Returning with another instalment of our weekly series, the UTPro Instant Report, we are crossing off another community from our list as we canvas the GTA investigating where urban development is progressing fastest. Powered by data from UTPro, today’s report zooms in on MLS Zone E01, encompassing a pair of Toronto’s east end communities, Riverdale, and Leslieville. 

Zone E01 is bound roughly by the Don Valley Parkway to the West, Danforth Avenue to the north, Coxwell Avenue to the East, and the Port Lands to the South. The urban area enjoys an extensive network of TTC services, and while the majority of it is zoned for Neighbourhood uses, a number of key mixed-use corridors like Queen Street East, Gerrard Street East, and Danforth Avenue represent a wealth of possibility for development. With increasingly dense redevelopment quickly transforming areas close to Downtown, E01 has big things coming.

Map view of MLS Zone E01, with 78 total projects identified, image from UTPro Instant Report

Our MLS Zone Report identified a total of 78 Projects in E01. Of that total, 20 were listed as recently completed, with 9 currently under construction. The remaining 49 projects have been classified as pre-construction, demonstrating the depth of the pipeline in this zone, and the extent of the changes it can expect to see in the coming years.

Taking a look at the current state of development in E01, one of the most recently completed projects in the zone is Lofthouse on Logan. The 6-storey mostly-residential building is yet another example of the type of mid-rise development that has been proliferating in the east end for the last decade. With rising land values, the demand for greater density on such sites is now here, but projects of this smaller scale have been successful so far due to an easier time getting going approval. 

Looking northeast at 6-storey Lofthouse on Logan development, completed in 2022, image by UT Forum contributor AlbertC

Under construction currently is a project that is on the cusp of delivering a true mixed-use development to the area. Dubbed Riverside Square, the multi-phase project comprises extensive retail, other commercial uses, public space, and a total of 913 new residential units. With the highly connected location of the site, the completed phases of the project are already bringing a boost in local foot traffic to the wider community while making their own contributions to the streetscape, while more is on the way. 

The large mixed-use development Riverside Square is in the late stages of construction, image by UT Forum contributor jackattack

Finally, in the pre-construction stage, 685 Lake Shore East is a sign of things to come for the southern portion of E01. The proposal could become the first new residential development to populate the Port Lands, with a pair of 35-storey towers and a unit count of 760. On the very northern edge of the Port Lands, this scale is far less likely to be approved in most cases further to the north amongst the established low-rise neighbourhoods of the area, other than for around stations on the coming Ontario Line 3, where zoning restrictions are relaxed.

Proposed design for 2-tower 685 Lake Shore East development, image from submission to City of Toronto

Zooming out to look at the set of projects as a whole, our MLS Zone Report shows us that, based on the height averages, E01’s propensity for mid-rise development along its Avenues is one of the defining characteristics of the zone. Across all 78 projects, the average height is listed at 39.6m, the equivalent of roughly 12 storeys.

Average building height and other heights stats for Zone E01, image from UTPro Instant Report

Based on our Report, we can see that E01 has all the right characteristics for continued development, and the industry has taken notice. Being close to Downtown, with a robust network of existing transit infrastructure and more coming, the area has become a focal point for intensification; the big question here will be how the Port Lands develops in the coming years, along with the East Harbour development that will bridge the existing neighbourhoods with greater density in the huge swath of land soon to become buildable to the south. 

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As UrbanToronto continues to refine its role in the GTA development industry, our data services have evolved to become one of our defining elements and we want to share those capabilities with our community. The UrbanToronto Pro Instant Reports is just one of the ways our data can be applied to provide quick and convenient insights on the development trends of any area in the GTA, with filters for Wards MLS Zones, and Custom Areas. 

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