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A Minor Variance application submitted to the City of Toronto has been filed for 1 Marlborough, a mid-rise proposal at the southwest corner of Yonge Street and Marlborough Avenue in Summerhill. Devron Developments and Dorsay Development Corporation are looking to increase the height of the AUDAX-designed condominium, approved through a 2022 Ontario Land Tribunal settlement at 10 storeys, to the originally sought height of 13 storeys.
Addressed to 1134 through 1140 Yonge Street, the site is currently home to the historic former Pierce-Arrow automobile showroom — dating to the early 1930s — a designated as a heritage property. The surrounding area is characterized by a mix of low- to high-rise residential buildings, and retail and restaurant uses lining Yonge Street.
The building later accommodated a range of commercial and institutional tenants, including CBC studios for a time. Acquired by Devron in 2018, the owner filed a combined Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment application in 2020 seeking permission for a 13-storey mixed-use, predominantly residential building. A settlement with the City was ratifed by the Ontario Land Tribunal in July, 2022 at 10 storeys and 45m. Bousfields recently submitted the 13-storey Minor Variance application to the City of Toronto on behalf of the developer.
Like the approved version (above), the revised proposal would rise behind and above the restored heritage base. The 13-storey mixed-use condominium would reach 60.7m, the project’s originally proposed height.
Gross Floor Area would increase to 20,360m², up from 16,200m² previously approved, raising the Floor Space Index from 5.6 FSI to 7.09 times coverage of the 2,870m² lot. Residential space would grow to 18,803m², supporting 99 condominium units, compared to 64 units under the earlier approval. Vertical circulation would be handled by four elevators, equating to roughly one elevator per 25 units, indicating excellent service levels. The updated unit mix shifts toward a higher proportion of two-bedroom suites, now comprising 71 units, alongside 18 one-bedroom and 10 three-bedroom units.
Retail space at grade would total 1,558m², expanding the commercial component within the heritage envelope. Amenity space entails 545m² of indoor area supported by 57m² of outdoor space. At grade, the historic Pierce-Arrow showroom facade's restoration would be overseen by ERA Architects, forming the primary street-wall expression along Yonge Street.
Below grade, the proposal includes three levels of underground parking with 107 spaces, 84 for residents, 15 retail spaces, and 8 visitor spaces, representing a reduction from the 122 spaces approved. Bicycle parking would total 110 spaces, including 90 long-term and 20 short-term spots.
1 Marlborough is within a short walk of two Line 1 subway stations. Summerhill station is located approximately 350m to the north, while Rosedale station lies roughly 400m to the south. TTC buses also ply Yonge Street.
The corridor is seeing an escalation in scale. To the east, The James at Scrivener Square is under construction at 23 storeys, while 1087 Yonge is proposed at 35 storeys. To the south, One Roxborough West is advancing as a 12-storey mid-rise, while to the north, Yonge and Birch Residences and 1220 Yonge are proposed at 32 and 35 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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