Location: 3431 St Clair Avenue East, Scarborough
Developer: Atria Development Corporation
Architect: A & Architects
Although reopening plans continue to roll out across the province, many of us still find ourselves working remotely as the pandemic recedes. A newly proposed condo project in Scarborough’s Birchmount Park neighbourhood has plans to include work-from-home space in preparation for future resident needs.
Earlier this month, a Zoning Bylaw Amendment application was submitted to city planners to construct a 16-storey mixed-use condo building with 388 units at 3431-3449 St. Clair Avenue East. The developer, Atria Development Corporation, is known for its high-rise Brimley & Progress project in Scarborough City Centre and 76 Kingston Road Townhomes in Toronto’s Woodbine Corridor.
“Just west of Birchmount Road, 3431 St. Clair Avenue East is set between Saint Clair Ravine Park and Warden Woods, overlooking Taylor-Massey Creek,” reads the project’s description on Atria Development’s website. “This development, close to schools and recreation facilities, is immersed in the scenic beauty of babbling brooks and thick woods.”
The development site in question is located on the south side of St. Clair Avenue East, stretching the entire block between Birchmount Road and Elfreda Boulevard. The rectangular lot, which spans roughly 0.96 acres, is occupied by two single-storey commercial buildings and surface parking area. The building closest to St. Clair Avenue East and Birchmount Road was formerly used as a gas station.
The proposal would see the demolition of the existing buildings, replacing them with a 16-storey mixed-use building with ground-floor retail space.
Of the 388 units — tenured as condos, according to the application’s project data sheet — the breakdown would include 19 studio, 205 one-bedroom, 117 two-bedroom and 47 three-bedroom units. Nine ground-related townhomes are planned for the first two floors of the building on its western side fronting St. Clair Avenue East and Elfreda Boulevard.
The building would consist of varying heights and masses to “create a pleasant and visually varied pedestrian experience,” according to the planning rationale by WND Associates. The highest point of the building would be concentrated near the St. Clair Avenue East and Birchmount Road intersection, gradually stepping down to a seven-storey podium at the building’s west end.
Approximately 4,452 square feet of retail space with access off of St. Clair Avenue East would be included in the building’s eastern corner on the ground floor. As per the architectural drawings, a 615-square-foot business centre is planned next to the building’s main lobby entrance, which shares the ground floor with an indoor amenity space, visitor bike storage lockers and a dog wash facility. Levels six and eight would provide indoor-outdoor amenity spaces, with additional indoor amenity space included on the second floor.
“Programming to suit the needs of residents will be provided within these spaces including the ground level business centre which will provide residents with the flexibility to work from home,” explains the planning rationale.
A three-level underground parking garage would house 257 car spaces, 413 bicycle parking spots and two ride-share spaces.
In the neighbourhood, registration is open for Nahid Kennedy, while construction continues at Merge Condos.
