Location: 225 Queen Street East, Toronto
Developer: Dash Developments Inc.
Architect: IBI Group
Two Old Town Toronto heritage properties, including a vacant hotel, are being eyed for potential redevelopment thanks to a new proposal put forward to city planners this month.
A rezoning, subdivision approval and site plan approval application has been submitted to Toronto planners to construct a 31-storey mixed-use tower with 340 units at 120-134 Sherbourne Street and 225-229 Queen Street East. The builder, Dash Developments Inc., has previously worked on Avenue 151 Yorkville, which finished construction in late 2020.
The development site is located on the southwest corner of Queen and Sherbourne streets, bordered by Queen Street East to the north and Britain Street to the south.
Four buildings exist on the rectangular lot. This includes a two-storey commercial building used by the Joe Sylvester Health Clinic of Anishnawbe Health Toronto, which will be relocating to Block 10 of the West Don lands, according to the application’s planning rationale.
A three-storey building called the Kormann House Hotel occupies 229 Queen Street East. Built in 1897, the vacant structure was listed on the City of Toronto Heritage Register in 2007. The Kormann House Hotel operated under that name until the mid-1910s before it was changed to Canada House Hotel, as per the application’s Heritage Impact Statement.
Along with the combined single-storey building at 134 Sherbourne Street next door (currently used by Moss Park Consumption Treatment Services) the Kormann House Hotel was part of a 2006 development application to turn the structure into a 10-storey mixed-use building. The application is no longer active, according to the rationale.
The final building in the application includes a three-storey red brick structure at 120 and 122 Sherbourne Street, used as office space, a take-out restaurant, two rental apartments and a cannabis dispensary. Constructed between 1903 and 1910, this building was added to the Toronto Heritage Register in 2020.
If approved, the application would see the creation of a 31-storey mixed-use residential-retail building, consisting of a 23-storey tower portion on top of an eight-storey podium with a three-storey base building. Of the 340 units proposed for the development, the breakdown would include 23 studio units, 150 one-bedroom, 132 two-bedroom and 35 three-bedroom suites.
The façades of the existing heritage properties located at 229 Queen Street East and 122 Sherbourne Street would be “conserved and incorporated,” into the base building. A variety of materials such as stone cladding would be used to differentiate the new construction portion of the base building from the retained heritage façades. Above, the tower element would utilize white metal panels and glass to break the tower into a variety of “boxes.”
Approximately 512 square metres of retail space with sidewalk access would be included on the ground floor fronting onto Queen and Sherbourne streets. The main entrance to the building would be located off the corner of Sherbourne and Britain streets. Parts of these areas would showcase double-height ceilings open to the second level. The majority of the second floor would be reserved for 306 long-term bicycle spots, plus storage and an indoor amenity area.
An architectural setback on floor four would make room for a large, landscaped terrace with lounge areas, pergolas, barbeque stations, a water feature and a dog run overlooking Queen Street East. The same level would provide the majority of the development’s indoor amenity facilities. In total, 1,460 square metres of amenity space is included in the proposal for indoor and outdoor use.
Three levels of underground parking, accessible from Britain Street, would provide 60 vehicle spaces. Thirty-four residential short-term bicycle parking spots would also be available.
In the neighbourhood, construction is underway for Bauhaus Condos, while registration is open for Celeste Condominiums.
