37-storey tower duo pitched for The Queensway and Kipling Avenue

A large commercial lot near a major Etobicoke intersection could be the future site of a high-rise residential complex.

Last week, a rezoning application was submitted to city planners to develop a set of mixed-use towers containing 1,210 residential units at 1325 The Queensway. Each rising 37 storeys, the two structures would be built on top of a six-storey podium base and supported by an 11-storey mid-rise portion, which would house an internal courtyard, daycare facilities and retail space.

The square, 0.86-hectare site is located on the southwest corner of Kipling Avenue and The Queensway, fronting onto The Queensway. A two-storey Hakim Optical store and a single-storey auto repair shop currently occupy the lot, with surface parking interspersed throughout.

Spanning over 900,000 square feet of total gross floor area, the property would be broken up into two phases, according to the architectural drawings, the first of which would focus on the eastern tower.

“The towers were situated at the rear of the site to provide The Queensway with an appropriately scaled mid-rise building that reflects an evolving urban corridor while also fostering a comfortable pedestrian experience,” explains the planning rationale, prepared by Bousfields Inc.

On the exterior of the mid-rise portion, balconies and vertical projecting elements would be included to break up the facade. Fronting The Queensway, the ground floor would contain 7,567 square feet of retail space in the northwest corner of the building, alongside 2,949 square feet of resident amenity space. A 7,190-square-foot private daycare centre would be situated in the northeast corner.

A separate, publicly-owned daycare facility covering 5,672 square feet would also be included. Together, both daycares would provide 134 childcare spaces and each would feature an attached outdoor play space, totaling 4,628 square feet.

A 10,408-square-foot central courtyard would occupy the second floor, a third of which would be reserved as an outdoor amenity area. Landscaping, seating and canopies would be implemented, with private terraces and balconies from the podium and mid-rise buildings overlooking the courtyard.

At the rear of the site, towers one and two rest atop a six-storey podium, which would provide indoor amenity space and garbage collection rooms. On the seventh floor, a large outdoor amenity area encompassing 9,213 square feet would connect the two vertical structures.

Residential units would be dispersed from the second to the 37th floors throughout the tower, podium and mid-rise building. The collection of 1,210 suites would provide 28 studios, 803 one-bedroom, 256 two-bedroom and 123 three-bedroom units. A five-storey underground parking garage would offer 1,064 vehicle spaces, alongside 903 bicycle spots, 85 of which would be located on the ground floor.