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Density Group Limited has submitted an application to the City of Toronto to redevelop 4949 Bathurst Street, at the northeast corner with Finch Avenue West in North York. The proposal calls for 39 storeys, making it the tallest in the area by a fair margin. Designed by RAW, the mixed-use development includes plans for retail and daycare facilities. The site is serviced by buses south to Bathurst station, to Finch station to the east, and Finch West station to the west, with the latter to soon be served by the upcoming Finch West Line 6 LRT.
The site spans approximately 3,750m², presently occupied by a two-storey commercial building that hosts a variety of uses including retail shops, medical offices, and a bakery, with surface parking. The surroundings are characterized by a mix of low to high-rise residential buildings, alongside commercial and institutional structures.
The Zoning By-law Amendment application calls for demolishing the existing uses for a tower reaching a height of 137.95m. It would include residential units along with mixed commercial uses, including retail and daycare facilities, across the lower two floors. The total Gross Floor Area (GFA) would be 38,135m², with a Floor Space Index (FSI) of 10.17. The breakdown of GFA includes 2,310m² for commercial purposes, 553m² dedicated to the daycare facility, and the majority, 35,272m², assigned to residential use.
The tower would be structured around a 6-storey "C"-shaped podium that aligns with the street edges. The ground floor would accommodate retail spaces and entry points for residential and office/daycare uses. The second floor is planned to house additional office spaces and the daycare centre, coupled with both indoor and outdoor amenity spaces. The plans entail 982m² of indoor and 1,135m² of outdoor amenities, distributed across the second and seventh floors.
Two levels of underground garage would provide 94 parking spaces for residents, and 84 for visitors which would also serve the commercial components. Provisions for bicycle parking include 338 long-term and 47 short-term spaces. The tower’s 491 residential units would be served by four elevators, for a ratio of approximately one elevator for every 123 units, indicating longer than preferable wait times for residents.
For cyclists, the nearby Finch West Trail is located 500m north via Ancona Street, providing east-west connections and links to other cycling routes.
There are other projects and proposals in the area. Kitty-corner across Finch and Bathurst to the southwest, a 29-storey building is proposed at 4926 Bathurst Street. To the east, the stretch along Finch Avenue West is populated with multiple 4-storey mostly townhome proposals, while more height and density is found closer to Finch station, including the 25- and 35-storey 5576 Yonge Street. To the west is a 12-storey proposal at 591 Finch Avenue West. Further north along Bathurst Street, between Finch and Steeles avenues, the trend towards higher densities is seen in several proposals: a 16-storey building at 5950 Bathurst Street, a 29-storey tower at 25 Cedarcroft Boulevard, and a multi-tower complex at 155 Antibes Drive, featuring buildings of 8, 32, and 36 storeys.
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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| Related Companies: | Gradient Wind Engineers & Scientists, Jablonsky, Ast and Partners, LEA Consulting, MHBC Planning, Quasar Consulting Group, RAW Design |
