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Few things unite Torontonians quite like the frustration and anticipation of the Eglinton Line 5 Crosstown LRT, currently lacking an opening date. In Etobicoke meanwhile, the westerly extension to the line is under construction, and land along the corridor within 800 metres of the stations is now covered under the Province's new Major Transit Station Areas (MTSA) rules, which calls for higher densities than previously. A plan for three new buildings at 250 Wincott Drive and 4620 Eglinton Avenue West, known as Richview Square, is therefore now subject to an application that greatly increases the density compared to previous submissions.
The proposal from developers Trinity Development Group Inc is for two abutting parcels with a total area of about 30,432m² at the northwest corner of Eglinton Avenue and Wincott Drive, between Kipling and Islington Avenue. There is a two-storey commercial plaza at 250 Wincott Drive, whereas 4620 Eglinton Avenue West is vacant, having been reserved for years for the 'Richview Expressway' which was never built. The proposal partially retains the plaza and renovates it for inclusion with the new buildings.
Previous submissions had the buildings at heights varying from 9 to 22 storeys, which ended up being approved in 2022 at 11, 13, and 13 storeys, and with a total of 640 housing units.
Now, the new proposal calls for buildings of 13, 22, and 31 storeys, standing at 49.0m, 76.6m, and 104.75m. In total, there would be 1,030 residential units, with 99 affordable housing units that would benefit from close proximity to the new rapid transit line. Most of the existing commercial plaza remains as per the previous submission.
The proposed design by B+H Architects includes a two-storey base for the building on the west side, 20 storeys above, with 223 residential units in total. The building in the centre with a one-storey base, 11-storey middle element, and 19-storey tower, and have 428 units. The east building would have a one-storey base and provide 370 residential units. The project is planned in two phases, starting with some demolition of retail on the east side of the site to allow for construction of the east building.
Just as in the previous proposal, the buildings would be accessed via four driveways and a shared one from Eglinton Avenue West, leading to two levels of underground parking. The garages are set to have 808 vehicle parking spots, of which 53 would be for visitors, 188 for commercial, and six for community agency use. The proposal includes 706 long-term bicycle parking spaces and 88 for short-term use.
The design calls for a network of streets, walkways, and spaces that includes a 1,700m² public park between the centre and east buildings, fronting Eglinton Avenue West. Just north of the park would be a 659m² POPS (Privately-Owned Publicly accessible Space).
The site is currently served by bus routes that connect to Eglinton West, Kipling, and Islington stations. Eglinton Line 5 may open to Mount Dennis station this Fall, while the westerly extension to Renforth is currently targeting a 2031 opening. Richview Square is situated 350m and 500m from the future Kipling and Islington stations on the extension, respectively. There are also intentions to extend the line beyond Renforth to Pearson Airport in the future.
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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