DEVELOPMENT PLANNING
June 9, 2026 287
TCHC moves redevelopment of Swansea Mews into site plan approval
The Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) has advanced the redevelopment of Swansea Mews to the planning approval stage and submitted detailed plans for the replacement of the gated low-rise community. The proposal, designed by KPMB Architects, will transform the 2.12-hectare site in Toronto’s Swansea neighborhood with two much denser, purpose-built rental buildings measuring 20 and 35 storeys. This follows the council’s approval of the project’s planning applications earlier this year.
Looking west at the Swansea Mews Redevelopment in Toronto, designed by KPMB Architects for the Toronto Community Housing Corporation
The proposal is for a property at 21 Windermere Avenue and 1-154 Swansea Mews, located on the north-east corner of The Queensway and Windermere Avenue. The site is currently home to the vacant Swansea Mews complex, a collection of nine four-storey stacked townhouse buildings. The surrounding area includes mid-century residential towers to the west, low-rise residential neighborhoods to the north and east, and a growing concentration of taller residential buildings along the Queensway corridor.
Looking northeast at the current location from Queensway and Windermere Avenue, image from Google Maps
Swansea Mews served as an income housing development for decades before it was suddenly evacuated in 2022 following a ceiling collapse. Subsequent engineering investigations revealed that the aging buildings were structurally unsafe, prompting TCHC to relocate all 154 households and close the complex. Redevelopment plans were submitted in 2025 and approved by the city council in March 2026. Now, Bousfields has submitted the application for site plan approval to the City of Toronto on behalf of TCHC.
Looking southwest at plans for the 2025 Swansea Mews Redevelopment, designed by KPMB Architects for the Toronto Community Housing Corporation
The approved site layout remains largely unchanged from the rezoning application. A 35-story tower measuring 118.92 m tall will anchor the southwest portion of the property at Queensway and Windermere Avenue, while a 20-story tower measuring 72.05 m tall will be integrated into a larger inverted U-shaped building occupying the northern portion of the property.
Site plan designed by KPMB Architects for Toronto Community Housing Corporation
The north building will include 5- and 8-story mid-rise wings framing a central courtyard, while the south building will house the project’s ground-level retail and community uses. Together, the buildings will provide a gross floor area of ​​73,519 m², including 72,089 m² of residential space, 805 m² of retail space and 625 m² of communal space, resulting in an area index of 3.46 times coverage of the 21,221 m² site. Since the rezoning application, the retail space has increased by approximately 258 m², while the common areas have been reduced. Retail use is currently planned for the south building with a grocery store.
South-north facing building designed by KPMB Architects for the Toronto Community Housing Corporation
For both buildings, the proposal has been refined to 639 rental apartments, a slight decrease from the 649 units proposed as part of the 2025 rezoning process. Of those, 154 units would replace the site’s former public housing, while the remaining units would operate as market-rate rental housing owned by TCHC. The unit mix consists of 197 one-bedroom units, 203 two-bedroom units and 239 three-bedroom units and above. The south building would contain 308 units while the north building would contain 331 units. The south building is served by five elevators, the north building by six. This corresponds to one elevator for every 62 residential units in the south building and one for every 55 residential units in the north building, which means short waiting times.
Northwest-south facing building designed by KPMB Architects for the Toronto Community Housing Corporation
A network of landscaped open spaces is planned throughout the redevelopment, including a publicly accessible open space at the south-east corner of the property and a number of outdoor areas for residents. The U-shaped configuration of the north building would create a large central courtyard. Around 4,879 m² of outdoor space and 666 m² of indoor space are planned.
Looking south at the Swansea Mews Redevelopment in Toronto, designed by KPMB Architects for the Toronto Community Housing Corporation
Vehicle parking would be located in an enclosed, ground-level parking facility in the north building. A total of 169 parking spaces are planned, including 135 spaces for residents and 34 spaces for visitors and non-residential users, which corresponds to an increase of 48 spaces for residents compared to the rezoning application. Bicycle parking would include 582 long-term and 128 short-term spaces.
Ground floor plan designed by KPMB Architects for Toronto Community Housing Corporation
Stops for the 501 Queen (and rush hour 508 Lake Shore) trams are at The Queensway Windermere junction, while the 77 Swansea bus provides services north to Runnymede station on the Bloor Line. The 80 Queensway bus also connects the area with Keele Station and Sherway Gardens. Looking forward, the proposed Waterfront West LRT would expand parent transit service along the waterfront corridor, while the proposed Park Lawn GO station, approximately 1.1 miles (1.8 km) west of the site, would provide regional rail connectivity. For cyclists, there are dedicated bike paths on the Queensway that connect to the Humber Trail, High Park’s trail network, and the Martin Goodman Trail along the waterfront, providing connections across Toronto’s West End and lakefront.
An aerial view of the site and surrounding area, image from submission to the City of Toronto
In addition to low-rise development, there is also some high-rise activity in the area. To the west of the site, 34 Southport is under construction with towers of 26 and 32 storeys. To the southwest, 2002 Lake Shore Boulevard West envisions two mixed-use high-rises of 20 and 36 stories, respectively.
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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