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Following UrbanToronto’s construction update on QueenChurch, our attention now steps next door to 18 Dalhousie Street, where Pemberton Group has submitted a revised development proposal in Toronto’s Garden District, Replacing a previously approved 54-storey scheme, it is now proposed as a 61-storey mixed-use residential tower. Designed by Graziani + Corazza Architects, the increase in height responds to updated St Michael’s Hospital flight path restrictions introduced through a 2024 Ministerial Zoning Order (MZO), which rendered the earlier approval unbuildable.
The site spans 137 through 149 Church Street and 18 and 20 Dalhousie Street, occupying a through-block parcel on the east side of Church Street between Queen Street East and Shuter Street. The rectangular assembly is currently occupied by a collection of 2- to 3-storey commercial and mixed-use buildings, including heritage-designated properties along Church and Dalhousie streets. The surrounding area is characterized by a mix of older low-rise buildings and a growing concentration of high-rise residential towers. The site is also within walking distance of Queen, TMU, and King subway stations, placing it within multiple Protected Major Transit Station Areas.
Planning for the site dates back to 2018, when an initial Zoning By-law Amendment application proposed a 49-storey mixed-use tower, later revised to 54 storeys. After an appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal, a settlement was reached in 2022, resulting in approval for the 54-storey building carved to accommodate the St Michael’s Hospital helicopter flight path.
That approval was then undermined by a 2024 MZO, which expanded the protected air ambulance flight path and introduced new height restrictions. In response, the project team worked with City staff to reshape the proposal. Bousfields submitted the resulting updated Zoning By-law Amendment application to the City of Toronto on behalf of the developer.
The revised proposal would now redevelop the site with a 61-storey mixed-use tower rising to 200.95m, an increase from the previously approved 54-storey, 175m scheme. While the Gross Floor Area remains unchanged at 32,500m² (with a Floor Space Index of 21.04 times coverage of the site), including 32,100m² of residential space and 280m² of retail at grade, the additional height allows the massing to be redistributed.
The new design introduces a 2-storey street-wall and a 6-storey podium along the southern portion of the site, replacing the earlier 3-storey street-wall and 8-storey podium. Above, a pronounced step-back introduced at the 24th floor would clear the revised St Michael’s Hospital flight path, which now extends across the northern portion of the site.
The redesign features a reduced and more efficient upper floor-plate of approximately 467m², while the lower tower levels would maintain a floor-plate of about 713m². The unit count has increased from 440 to 469 suites. Setbacks have also been adjusted, resulting in a 16.5m spacing to QueenChurch rising immediately south, less than normal separation guidelines, but 5m wider than an earlier proposal to move the 54-storey version out of the way of the expanded flight path.
The heritage-designated buildings at 24 Dalhousie Street and along Church Street would be incorporated into the base. The revised design maintains the approved conservation strategy overseen by GBCA Architects. Amenity space would include approximately 900m² of indoor and 775m² of outdoor amenities, the latter reduced from 939m².
Below grade, three levels of underground parking are proposed. Vehicular parking has been significantly reduced from 120 spaces in the prior approval to 52 residential spaces. Bicycle parking increases to 469 spaces, including 422 long-term and 47 short-term spots, compared to 440 previously. The building would be served by four elevators, equating to roughly one elevator per 117 units, indicating high-speed motors would be required for adequate response times.
The site is within approximately 300m of Queen station on Yonge Line 1, a future interchange with the under-construction Ontario Line 3, as well as about 450m from TMU station, and roughly 500m from King station. Surface transit is readily available along Queen Street East, with frequent streetcar and bus service.
To the south, the 57-storey QueenChurch is under construction, with a 59-storey tower proposed at 119–127 Church Street nearby, and the 48-storey Alias rising further along the corridor. To the northwest, The Metropolitan is planned at 37 storeys. To the southeast, construction is advancing on the 34-storey Queen Central, while additional proposals include a 40-storey building at 133 Queen Street East and a 72-storey tower at 100 Lombard Street.
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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UrbanToronto's research and data service, UTPro, provides comprehensive data on construction projects in the Greater Golden Horseshoe—from proposal through to completion. Other services include Instant Reports, downloadable snapshots based on location, and a daily subscription newsletter, New Development Insider, that tracks projects from initial application.
| Related Companies: | Bousfields, EQ Building Performance Inc., Graziani + Corazza Architects, HGC Noise Vibration Acoustics |
