Toronto's Committee of Adjustment has approved a minor variance request for a residential tower project by Broccolini just east of Regent Park. The permit, called RIV, increases the proposed building from 34 to 37 storeys. The permit is subject to conditions in the form of community benefits that the developers will provide in exchange for increasing the amount of saleable or rentable space they can build.
View to the northeast towards the RIV, designed by Arcadis for Broccolini
Located on the northeast corner of River Street and Labatt Avenue, the site covers approximately 1,556 sq. ft. Comprising 83 to 97 River Street and 2 and 4 Labatt Avenue, the site is home to low-rise residential units and Broccolini's Presentation Gallery. This mixed industrial-residential area is being revitalized, including taller mixed-use buildings. The broader Regent Park Social Development Plan is a 69-acre initiative focused on a mix of income-based rental units, affordable rentals and market-rate condominiums.
View to the northeast to the current location, image retrieved from Google Maps
Applications to amend the official plan and zoning regulations for a 38-storey residential tower designed by Arcadis were first submitted in May 2017. A site plan approval application followed in May 2020, followed by resubmissions that resulted in a proposal for a 34-storey building in January 2023. That minor variance application, submitted in April 2024, was approved this month contingent on a cash contribution.
Previous design by Arcadis for Broccolini
Broccolini is required to make a financial contribution of $315,300 to the city, which will be used in District 13 for things such as affordable housing, local park improvements and/or public area improvements. Should the RIV mechanical penthouse be converted to residential use, an additional $66,450 would be required under similar conditions. If the city does not use the contributions for their intended purposes within three years, they can be redirected at the discretion of the chief planner, provided they continue to benefit the local community.
This approval increases the height of the design from 113m to 127.81m, increasing the total number of proposed units from 388 to 427, including 7 rental replacement units. The gross floor area (GFA) for residential use would be 25,802sqm, with 300sqm of ground-level retail on River Street as part of the 5-storey podium, giving a Floor Space Index (FSI) of 15.79. The design also includes a POPS (Privately-Owned Publicly-accessible Space) of 126sqm along Labatt Avenue.
Site plan designed by Arcadis for Broccolini
Amenities include 12,000 square feet of interior and 6,000 square feet of exterior, primarily located on the second and sixth floors. Three residential elevators are planned, and a fourth will run from the garage level to the ground floor, providing approximately one elevator for every 142 residential units. This means significantly longer wait times for residents than desired.
Ground floor plan designed by Arcadis for Broccolini
The parking facilities include 98 resident parking spaces, six visitor parking spaces and two car-sharing parking spaces on five underground parking levels. With the approval, the number of planned bicycles increases from 390 to 429, including 385 long-term and 44 short-term parking spaces.
Podium designed by Arcadis for Broccolini
The site is accessible by several streetcar lines within a five-minute walk, including Dundas and Queen Street East. The upcoming Ontario Line 3 will include the future Corktown station, which is an 18-minute walk away. For cyclists, there are bike lanes that connect to the Lower Don Trail multi-use path.
An aerial map of the site and surrounding area, image from the submission to the City of Toronto
Originally launched as a condo, Broccolini is reportedly considering converting The RIV's suites to rental apartments. The area includes a combination of rental and condo projects that are in various phases. To the north, 111 River Street is planned at 34 stories, while to the south, 7 Labatt Avenue envisions 38 stories. Closer to Queen Street, the 16-story The Queen and the 18-story 28 River Street are planned. East of the Don River, 33 Davies Avenue is planned at 15 stories, while further north, Oak Heights is planned at 32 stories. The revitalization of Regent Park is underway and the 15-story 16 North block is just opening, while the remaining phases 4 and 5 will have 23 towers proposed, the three tallest of which will be between 35 and 39 stories.
UrbanToronto will continue to monitor the progress of this development, but in the meantime you can learn more about it in our database file linked below. If you'd like, you can join the conversation in the associated project forum thread or leave a comment in the space provided on this page.
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Arcadis, Bousfields, Broccolini, EQ Building Performance Inc., Gradient Wind Engineers & Scientists, HGC Engineering Inc, Jablonsky, Ast and Partners, MCW Consultants Ltd, New Releases in Condo Construction, Patton Design Studio, Platinum Condo Deals, STUDIO tla |