3.8K 
To rise from a City-owned parking lot in Toronto’s Fairbank neighbourhood, a pair of residential buildings are being proposed as part of the Toronto Builds program. Designed by Montgomery Sisam Architects for CreateTO, the plan features a 41-storey tower and a 6-storey mid-rise at 9 Shortt Street. Together they will comprise 458 purpose-built rental homes, including approximately 140 affordable units, a short walk from the upcoming Fairbank Station on the Eglinton Line 5.
The site on the east side of Shortt Street just north of Eglinton Avenue West, is currently home to a Green P parking lot with 130 spaces. The property is framed by retail uses to the east and south, detached houses and a church to the west, and Ramsden Road to the north.
City Council first moved to study the site’s redevelopment potential in March, 2021, directing CreateTO to assess options for adding housing on the municipally owned lot. A City-initiated Zoning By-law Amendment has been submitted calling for a 6-storey, 24m-tall mid-rise on the east side, and a 41-storey tower rising 136.5 m on the west side, separated by a mid-block pedestrian connection. It would support a total Gross Floor Area (GFA) of 35,567m², with a Floor Space Index of 7.11 times coverage of the 5,029m² lot.
Of the total GFA, 35,071m² is proposed as residential space, while approximately 497m² is reserved for non-residential uses, including community and potential retail space. A POPS (Privately-Owned Publicly-accessible Space) totalling 654m² would span a mid-block connection between the buildings, serving as a public plaza.
Amenities would include 629m² indoors and a 514m² outdoor terrace on the ninth floor of the tower. Four elevators are planned for the high-rise, and two for the mid-rise, resulting in approximately one for every 76 units, indicating good service response times.
Parking and servicing would be consolidated in a single underground level, accessed from Fairbank Village Lane. The garage would house 42 vehicle spaces, with 36 for residents and 6 for visitors. Bicycle storage will accommodate 421 long-term and 94 short-term parking spaces.
The site benefits from frequent TTC service along Dufferin Street and Eglinton Avenue, with the upcoming Fairbank station on the Eglinton Line 5 roughly 250m southeast, or a 4-minute walk. Cycling options include cycle tracks on Eglinton Avenue, the York Beltline Trail 500m to the north, Vaughan Road bike lanes within 550m, and the Roselawn/Marlee corridor about 1.1km away.
The proposal adds to a high-density development cluster around the soon-to-open station. To the southwest, the 9-storey Cricket Park Residences is under construction, while 1901 Eglinton Avenue West is seeking approval for a 34-storey tower. Northeast, 2402 Dufferin Street is planned at 4 and 34 storeys. Around the station itself are multiple high-rise proposals, including Lux Eglinton Condos at 30 storeys; 1685, 1711, and 1801 Eglinton Avenue West at 37, 39, and 41 storeys, respectively, and 632-652 and 645 Northcliffe at 40 and 42 storeys. The tallest proposals include 775 Vaughan Road (45 storeys) and 1812 Eglinton West (50 storeys).
CreateTO is advancing the proposal through consultation, beginning with an on-site community pop-up scheduled for August 19, 2025, ahead of a larger public meeting in September, 2025.
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 Forum thread, or leave a comment in the space provided on this page.
* * *
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. Development Insider, that tracks projects from initial application.
| Related Companies: | RWDI Climate and Performance Engineering |
