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An application to redevelop a site on Spadina Road at Montclair Avenue in Toronto’s Forest Hill Village now calls for a 14-storey mixed-use condominium. Designed by Giannone Petricone Associates for Equinox Properties, this is a sharp increase from the six-storey plan that previously received approval in principle. The site is within the St Clair West Protected Major Transit Station Area.
The rectangular site comprises an assembly of properties addressed to 390 through 398 Spadina Road. Existing conditions consist of three two-storey brick mixed-use buildings with retail at grade and walk-up residential units above, alongside surface parking at the rear. The area includes a mix of low-rise commercial buildings, small apartment houses, and residential streets extending eastward.
The lands were previously the subject of a Zoning By-law Amendment application that advanced through the Ontario Land Tribunal’s predecessor, resulting in an interim approval in May, 2018 for a six-storey mixed-use building. That approval-in-principle was never finalized, as the conditions attached to the interim order were not cleared, and a final order was not issued. City staff subsequently advised that any new proposal seeking additional height and density beyond the earlier plan would require a fresh submission. Now, WND Associates has submitted the new Zoning By-law Amendment application to the City of Toronto on behalf of the developer.
The current proposal would introduce a 14-storey mixed-use building rising to 54.2m, occupying the northwest corner of the site with a three-storey street-wall framing Spadina Road. The Floor Space Index has been increased to 7.2 times coverage of the 1,343m² site. The revised plan would deliver 54 condominium units, up from 33 units previously, with 9,664m² of Gross Floor Area made up of 9,077m² of residential space and 586m² of retail space at grade. Vertical circulation would be handled by two elevators, translating to an elevator ratio of one elevator per 27 units, indicating quick response times.
Ground-floor retail would be arranged as two commercial units. Amenities entail 116m² of indoor space and approximately 118m² of outdoor space. Indoor amenities are planned on the second floor, connected directly to an outdoor terrace positioned above the underground garage ramp.
Vehicle parking would be accommodated within three below-grade levels, accessed from Nick Vitantonio Lane, compared to earlier concepts that contemplated access from Montclair Avenue. The current submission proposes 72 vehicular parking spaces, including 57 resident spaces and 15 visitor spaces, one more space than the 71 associated with the earlier six-storey plan. Bicycle parking would include 52 long-term and 11 short-term spaces for residents, along with 14 non-resident spots.
The Heath Street entrance to St Clair West station on University Line 1 is approximately 450m southwest, or about a six-minute walk, with an alternative pedestrian ramp connection from Montclair Avenue reducing the distance to roughly 400m and a five-minute walk. Surface transit includes bus routes and the 512 St Clair streetcar. Cycling access is supported by a shared cycling route along Heath Street West, roughly 120m south, linking the Cedarvale Ravine trail system to on-street cycling routes to the east.
Surrounding development activity reflects a range of built forms. Immediately south, 382 Spadina Road has been proposed at three storeys, while to the northeast, 1 Thelma Avenue is planned at seven storeys. Further south, a 20-storey residential building has been proposed at 429 Walmer Road. To the west, construction is nearing completion on South Forest Hill Residences, a pair of 20- and 21-storey towers.
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, Giannone Petricone Associates, Gradient Wind Engineers & Scientists, LEA Consulting, WND Associates Ltd |
