More info:
UPRC St Luke's Media Release - FINAL-June 24 2021
St. Luke’s United Church Redevelopment Underway
TORONTO ( JUNE 24, 2021) — United Property Resource Corporation (UPRC) is planning a mixed-use redevelopment for St. Luke’s United Church in downtown Toronto. The proposed redevelopment of the historic site preserves and revitalizes the 1887 heritage sanctuary and includes a new mid-rise addition that would feature mixed income and affordable rental housing, as well as dynamic community and cultural spaces. The site is located in Ward 13 (Toronto-Centre) at the southeast corner of Sherbourne and Carlton Streets directly across from Allan Gardens.
UPRC is a community-building developer working coast to coast to build inclusive and sustainable communities across Canada.
“Our approach is to explore options for mixed income and affordable rental housing. We do this while considering heritage as well as understanding and appreciating the needs of the community," said Tim Blair, CEO, UPRC. "We are committed to this process as a community-building developer. We believe that vibrant neighbourhoods are vital for all Canadians and that we can play a role in building these in Toronto and across the country."
About St. Luke’s
St. Luke’s has been at the heart of the Cabbagetown/Allan Gardens community for generations, open to serving the needs of all citizens and groups living in the area. This development looks to restore the original 1887 footprint of the Church starting with restoring St. Luke’s Square as a welcoming threshold to the new and enhanced community spaces at the first two levels.
The existing sanctuary and cultural spaces are to be restored and made flexible while additional community spaces able to support the diverse needs of the broader community will be added.
To date, consultations have taken place with over 70 community and special interest groups and more will continue as the project progresses.
The new 10 storey residential component will provide 100 units (163 bedrooms) with 70% market rental as well as 30% affordable rental housing, aligned with Toronto’s housing standards to accommodate more families. The massing defers to the Church, its towers, and Allan Gardens as it steps up and wraps the site to the south and west to express the towers and avoid adding shadows on Allan Gardens. The residential entrance and lobby are on Carlton Street entering directly into the restored heritage building. Multiple terraces have views back to the Church and across Sherbourne Street to Allan Gardens.
The project, which is being led by KPMB Architects, will be designed as a high-performance building anticipating the sustainability needs of the coming decades. It will utilize PassiveHouse levels of performance to target zero on-site carbon emissions leading to a healthier, more comfortable building for its users and the surrounding community.
“How wonderful to repurpose a significant heritage building and make way for a diversity of uses on the site to address the critical needs of our time; inclusivity, adaptability and sustainability,” commented Marianne McKenna, Founding Partner KPMB Architects.
About UPRC
United Property Resource Corporation (UPRC) is a community-building developer that works to create mixed income and affordable rental housing across Canada. UPRC’s affordable housing approach is designed to increase opportunities for individuals, including Indigenous Peoples, Black People, People of Colour, Seniors, Women, and members of the LGBTQ2S+ community to access safe, healthy, and adequate homes. UPRC and its partners are working to create socially, environmentally, and financially sustainable communities through development projects that will promote the common good for the next 100 years. For updates on UPRC’s projects please visit
www.uprc.ca.
42
www.blogto.com
