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Liberty Village could see a dramatic shift in scale if a 55-storey mixed-use tower proposed at 147 Liberty Street is approved. Designed by Sweeny &Co Architects Inc. for Intentional Capital, at 179.62 m it would be the tallest in the area, 11 storeys and 30 metres taller than the highest approved so far, while closer by the tallest is 19 storeys and 71.7 metres tall. At its base, the proposal would incorporate heritage elements from multiple buildings.
Once an industrial area of factories and warehouses, Liberty Village has transformed over recent decades, first primarily with the industrial buildings renovated as office space, and more recently into a mixed-use neighbourhood. The 147 Liberty Street assembly currently hosts one- to two-storey commercial structures, including early 20th-century brick buildings once housing the S.F. Bowser and Company Factory and Arlington Company of Canada Factory, as well as surface parking.
Spanning 2,673m² at 147 through 151 Liberty Street and 54 through 68 Fraser Avenue, the site is at the southwest corner of those streets, and in the western half of Liberty Village, an area redeveloping more slowly that the rapid residential and commercial redevelopment that has brought taller buildings further east.
Bousfields has submitted both Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment applications to the City of Toronto on behalf of the developer as the site is currently zoned as employment lands. As the assembly is located within the Major Transit Station Area of Exhibition station on the GO Lakeshore West line and the future Ontario Line 3, now under construction, this location us generally where the Province wants to see more density.
A total Gross Floor Area (GFA) of 44,380m² entails 43,240m² for residential use and 1,140m² for office space, resulting in a Floor Space Index (FSI) of 16.6. At street level, office space would span 574m² along Liberty Street, with an additional 567m² of office space on the second floor. A Heritage Impact Assessment by Giaimo notes that 147 Liberty Street would be retained in situ, while the east facade of 58-66 Fraser Avenue would be preserved. The western portion of this structure and 54 Fraser Avenue would be demolished.
The proposal includes 1,269m² of indoor and 930m² of outdoor amenities, located on levels 2, 3, and 30. The proposal includes 732 residential units served by six elevators, or one for every 122 units, requiring high-speed motors for adequate service. The design proposes one underground parking level with 30 vehicle spaces, of which 27 would be for visitors and 3 for residents, prioritizing transit usage. For cyclists, provisions include 662 long-term and 74 short-term spaces. Cycling infrastructure includes on-street bike lanes and multi-use trails linking to the Martin Goodman Trail and Fort York area.
Nearby TTC surface routes include the 504 King streetcar as well as Dufferin and Ossington bus routes. Currently under construction, the expanded Exhibition GO station will add Ontario Line 3 and function as its western terminus, while a new GO station, the planned but unfunded King-Liberty GO, could be located a little further to the northeast. Exhibition station is about a six-minute walk from the site.
The surrounding area is seeing significant development activity. To the west, 8 Temple is proposed at 15 storeys and 10-20 Tyndall Avenue is planned at 25 storeys. To the north, XO2 Condos is under construction at King and Dufferin at 19 storeys, Radiator is proposed as three towers at Queen and Dufferin ranging from 9 to 29 storeys. To the east, 58 Atlantic is planned at 10 storeys, while to the northeast 1071 King West is under construction at 17 storeys. To the southeast, The Castle is planned as a 10- and 11-storey office and retail complex, while the Transit-Oriented Community associated with the Exhibition GO station redevelopment includes four towers between 19 and 20 storeys. Taller developments emerge east; Liberty Yard is proposed with three towers from 32 to 36 storeys, and 80 Lynn Williams is planned at 44 storeys.
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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