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Plans are firming up for a supportive housing complex on the northeast corner of Springhurst and Close avenues in Parkdale. Designed by Montgomery Sisam Architects, the 54-studio-unit building for the City of Toronto and the University Health Network (UHN) known as Dunn House Phase 2, is the next part of the UHN Social Medicine Initiative. Just to the northeast at 90 Dunn Avenue, "early results" from the first phase of the initiative "show that pairing housing with health care can significantly reduce emergency department visits and hospital stays, improving health outcomes while reducing pressure on Toronto’s health care system," according to CreateTO, which will carry out the City's role in the project.
Previously referenced in an April, 2026 article on UrbanToronto, the site is now restricted to two adjacent parcels: 78 Springhurst Avenue, and 1-3 Close Avenue, the former of which currently has a two-storey rental home on it (the tenants of which the City will relocate), and the latter of which is vacant following the demolition of two semi-detached homes. These two properties are only a portion of the UHN-owned lands on the block, which also include 74 Springhurst (skipping 76) and contiguous properties further north along Close Avenue. UHN's Toronto Rehabilitation Institute's Bickle Centre and Lakeside Centre, along with the original Dunn House, are adjacent to the north. In the image below, Dunn House can be seen detailed above the proposal, while the Toronto Rehab's Bickle Centre is seen adjacent to it.
The site is a block east of Jameson Avenue, and across Springhurst Avenue from a series of narrow parcels and corridors: first to the south is Springhurst Parkette, followed by the slop down to the Lakeshore West GO and VIA corridor, followed by the westbound lanes of Lake Shore Boulevard West, then the trenched Gardiner Expressway way, then the eastbound lanes of Lake Shore Boulevard West, then the tree slope of Marilyn Bell Park which gradually descends to Lake Ontario.
The building is planned as an 8-storey, 34.7metre-high, red brick veneer over concrete structure with glazed green accent brick at the entrance and amenity terrace, and charcoal-toned concrete brick veneer at ground level. While the tower section is generally rectangular, the ground level angles to the southeast along the Springhurst Avenue frontage, with a full height wall with punched openings at the second storey to allow views to the south from an amenity terrace with green roof sections. Waist-height steel picket guardrails line the openings.
The new Dunn House phase is meant to build on the success of Dunn House, completed in 2024 and operated by Fred Victor, a charity that fights homelessness through shelters and employment programs, and which was Canada’s first social medicine housing initiative. Phase 2's 54 studio units will be leased as rent-geared-to-income housing focusing on at-risk seniors. Residents will have access to health, dining, and social services onsite.
Funding for the project is coming from the federal government through Build Canada Homes ($21.6M), the Province of Ontario (up to $2.6M in annual operational funding). Through CreateTO, the City of Toronto is acting as developer of the new home, with a City Council-authorized capital grant of up to $8.1M. At a later stage, the City of Toronto will select a non-profit housing provider to operate Dunn House 2.
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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