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Planning for a multi-tower development is progressing under the City of Toronto’s Housing Now initiative just east of McCowan Road from Scarborough Town Centre. Designed by Sweeny &Co Architects Inc. for CreateTO, a redevelopment of 40 Bushby Drive would transform a Toronto Parking Authority lot into a mixed-use project with three towers ranging from 44 to 59 storeys. The site is located a short walk south of the site for the new Scarborough Centre station and Bus Terminal, as part of the Scarborough Subway Extension that is now under construction.
The Housing Now initiative aims to deliver affordable housing on City-owned lands as part of the HousingTO 2020-2030 Action Plan, aiming to address housing needs while developing mixed-income, transit-oriented communities. Included in the Housing Now initiative by City Council in 2021, this site has progressed through a City-initiated Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment process, with a preliminary concept presented to the Design Review Panel in 2023.
Located at the southeast corner of Bushby Drive and McCowan Road, the site spans 6,770m². Currently occupied by a surface parking lot, the surrounding area includes the Scarborough Town Centre shopping mall, municipal and federal government offices, and educational and community facilities.
The proposal includes three residential towers, rising 44, 52, and 59 storeys (151.4m to 193.45m) atop nine-storey podiums. The site’s layout positions the tallest towers atop a shared podium at the western edge, closest to McCowan Road, while the 44-storey tower stands on the east side. Together, the buildings would deliver 1,717 residential units, including affordable rentals. A total Gross Floor Area (GFA) of 109,439m² is broken down into 108,288m² of residential space and 1,151m² of unspecified non-residential uses, with an FSI of 16.17.
The towers would be served by five elevators each, with ratios of approximately one elevator per 98 to 127 units. The taller towers would require high-speed motors for efficient elevator service. Amenities entail 4,265m² of indoor area on the second and third floors and 1,003m² of outdoor space, including a terrace on the second floor of both podiums.
The proposal includes a 441m² POPS (Privately-Owned Publicly-accessible Space) at the site’s northeast corner. Development would proceed in three phases, starting with the 44-storey tower on the east side and progressing to the 52- and then 59-storey towers to the west. Below grade, a two-level underground garage would provide 170 parking spaces for residents and 19 for visitors. Bicycle parking provisions include 1,168 long-term and 122 short-term residential spaces, and 38 long-term and 1 short-term non-residential spaces.
Proposed public realm improvements include the Bushby Drive Civic Promenade, with wide pedestrian walkways, cycle tracks, and tree planting. The Mid-Block Green would provide a landscaped north-south connection through the site to the new subway station. The east-west mews, running along the south side, would feature vehicular and pedestrian access with unified pavement treatments.
Sustainability is another key focus, with the project designed to meet Toronto Green Standard Version 4 Tier 2. Proposed strategies include geothermal heating, greywater heat recovery systems, all-electric HVAC and appliances, and a 60/40 glass-to-solid wall ratio.
In addition, City Council has directed City Staff to coordinate design elements with the adjacent 1215 McCowan proposal to the south, proposed as three towers from 25 to 55 storeys. This includes discussions on shared public realm features and site access, with finer details to be addressed through the planning process.
The site is currently served by TTC, GO Transit, and Durham Region Transit bus routes, with nearby stops providing connections to the wider regional network. Cyclists have access to nearby trails along Brimley Road and within the Birkdale Ravine. In the future, the site will benefit from the Scarborough Subway Extension on Danforth Line 2, with the new Scarborough Centre station and Bus Terminal to the north. Additionally, the Durham-Scarborough Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line along Ellesmere Road will offer faster regional travel to the east.
The surrounding area is experiencing significant high-rise development activity. Northeast of the site, multi-tower applications at 710, 675, and 670 Progress Avenue propose their tallest towers at 46, 49, and 54 storeys, respectively. Southeast, 1710 Ellesmere Road calls for five towers spanning 29 to 55 storeys, while 1774 Ellesmere Road is planned as two towers of 34 and 42 storeys. Westward, proposals include 158 Borough (27 and 42 storeys) and 100 Borough (five towers, 26 to 50 storeys). Most significantly, the Scarborough Town Centre Redevelopment entails a master-planned community with 32 buildings, including seven towers from 50 and 65 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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