A group of residential rental towers southwest of Davisville subway station in Midtown Toronto will soon be built out with more density following approval of a plan for new townhomes to replace some landscaped area. The plan to add density to the tower-in-the-park 17-25 Lascelles Boulevard site dates back to 2012, when a dozen three-storey townhomes were proposed to replace a portion of a landscaped forecourt fronting the street. Built between 1957 and 1961, the O’Shanter Development Company's Brentwood Towers complex is currently comprised of five towers.

Aerial view looking east to 17-25 Lascelles Boulevard, image via Google Maps

Appealed to the OMB for lack of a decision from Council within the prescribed timeframe, at a first hearing in 2016, the City and developer reported that they were working on a settlement. In 2017, the City and developer reported that they had a settlement in principle, but that there were some technical issues to finalize. Earlier this month, the renamed Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT) approved the finalized settlement. The plan has been reduced to 10 freehold townhomes from 12. Designed by Julian Jacobs Architects, they will be arranged in two blocks of 6 and 4 three-storey townhomes facing Lascelles Boulevard. A path will run between the blocks from the street to the forecourt behind.

Elevation diagrams for the townhomes, image via submission to City of Toronto

The landscaped forecourt will be reduced in size by the new homes, but continue to exist behind them. Three of the five Brentwood Towers face the forecourt, with access to them preserved via a perimeter driveway. The remaining landscaped area will see features rebuilt to a design by Reynolds & Associates Landscape Architects, including a decorative pond with a pair of poured concrete, mushroom-shaped fountains, and new walking paths. The current parking lot behind 25 Lascelles will be replaced with a new walking area with patios fronting the building's ground level units, and will connect with an existing stairway to the adjacent Beltline trail. These outdoor spaces will make up 5,963 square metres of landscaped open space..

Site plan for the project, image via submission to City of Toronto

Another aspect of the project is a proposed 164 square metres of indoor residential amenity space housed in a new below-grade space to be built within the P1 parking level, below an existing pool and fountain at the site’s east end. A pair of new skylights will be carved into the the landscaped space, providing natural light to the new amenity level below.

Additional information and images can be found in our database file for the project, linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Check out the associated Forum threads, or leave a comment in the field provided at the bottom of this page.