Location: 6167 Yonge Street, North York
Developer: Republic Developments
Architect: IBI Group
A car dealership near Yonge and Steeles could be the future site of a mixed-use community that could bring more than 500 units to North York’s Newtonbrook East neighbourhood.
In late January, an official plan and zoning by-law amendment application was submitted to the City of Toronto to construct two 14-storey mixed-use buildings at 6167 Yonge Street. This marks the sixth proposal Republic Developments has put forward in recent months, including plans to redevelop the Novotel Toronto Centre at 45 The Esplanade in downtown Toronto.
The development site is divided into two parts near the east side of Yonge Street and south of Steeles Avenue East. Site A is situated on the south side of Madawaska Avenue, separated from Site B by Newton Drive which is located directly south. Site A, which encompasses 6167 Yonge Street, 10 Newton Drive and 9 Madawaska Avenue, is primarily used by a Mazda car dealership with two commercial buildings and a single-family structure, plus surface parking area. Site B, which also belongs to the dealership, provides an additional surface parking area.
The project proposal entails demolishing the existing Mazda dealership and buildings to create the two new mixed-use structures, according to the application’s planning rationale.
On Site A, this building would house 354 units, broken down by nine studios, 217 one-bedroom, 84 two-bedroom and 44 three-bedroom units. Along Madawaska Avenue and Newton Drive, Site A’s building would also provide two-storey townhouses on the ground level. The main entry to the mid-rise would be provided via a drop-off area at the rear of the site, in addition to another entrance along Madawaska Avenue.
About 442 square metres of Site A would be reserved for a parkland dedication at the rear of the building. Levels five and 14 of Site A would provide indoor and outdoor amenity facilities. A two-level underground garage, accessible by a driveway connected between Madawaska Avenue and Newton Drive, would house 193 parking spaces in addition to 354 bicycle spots.
Site B’s building, which is also 14 storeys tall, would contain 195 residential units, including 16 studios, 100 one-bedroom, 61 two-bedroom and 18 three-bedroom suites. Three two-storey townhomes would also be added on Site B’s ground floor according to architectural drawings. The second level of the mid-rise would lend more than 513 square metres of combined indoor and outdoor amenity space. A separate two-level underground garage accessible from Newton Drive would house 80 parking spaces and storage for 196 bicycles for Site B.
Designed by IBI Group, each structure would feature a nine-storey streetwall and a tapered, 45-degree plane for the remaining upper levels that would be staggered backwards. Balconies and different architectural treatments would be incorporated to break up the building’s exteriors. Both buildings would feature “an active retail frontage,” onto Yonge Street. A three-metre setback from the road would leave room for landscaping and access to the retail entrances off of Yonge Street.
In the neighbourhood, sales are ongoing for Willowdale Heights and registration is open for Plaza on Yonge Condos.
