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Skale Developments is proposing a high-rise at the south end of Toronto's North York Centre area at 4696 Yonge Street. Positioned on the southwest corner of Yonge Street and Johnston Avenue, this 40-storey mixed-use building designed by Turner Fleischer Architects would combine 536 residential units with ground-floor retail spaces, a mere three-minute walk from the Poyntz Avenue entrance of Sheppard-Yonge station.
Currently occupied by an Esso gas station and a Circle K convenience store, the neighbouring North York Centre area to the north is a mix of uses including retail shops, restaurants, residential buildings, and places of worship, with the larger buildings mostly on or close to Yonge Street or Sheppard Avenue. The neighbouring side-streets, however, are most mostly lined by single-detached homes.
The Official Plan and Zoning By-law amendments, as well as Site Plan Control applications, call for a 40-storey structure standing 125.8m, comprising a mix of residential and retail. It would house a total of 536 residential units, with a design incorporating an 8-storey podium, intended to provide a gradual transition in scale from Yonge Street to the quieter, low-rise neighbourhood to the west. This podium is also meant to enhance the pedestrian experience with retail spaces that extend along Yonge Street and around the corners of Florence and Johnston avenues.
The total Gross Floor Area of the proposed development is approximately 36,030m², with 719m² dedicated to ground-floor retail spaces. In addition, the development plans include 1,213m² of indoor and 836m² of outdoor amenity areas. This configuration results in a Floor Space Index of 14.09 across the approximate 2,800m² site. Of concern, the building is planned with only three elevators, for a ratio of one elevator for approximately every 179 units, portending significant wait times for residents in the high-rise.
Beneath the structure, a three-level underground garage is proposed, offering 178 parking spaces, which include 172 spaces for residents and 6 for visitors. Of these, 175 spots would be equipped with electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Additionally, the development would accommodate 385 bicycle parking spaces, with 349 allocated for long-term use and 36 for short-term needs.
The site is located just 200m from the Sheppard-Yonge interchange station on Yonge Line 1 and Sheppard Line 4 subways. Additionally, several TTC bus services serve the station. The area's transit infrastructure is set for further enhancement with the ongoing Yonge North Subway Extension, which will extend Line 1 northward to Richmond Hill, anticipated to be completed around 2030.
For cyclists, the City of Toronto's 2016 Ten Year Cycling Network Implementation Plan includes several routes near the site, while the resurfacing and reconstruction of Sheppard Avenue East is introducing raised cycle tracks.
To the north of the site, 3-storey proposals at 19 and 35 Poyntz Avenue, and 9 storeys at 23 Poyntz Avenue, would add subtle density to the area. Several mid-rise developments are found along Sheppard Avenue, including proposals for Nahid on Sheppard and 120 Sheppard West, both at seven storeys. In contrast, high-rise developments closer to Sheppard-Yonge station include the Yonge Sheppard Centre, which recently expanded to include a 35-storey residential tower: Pivot was completed in 2020 standing 36 storeys. Emerald Park Condos to the north stand at 30 and 41 storeys. Further to the north, 4800 Yonge Street is under construction on its way to 49 storeys — also featuring designs by Turner Fleischer Architects, a collaboration with Arquitectonica, while to the east of the site, 48 Avondale Avenue calls for three towers at 26, 38, and 45 storeys.
UrbanToronto will continue to follow progress on this development, but in the meantime, you can learn more about it from our Database files, 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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| Related Companies: | Gradient Wind Engineers & Scientists, Skale Developments, Turner Fleischer Architects |
