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Reworked plans submitted to the City of Toronto for 954 Broadview Avenue have increased the height a proposal there from 14 to 26 storeys. Designed by Graziani + Corazza Architects for Diamond Kilmer Developments, the revised proposal in the Broadview North area of East York calls for a taller mixed-use condominium that preserves the heritage-designated Chester Public School. The site sits within the recently designated Broadview Station Major Transit Station Area (MTSA).
The site spans 954, 956, and 958 Broadview Avenue along with 72 Chester Hill Road, occupying the west side of Broadview just north of Chester Hill Road. It is currently home to two semi-detached houses, one detached dwelling, the former Estonian House (originally Chester Public School, built in 1891) and a large surface parking lot. To the west, the property abuts the Don Valley ravine, while to the north it borders a corridor of tall mixed-use buildings.
Initial applications for the site were filed in 2018 and 2019 by a previous owner, before Diamond Kilmer acquired the property in 2020 and took on the outstanding appeals. A City-supported settlement at the LPAT in 2022 cleared the way for a 14-storey mixed-use building. Final approvals were issued in early 2023, followed by a Site Plan Application that remains under review. Now with the establishment of Major Transit Station Areas within which the Province encourages greater intensification, the developer has resubmitted Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment applications.
The latest proposal maintains the approved site layout of a four-storey base stepping back from the heritage building, while introducing a significantly taller tower element fronting Broadview. Rising to 26 storeys and 90.05m, the new massing nearly doubles the previously approved 14-storey, 50.5m profile. A key element of the proposal continues to be the retention and restoration of Chester Public School, with heritage work overseen by ERA Architects. Additions which have obscured the original facade are proposed to be removed. Unlike the 2022 approval, which introduced residential units into the heritage building, the new plan shifts its function to indoor amenity and non-residential uses.
Gross Floor Area rose from 13,600m² to 19,840m², with residential space increasing from 12,989m² to 19,740m², and retail at grade within the heritage building reduced slightly from 129m² to 100m². Overall density has doubled, with the Floor Space Index climbing from 2.89 to 5.79 times coverage of the 4,485m² lot. Amenities increase from 728m² to 1,240m², split between 752m² indoors and 488m² outdoors, now concentrated in the restored heritage building and atop the four-storey podium.
The development would now deliver 310 residential units, up from 207. This includes eight affordable ownership units retained from the previous agreement. The design includes three elevators, equating to one for approximately every 103 units, requiring high speed motors for prompt response times, especially when one of the elevators is out of service. Amenities increased from 728m² to 1,240m², split between 752m² indoors and 488m² outdoors, now concentrated in the restored heritage building and atop the four-storey podium.
The proposal retains the community benefits secured through the previous settlement. A 240m² parkland dedication is planned along Broadview, positioned beside the heritage frontage. At the rear of the site, 747m² of ravine lands would be conveyed to the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority.
Two underground levels would be maintained, with total vehicle parking rising slightly from 79 to 82 spaces (76 for residents, 5 for visitors, and 1 institutional stall). Bicycle parking decreased from 186 to 176 spaces (140 long-term and 32 short-term residential spaces, plus 4 short-term non-residential spots).
The site is located about 550m north of Broadview station, a walk of under ten minutes, providing access to multiple streetcar and surface transit routes. While Broadview currently lacks dedicated cycling lanes in this stretch, the City’s near-term network plan identifies upgrades nearby, including a new bikeway on Logan Avenue. The site is also less than a kilometre from the Lower Don Trail.
Other development projects and proposals can be found in the area. To the south, proposals include 6-storey buildings at 898 and 882 Broadview, alongside the 6-storey Nahid on Broadview now wrapping up construction, and the planned 9-storey John Lea on Broadview. North of the site, Angular Condos is proposed at 7 storeys, while Maxium 1099 Broadview is planned at 14 and 16 storeys. Further up the corridor, plans include 11 storeys at 1132 Broadview, 24 storeys at 5 Cosburn, and 25 storeys at 26 Cosburn.
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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