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Rising just north of Lansdowne station, the seven-storey Magellan Centre is approaching topping off in Toronto’s Bloordale area. Designed by Snyder Architects Inc. for CreateTO and Magellan Community Charities, the seniors centre project is part of a City-led effort to accelerate the delivery of affordable housing through programs that mobilize public land, with a portion of this former TTC carhouse and garage site being leased out to the developers. Located at 640 Lansdowne Avenue, the development combines affordable rental housing with a long-term care facility, delivering deeply needed senior care and housing near transit.
Looking northeast in August, 2025, the absence of below-grade levels allowed slab-on-grade construction to advance quickly. Two cranes, erected in February and March, stand near the north and south ends of the building site, and the structure has risen to one storey, with formwork in place for portions of the second floor. The west side of the site is being used for materials staging, deliveries, and site trailers.
Seen from across Paton Road in September, 2025, the structure stands three storeys at the south end, with formwork in place for the fourth-floor slab pour. Concrete columns and shear walls are seen at grade, while further north, rebar and column forms rise for the third floor. The building’s long mass is articulated into two primary volumes at the north and south ends, separated by a recessed central alcove that will accommodate the main entrance.
By December, 2025, the north end rose five storeys, next to low-rise commercial and residential buildings. White tarp shields crew on the the uppermost level from the elements.
Looking southwest, formwork projects outward for the seventh-floor slab pour. Balconies and step-backs articulate the massing.
Meanwhile, the south elevation rises to five storeys, with the first walls in place for the sixth floor. Regularly spaced concrete columns define the ground floor, framing an opening for the pedestrian passageway that will run along the south side of the building and connect through the site. Mid-block, the building’s massing steps back to form the recessed entrance alcove.
Seen this month, concrete forming for the Magellan Centre is nearly finished, with work underway for the mechanical penthouse. On the north elevation, corner notches above the third floor are evident, while formwork above will square off the roof, cantilevering the rooftop slab at the corners.
The exterior will be finished with a combination of buff and dark brown brick masonry, and off-white and grey-toned aluminum panels. Window wall and glass balcony guards will be complemented by a metal-trimmed canopy at the main entrance, while roof-level sight screens will conceal mechanical equipment.
The Magellan Centre will stand 29.64m and deliver 57 affordable rental housing units for seniors, alongside 256 long-term care beds.
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: | Bousfields, Quasar Consulting Group |
