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Steps toward further residential intensification in the South of Eastern Employment Area in Toronto’s East End continue with a new development application at 20 Leslie Street<\/a>. Designed by Turner Fleischer Architects<\/a> for Lifetime Developments<\/a>, the proposal outlines a pair of mixed-use residential towers rising to 25 and 35 storeys. The project would replace the current low-rise commercial building at the southwest corner of Leslie and Mosley streets, north of Lake Shore Boulevard East.<\/p>\n Goodmans LLP<\/a> has submitted an Official Plan Amendment application to the City of Toronto on behalf of the developer, with Zoning By-law and Site Plan Amendment applications to follow. The proposed development features two residential towers rising to 25 (84.05m) and 35 (114m) storeys, joined by a shared six-storey podium.\u00a0<\/p>\n To enable the redevelopment, the Official Plan Amendment is needed to redesignate the site from General Employment Areas to Mixed Use Areas. As neighbouring lands at 731 Eastern Avenue were approved for conversion by the Ontario Land Tribunal in 2024, 20 Leslie now forms an isolated pocket of employment designation. The applicant argues that the site’s existing non-industrial uses and surrounding context support its removal from the Employment Areas mapping. While the City is still invested in preserving designated Employment Lands, growing pressure to find land for more housing citywide is triggering a number of OPA amendment applications in areas such as the Golden Mile and Port Lands, and including mixed-use redevelopment northeast of this site.<\/p>\n One block south of Eastern Avenue in Leslieville, 20 Leslie Street is currently occupied by a two- to three-storey commercial and office building and surface parking, while the site is surrounded by a mix of commercial, industrial, and creative uses. The site\u2019s current zoning permits a range of commercial and office uses not tied to traditional employment functions like manufacturing or warehousing.<\/p>\n The project includes 643 condominium units, including 481 one-bedrooms. A total of seven elevators are proposed across both towers, resulting in a ratio of approximately one elevator per 92 units, indicating reasonable service levels. Amenities would be located on the first, second, and seventh floors, including a rooftop terrace above the podium, with 965m\u00b2 indoors and 647m\u00b2 outdoors.<\/p>\n The proposal outlines a total Gross Floor Area of 49,540m\u00b2, maing for a Floor Space Index of 12.66 times coverage of the \u00a03,913m\u00b2 site. Of this, 48,220m\u00b2 is allocated to residential use, while 1,320m\u00b2 is reserved for non-residential space, including three retail units fronting Mosley Street.\u00a0<\/p>\n A one-level underground garage would house 61 spaces for residents, nine for visitors, and three for retail. Bicycle parking is proposed to include 579 long-term and 65 short-term spots.<\/p>\n The site is currently served by surface transit routes including the 501 Queen streetcar, accessible within a 3-minute walk. It is located approximately 1.3km from the under-construction Riverside-Leslieville station<\/a> on Ontario Line 3<\/a> and East Harbour Transit Hub<\/a>. Planned transit improvements include the Waterfront East LRT in the distant future, which may eventually terminate at Queen and Leslie, within 500m of the site. The area is also connected to the Martin Goodman Trail and Eastern Avenue bike lanes, with future upgrades planned through the City\u2019s Cycling Network Plan and Port Lands redevelopment.<\/p>\n The proposal joins nearby commercial and mixed-use activity. To the south, a stale proposal for the 12-storey Toronto GM Mobility Campus<\/a> is planned as an employment hub. Further west, StudioCentre<\/a> is envisioned as a mixed-use employment complex, alongside a 6-storey office and retail building at 65 Heward<\/a>. Further northwest, 1134 Queen East<\/a> is proposed as a 7-storey mixed-use building. A cluster of mixed-use residential projects is also emerging to the northeast, including the under-construction 10-storey 1233 Queen East<\/a>, and proposals at Post Lofts<\/a> (6 storeys), 50 Laing<\/a> (7 storeys), 880 Eastern<\/a> (12 storeys), and 26 Laing Street<\/a> (14 storeys).<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n * * *<\/p>\n UrbanToronto has a research service,\u00a0UTPro<\/a>, that provides comprehensive data on development projects in the Greater Golden Horseshoe \u2014 from proposal through to completion. We also offer\u00a0Instant Reports<\/a>, downloadable snapshots based on location, and a daily subscription newsletter,\u00a0New Development Insider<\/a>, that tracks projects from initial application.<\/p>\n <\/imgx><\/imgx><\/imgx><\/imgx><\/imgx><\/imgx><\/div>\n