Location: 111 Strachan Avenue, Toronto
Developer: Republic Developments
Architect: IBI Group
In Toronto’s Niagara neighbourhood, a new condo and townhouse development could soon define the Strachan Avenue and King Street West intersection.
On December 24th, an official plan and zoning by-law amendment application was submitted to city planners to construct a 14-storey, mixed-use development at 111 Strachan Avenue. The developer, Republic Developments, has also been working on the recent proposal for a 54-storey tower just south of Yonge and Bloor streets.
The rectangular development site in question is located at the corner of Strachan Avenue and Adelaide Street West, bordered by Lane E Strachan S Adelaide to the east. Three structures exist on the site, including two one-storey commercial buildings used by a car rental business and an auto shop. A large amount of surface parking also covers the site.
The third building, 127 Strachan Avenue, is three storeys in height and is currently occupied by a restaurant called Pennies, according to the planning rationale. Despite being built in 1878, 127 Strachan Avenue is not listed on the City of Toronto’s Heritage Register or designated under the Ontario Heritage Act. Details from the application’s Heritage Impact Assessment detail that 127 Strachan Avenue was designed in Second Empire Style by David Brash Dick, a founding member the now Ontario Association of Architects. It was originally used with residential uses on top and a grocer component on the bottom level.
The new development plans, if approved, would demolish two of the existing buildings and redevelop the land into a mixed-use high-rise. The existing three-storey building in the northwest corner of the site, 127 Strachan Avenue, would be incorporated into the new structure.
The project, which would range from two to 14 storeys in height, would contain 314 residential units inclusive of condo units and a series of two-storey, two-bedroom townhouses that would front onto the laneway and Strachan Avenue. Each townhome would have its own separate entrance and ground-level patio, and some units would be provided with a large terrace or balconies. The main entrance to the building for the condos would be placed at the southern end of Strachan Avenue.
The breakdown of all of the units in the project would consist of 28 studios, 69 one-bedroom, 104 one-bedroom-plus-den, 84 two-bedroom and 29 three-bedroom suites.
Approximately 339 square metres of commercial retail area would be included in the three-storey building on all floors. The ground level would be rehabilitated with a storefront that would be “restored to match archival documentation.” New trees, decorative paving and planters would be added to the development grounds to improve the public atmosphere.
“The lower levels of the building have been carefully designed to integrate with the residential character of
the surrounding neighbourhood and to contribute to the public realm,” explains the planning rationale. “The streetscape will be animated by the rehabilitated commercial building and the townhouse units proposed along Strachan Avenue.”
A total of 830 square metres of indoor and outdoor amenity space is slated for the project, including two multi-purpose rooms on the ground floor and indoor-outdoor amenity rooms on the first and third levels.
A driveway at the south end of the site would lead to the building’s underground parking garage, which contains 143 parking spaces across two-and-a-half levels. A total of 323 bicycle spaces would also be added for short-term visitor and residential use.
In the neighbourhood, registration is open for both 90 Niagara and Bathurst & Richmond Condos.
