DEVELOPMENT PLANNING
March 27, 2026 1.3K
New developer revises Sheppard West mid-rise plan for rental housing
A revised proposal has been submitted to the City of Toronto for 270 Sheppard Avenue West, where a Minor Variance application seeks to advance a mid-rise project on the northeast corner of Sheppard and Addington Avenues. The application, now led by ELM Developments and designed by Studio JCI, replaces a previous 9-storey condominium project approved by the Ontario Land Tribunal with a 10-storey purpose-built rental building.
Looking northeast at 270 Sheppard West, designed by Studio JCI for ELM Developments
The site extends from 258 to 270 Sheppard Avenue West and 1 to 5 Addington Avenue. The development is currently being developed with low-rise commercial and mixed-use buildings. The surrounding Lansing neighborhood is characterized by a mix of established low-rise residential areas to the north and east, with mid-rise and taller buildings increasingly lining the Sheppard Corridor.
Looking northeast at the current location, image from Google Maps
Planning for the site dates back to a 2017 Official Plan and Zoning By-Law Amendment application and culminated in a settlement approved by the Ontario Land Tribunal in 2019, which approved a 9-storey mixed-use condominium with site-specific zoning requirements. A development plan application followed later that year with a preliminary notice of approval conditions issued in November 2023 as the project progressed towards implementation. Changing market conditions ultimately brought the condominium model to a halt, and the ownership group entered receivership in June 2025. Following a court-approved sale that closed in early 2026, the new owner revised the proposal through a minor variance request and site plan resubmission.
Looking northeast at the previous plan designed by Kirkor Architects Planners for Addington Developments & Mutual Development Corporation
The revised design maintains a mid-rise form, but while the previous OLT-approved proposal was limited to 9 storeys at approximately 30m, the updated design increases the height slightly to 10 storeys and 36.6m and refines the massing in line with the City’s 2024 Mid-Rise Building Design Guidelines. At the rear, the layout introduces a deeper setback of 12.5m, exceeding the previously approved setback of 7.5m replaced.
Looking northwest at 270 Sheppard West, designed by Studio JCI for ELM Developments
A total of 206 dedicated rental units are proposed, replacing the previously approved 179 condominium units and reflecting a shift in rental relationships driven by market conditions. The unit mix would include 59 one-bedroom units, 133 two-bedroom units and 14 three-bedroom units. The proposal results in a total gross floor area of ​​16,513 m², including 13,943 m² of residential space and 652 m² of high-quality retail space, resulting in an area index of 4.57 times coverage of the 4,499 m² total area, up from 3.83 times.
Site plan designed by Studio JCI for ELM Developments
There would be 522 m² of indoor space, spread over the ground floor and roof terrace, and 302 m² of outdoor space. This replaces the previously approved 440m² of indoor and 344m² of outdoor space. Vertical circulation would be provided by three elevators, which corresponds to approximately one elevator for every 69 units, suggesting good response times.
Ground floor floor plan designed by Studio JCI for ELM Developments
On two underground levels accessed from Addington Avenue, 199 vehicle parking spaces are planned, a slight increase from the previously approved 196 spaces, with 166 spaces reserved for residents, while 14 ground-level spaces are for shared use by residential visitors and retail, as well as 10 retail spaces. In total, bicycle parking includes 82 parking spaces, of which 71 are permanent and 11 are short-term parking spaces.
From the site, Sheppard Station on the Yonge Line is 0.7 miles (1.1 km) to the east. Sheppard West train station is 1.9 miles (3.1 km) to the west. Both are accessible by the TTC bus, which stops in front of the site.
Ground floor floor plan designed by Studio JCI for ELM Developments
Development activity along Sheppard Avenue West reflects a corridor in transition. To the east, additional mid-rise intensification is planned with proposals for 202 Sheppard West (7 storeys) and 245 Sheppard West (11 storeys), as well as a 12-storey building at 234 Sheppard West. To the west, applications include a 6-story building at 290 Sheppard West, a 9-story project at 307 Sheppard West, a 14-story project at 283 Sheppard Avenue West and a 27-story tower at 325 Bogart Avenue.
UrbanToronto will continue to monitor the progress of this development, but in the meantime you can learn more in our database file linked below. If you’d like, you can join the discussion in the associated Project Forum thread or leave a comment in the designated area on this page.
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