It has been nearly nine years since Vogue declared Queen West the second coolest neighbourhood in the world. Whether one agrees or not, the street and surrounding area continue to evolve and face a variety of challenges, from housing to affordability. Republic Developments is planning to bring more units to the site near the northwest corner of Dufferin Street and Queen Street West. The developer has not submitted an application to the City of Toronto yet, but are presenting a concept design to initiate feedback from the public.
The site, located at 1266 Queen Street West, is nestled between Noble Street and the Parkdale Amphitheatre. It is currently home to a 2-storey commercial building that would be replaced. The site is part of Toronto’s Parkdale neighbourhood, and is located adjacent to Queen streetcar and Dufferin bus stops, from which Dufferin and Osgoode subway stations can be reached.
Under a previous owner, the plan had architect First Union with a design for a 4-storey commercial site that would retrofit the existing building. That concept was discarded and the new plan proposes a total GFA of 266,634m² to bring 381 new residential units to the area, along with retail and community spaces.
The planned project is described as an infill mixed-use development which is designed to integrate with the neighbourhood through a parkland space that connects to the amphitheatre. The design by BDP Quadrangle is a podium and tower configuration, with the podium featuring step-backs on the at the fourth and sixth levels, allowing for outdoor amenities on the fifth and seventh floors facing Queen Street.
Republic Developments states on their site that they take on developments “in both established neighbourhoods and those in transition.” Their focus is on transit-oriented communities and areas in need of additional housing. Republic also notes that many Parkdale residents have spoken up about the affordability crisis; the need for additional housing, particularly affordable housing, remains prevalent in the neighbourhood much like many other parts of the city and beyond.
The site is poised to benefit from the coming Ontario Line. The line’s stations include Spadina and Queen, as well as Exhibition near Dufferin Street and Gardiner Expressway. Both stops will be accessible for residents at 1266 Queen Street West through the existing bus and streetcar routes.
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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| Related Companies: | BDP Quadrangle |