Perched beside the Eastern Avenue Bypass since 1996, the tilted geometry of the Cube Houses make for an eccentric Corktown landmark along Eastern Avenue, or Richmond or Adelaide, on the east side of Downtown Toronto. Born from architect Ben Kutner’s dream of affordable modular housing, the structures were never 100% completed and are now slated for demolition. In their place, if zoning approval is granted, could be two towers rising 55 and 59 storeys.

Looking south to 1 Sumach Street, designed by RAW Design for Block Developments

The assembled site addressed to 1 Sumach Street spans both sides of the street north of Eastern Avenue, with the larger west parcel (1,730m²) currently home to nine low-rise buildings, including a mix of townhouses and commercial uses, with the cube houses on the east side. Part of the site at is directly beneath the Richmond and Adelaide overpasses. Corktown includes a mix of post-industrial properties, arterial roads, active construction sites, and heritage structures.

Looking northeast to the Cube House at the current site, image retrieved from Google Maps

The site was previously subject to a development application by Markee Developments, which proposed a 35-storey tower designed by gh3. That plan included 443 residential units, with 119 of them permanently affordable through the City’s Open Door program.

Previous design by gh3 for Markee Developments

In late 2023, Block Developments acquired the property for over $32 million and opted for a clean slate. Designed by RAW, the proposal  envisions two residential towers rising to 55 and 59 storeys, reaching heights of 182.85m and 201.75m. The towers would rise from 2- and 3-storey podiums, positioned on either side of Old Sumach Street. 

MHBC Planning has submitted Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment applications to the City of Toronto on behalf of the developer. The west building would occupy the larger portion of the site and include retail at grade, while the east building would rise on the smaller Cube House parcel. Together, the project proposes 80,119m² of Gross Floor Area, including 1,284 residential units and 1,662m² of non-residential space, translating to a Floor Space Index of 31.65 times coverage of the 2,530m² assembly.

Looking west to the podiums, designed by RAW Design for Block Developments

A total of 2,707m² of indoor and 487m² of outdoor amenity space is planned, split between the ground floor and podium levels. The existing buildings at 6–12 Sumach Street are listed but not designated as heritage properties. They would be relocated 14 metres south and partially integrated into the west podium, preserving elements of the existing street wall, with heritage work overseen by ERA Architects.

Block is working with the City to cantilever over or close a portion of Old Sumach Street to unlock a larger podium floor-plate, with potential to support a grocery store and future affordable housing.

Site plan, designed by RAW Design for Block Developments

There would be six elevators in the 59-storey west tower and four in the 55-storey east tower, equating to approximately one elevator per 128 and 119 units, respectively. High-speed motors would be necessary to provide adequate response times. Below grade, a three-level underground garage is proposed beneath the west building, containing 39 vehicular parking spaces, including 4 barrier-free spaces, 4 for carshare, and 2 for visitors. Bicycle infrastructure entails 1,158 long-term and 258 short-term spaces.

Ground floor plan, designed by RAW Design for Block Developments

The site is currently served by multiple TTC routes, including the 504 King streetcar and 121 Esplanade-River bus, both within a five-minute walk. It also benefits from nearby bike lanes, cycle tracks, and multi-use trails. Looking ahead, the Ontario Line 3’s Corktown station is about 700m to the west, while East Harbour station will be located approximately 900m southeast, also to be served by GO Transit. 

An aerial view of the site and surrounding area, image from submission to City of Toronto

The proposal at 1 Sumach Street joins intensification efforts transforming the surrounding blocks of Corktown and the West Don Lands. To the east, three towers are planned from 31 to 43 storeys at West Don Lands Blocks 17 and 26. North of the site, The Queen and 28 River Street are proposed at 16 and 18 storeys, respectively. Southward, 13-storey Cherry Place is proposed, while Canary House and Cherry House at Canary Landing, both rising 13 storeys, are under construction. To the southwest, a 31-storey Curio by Hilton Distillery District is proposed. Southeast, West Don Lands Block 13 is set to bring towers of 16 and 43 storeys, alongside Oak House at Canary Landing, proposed at 32 and 46 storeys.

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:  ERA Architects, Gradient Wind Engineers & Scientists, Grounded Engineering Inc., MHBC Planning, RAW Design, Vortex Fire Consulting Inc.