55 Eglinton East Proposal Returns with More Storeys, Units, but No Office Space

[ad_1] Ten years after the redevelopment of this site was first proposed, plans for a taller 55 Eglinton Avenue East are ...
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Ten years after the redevelopment of this site was first proposed, plans for a taller 55 Eglinton Avenue East are back while also removing office space. Designed by KIRKOR Architects and Planners for State Building Group, the resubmitted plans call for a 55-storey mixed-use tower, up from the previously approved 50-storey version. Located in the heart of Midtown Toronto, the revision shifts the focus to residential density and affordable housing. The site is steps from Eglinton station on Line 1, soon to also be an interchange with the Line 5 Crosstown LRT, with no opening date yet announced while deficiencies are addressed.

Looking southwest to 55 Eglinton East, designed by Kirkor Architects for State Building Group

Located on the south side of Eglinton between Holly Street and Dunfield Avenue, the 0.15-hectare site is currently occupied by an 8-storey commercial office building with retail at grade. Built in 1968, the structure includes 6,314m² of office space, about half of which is vacant. The property sits next to the South Eglinton-Davisville neighbourhood, where surrounding blocks include a mix of older mid-rise buildings, walk-up apartments, and tower-in-the-park designs alongside newer residential high-rises and shopping centres.

Looking southwest to the office building at the current site, image retrieved from Google Maps

A 47-storey mixed-use tower was first proposed here by State Building Group at the end of 2014, later modified to 50 storeys with a requirement to replace the site’s office space. The Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) approved that version in 2017, with a final order issued in 2021. A Site Plan Approval application followed in 2018, with revisions approved in 2019 at 52 storeys, but the project stalled as market conditions shifted. Now, in response to the housing crisis and a softened office market, Bousfields has submitted a combined Zoning By-law and Official Plan Amendment application on behalf of the developer.

Looking southeast to the previous design by Kirkor Architects for State Building Group

The revised proposal introduces a 180.65m tower rising from a 4-storey podium. Despite having five more floors, the height increase of less than 3 metres (previously 177.9m) can be attributed to the removal of office floors which are taller than residential floors. With more floors in total, the design’s Gross Floor Area goes from 40,564m² to 43,853m², with 43,332m² allocated to residential use, up from 33,923m². There would be 521m² for retail, increased from 234m², and concentrated on the first two levels.

The total unit count has risen from 461 to 664, significantly increasing the number of one-bedroom units (from 125 to 460), while two-bedroom units have decreased (336 to 204). The planned Floor Space Index (FSI) has grown to 28.99. At the same time, plans now call for 644m² of affordable rental housing made up of seven units.

Site plan, designed by Kirkor Architects for State Building Group

Amenities include 1,586m² of indoor and 539m² of outdoor areas, spread across the 2nd, 4th, 5th, and mechanical penthouse levels. With only five elevators, one per every 137 units, high-speed motors would be necessary to ensure efficient service. 

The underground garage has been dramatically reduced from 114 spaces, eliminating all resident parking while leaving seven motor vehicle spaces; four for visitors (one accessible), two for pick-up/drop-off, and one potential car-share space. In contrast, bicycle parking has expanded to 598 long-term and 67 short-term spaces.

Ground floor plan, designed by Kirkor Architects for State Building Group

With Eglinton station 150m to the west, residents would have quick access to Yonge Line 1 and Eglinton Line 5. The station also offers access to multiple TTC bus routes. The site is also 450m from the Eglinton Line 5’s Mount Pleasant station.

An aerial view of the site and surounding area, image from submission to City of Toronto

Midtown Toronto continues to see a wave of high-rise intensification. Directly north, 110 Eglinton East is planned as twin 58-storey towers, while 150 Eglinton East is proposed as two 61-storey towers. Further north, proposals include 50- and 58-storey towers at 77 and 141 Roehampton, while 170 Roehampton will rise to 50 storeys. To the east, planned towers include 191 Eglinton East at 52 storeys, 54 and 61 Brownlow, both at 61 storeys and 808 Mount Pleasant, also at 61 storeys.

Westward, 2350 Yonge is planned for 50 storeys, while 2345 Yonge is proposed as 54- and 56-storey towers, 2346 Yonge would rise 56 storeys, with 2323 Yonge at 58 storeys. Near Eglinton station, proposals include 50 Eglinton West (46 and 49 storeys), 36 Eglinton West (59 storeys), and 1 Eglinton East (65 storeys). To the southwest, 2180 Yonge envisions five towers between 45 and 65 storeys.

An aerial view of 55 Eglinton East, designed by Kirkor Architects for State Building Group

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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