1.1K 
Located at the northwest corner of Dufferin Street and Melbourne Avenue in Toronto's Parkdale neighbourhood, Radiator has undergone significant revisions since its initial submission in 2022. Designed by Sweeny &Co Architects, this partnership between Hullmark and BGO proposes a trio of buildings, from 9 to 29 storeys, with residential, retail, and public spaces. UrbanToronto recently spoke with Graham Frank, Manager of Development at Hullmark, about the resubmission.
Frank detailed the extensive efforts to address feedback from City staff and members of the community. Greater separation from the neighbourhoods was a key change made to respond to community feedback. Among the key updates are increased building heights, expanded publicly accessible spaces, and greater preservation of the site’s historic features, which include the former Dominion Radiator Company’s industrial structures. “We’ve made a planning argument about why this is where density is supposed to go,” Frank explains. “This site offers an overlap of urban infrastructure and transit opportunities that cities should focus on.”
The proposal’s residential Gross Floor Area has grown to 46,944m², with 768 condominium units. Commercial space spans 1,710m², alongside 495m² of flex space that could accommodate a variety of uses for future adaptation to community needs. Parking provisions have shifted to favour active transportation, with 868 bicycle spaces and 211 vehicle spaces. “We’ve focused on making the site open and accessible,” Frank notes.
Significant portions of the former Dominion Radiator Company’s industrial buildings are to be retained and reconstructed, overseen by ERA Architects. This includes historic facades, particularly along Dufferin Street, while the core oven building will remain a key feature onsite.
The development now features three buildings at 9, 26, and 29 storeys, compared to the earlier plan’s 11, 21, and 25 storeys. While the overall GFA has increased by about 5,000m², the revised massing redistributes this space into two taller towers, creating a more compact and efficient layout. This design shift opens up additional space for public areas and reduces shadow impacts on nearby streets, addressing concerns raised by the City and community. “This is where density should go,” emphasizes Frank, pointing to the project’s proximity to transit.
Spanning an L-shaped site of approximately 7,371m², the development is located near the Dufferin bus routes, Queen and King streetcars, and the future King-Liberty GO station. The towers feature slimmer, shallower floor plates that allow more light into units, and frame an open courtyard and publicly accessible pathways.
That space has grown by 30% compared to the original design. The reimagined layout provides wider separation between buildings, enhances setbacks, and larger pathways and open areas. “A big focus was making more of the site open to the public and increasing the publicly accessible space,” Frank notes, highlighting the improved pedestrian access and a more inviting ground plane.
Designed as a publicly accessible gathering space, the courtyard is envisioned to feature cafes, flexible seating, and greenery. He explained, “We envision this as a place where residents can step out of their home and sit at a cafe,” indicating concerns that Torontonians have with diminishing third spaces in the city.
Public benefits extend beyond the courtyard, with discussions underway about contributing to local initiatives, such as potentially the nearby Parkdale Hub. These changes come after Hullmark’s extensive collaboration with City staff and efforts to address community concerns throughout the design process.
Frank also highlighted sustainability and construction efficiency as key parts of the proposal. “There was a lot of focus for this redesign on making the buildings repeatable and minimizing inefficient steps and jogging,” he notes. Hullmark is also exploring opportunities for geothermal energy, building on its previous experience with geothermal systems.
“We’re really proud of Radiator,” concludes Frank, “and it’s not just for future residents. We hope it will be a place current residents enjoy as well."
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.
* * *
UrbanToronto has a research service, UTPro, that provides comprehensive data on development projects in the Greater Golden Horseshoe — from proposal through to completion. We also offer Instant Reports, downloadable snapshots based on location, and a daily subscription newsletter, New Development Insider, that tracks projects from initial application.
