents and 22 for visitors. All residential spaces would be equipped with energized outlets for EVs, and five visitor spaces would also include EV charging capability. The proposal includes 262 long-term and 27 short-term bicycle parking spaces, alongside 10 publicly accessible short-term spots.
A TTC bus stop is directly in front of the site, and two more are found at the Danforth and Kennedy roads intersection. Scarborough GO station is located within a 12-minute walk or a 5-minute bike ride. For cyclists, the surrounding network is limited but improving, with sharrows and signed routes nearby and a multi-use trail connection via Taylor Creek Trail located roughly 950m from the site.
A number of other development proposals are nearby. The Scarborough Junction Masterplan envisions 14 towers rising between 19 and 58 storeys to the east of the site, while at 375 Kennedy just to the south, seven towers ranging from 8 to 48 storeys are proposed. Mid-rise proposals are found to the west near Birchmount Avenue, including 468 Danforth Road and 3431 St Clair East at 11 and 12 storeys, respectively.
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: | BDP Quadrangle, Ferris + Associates Inc., LEA Consulting, MCW Consultants Ltd, MHBC Planning |
