In a city that has struggled with shortages of new purpose-built rentals over the last many decades, Toronto is now positioned to see a wave of new apartments coming its way over the next few years.

This year, 14 rental development applications were submitted to city planners with ideas to construct a wide variety of purpose-built apartments, from boutique mid-rises to soaring towers. While Toronto’s rental market has seen prices decline and supply shoot up this year due to COVID-19, returning post-secondary students and higher levels of immigration post-pandemic are expected to set things on course again in 2021.

Here’s a recap of the 14 rental applications Toronto received throughout 2020:

1. Pine Apartments, 2720 Danforth Avenue

Rendering: BNKC Architects

Developer: Katalyst Real Estate Corp.
Architect: BNKC Architects
Application date: February 6th

Located just east of Main Street and Danforth Avenue, this application to build a nine-storey mixed-use project with 81 rental units would replace a handful of commercial and mixed-use buildings. In addition to ground-floor retail space, the development would include a social living room and outdoor amenity space for residents.

2. 1375 Queen Street West

Rendering: Giannone Petricone Associates Inc.

Developer: Skale Developments
Architect: Giannone Petricone Associates Inc.
Application date: March 11th

In Toronto’s Parkdale neighbourhood, an eight-storey, 46-unit apartment building is proposed to replace a vacant lot near Queen Street West and Lansdowne Avenue. Designed by Giannone Petricone Associates Inc., the project would feature a brick exterior on the first five floors with Juliet balconies, topped with a modern, angular white glazed-brick facade.

3. 125R Mill Street

Rendering: architectsAlliance and Henning Larsen

Developer: Dream, Kilmer Group and Tricon Residential
Architect: architectsAlliance and Henning Larsen
Application date: June 2nd

In the Don West Lands, three major developers have put forth a collective vision for two rental towers, one rising 45-storeys and the other measuring 32-storeys. The towers would be joined together by a six-storey podium. The mixed-use development makes room for office and grade-related retail space, while reserving 198 units out of its 661-unit total for affordable rental housing.

4. 1660 Bloor Street West

Rendering: BDP Quadrangle

Developer: Kingsett Capital
Architect: BDP Quadrangle
Application date: May 27th

A single-storey commercial building near Keele Street and Bloor Street West could be redeveloped into a 13-storey mixed-use project with 133 rental units. Three levels of underground parking with 49 spaces, 5,726 square feet of amenity space and retail areas are also proposed for the project. The rental building would be just east of the northeast corner of High Park, and sit along Line 2 of the subway.

5. 2200 Eglinton Avenue East

Rendering: BDP Quadrangle

Developer: Dream
Architect: BDP Quadrangle
Application date: June 10th

This massive master-planned community pitched for Scarborough’s Golden Mile neighbourhood would see the creation of 3,547 residences across 10 development blocks for a total of 2,897,224 square feet in gross floor area. Buildings of varying heights would be constructed, ranging from three to 46 storeys.

6. 75 Silver Springs Boulevard

Rendering: IBI Group

Developer: Starlight Investments
Architect: IBI Group
Application date: July 8th

For a total of 604 new rental units, this proposed project near Birchmount Road and Finch Avenue East would consist of two development blocks. On the first block, three new apartment buildings ranging from six to 22 storeys in height would be constructed, while on the second block, Starlight Investments would create a series of stacked back-to-back townhouse units.

7. 1886 Eglinton Avenue West

Rendering: Studio JCI

Developer: Clifton Blake
Architect: Studio JCI
Application date: August 26th

In the heart of York near Dufferin Street and Eglinton Avenue West, a collection of one- and two-storey buildings could make way for a 200-unit, mixed-use apartment project. The developer, Clifton Blake, is behind other city mid-rise residential projects such as The Carvalo on College and The Pacific Condos.

8. 252 Parliament Street

Rendering: Studio JCI

Developer: Core Development Group
Architect: Studio JCI
Application date: September 1st

Core Development Group is looking to build a nine-storey rental building on the site of a vacant, one-storey building that was once used as a Salvation Army Thrift Store location. A courtyard would be constructed for communal amenity space, along with meeting rooms and a community lounge.

9. 25 Leith Hill Road

Rendering: Turner Fleischer Architects

Developer: Capitol Management Corp
Architect: Turner Fleischer Architects
Application date: September 15th

On an “L-shaped” development lot in the Don Valley Village, Capitol Management Corp is proposing to build a 31-storey rental apartment, neighbouring an existing 15-storey rental tower. If built, the project would deliver 294 units, a four-level parking garage and a new north-south public street.

10. 824 Sheppard Avenue West

Rendering: Chamberlain Architect

Developer: Almega
Architect: Chamberlain Architect
Application date: October 13th

Designed by Chamberlain Architect, this 270-unit rental proposal in Bathurst Manor features a modern 14-storey and a six-storey building joined together by a three-storey podium. A daycare centre, playground, outdoor terrace, lounge and two dog wash areas are also included in the proposal, plus a two-level underground parking garage.

11. 1500 Bayview Avenue

Rendering: Quadrangle Architects Ltd.

Developer: Medallion Corporation
Architect: BDP Quadrangle
Application date: October 23rd

Replacing a garden centre and single-storey Valu-mart grocery store, this proposal in Mount Pleasant East will bring 156 new rental apartments to the community. Judging by the artist’s conceptual renderings and the 17,862 square feet of ground-floor retail space allocated in the project, it’s likely that this development would have a grocery store on the bottom level.

12. 380 Donlands Avenue

Rendering: TACT Architecture Inc.

Developer: Busta Ventures Inc.
Architect: TACT Architecture Inc.
Application date: November 10th

Just a few minutes from the Don Valley Parkway, a Beer Store on O’Connor Drive and Donlands Avenue is looking to get revamped into a seven-storey rental building with 73 units. A green roof, communal outdoor area, pet wash room and retail space fronting the intersection would also be incorporated.

13. 1921 Davenport Road

Rendering: Ambient Designs Ltd.

Developer: TBA
Architect: Ambient Designs Ltd.
Application date: November 18th

A short distance south of The Junction neighbourhood, a single-storey grocery store in Carleton Village is slated for redevelopment. An unnamed developer is looking to construct a five-storey, 19-unit mid-rise on the site, complete with retail space and a basement-level indoor amenity area.

14. 212 King Street West

Rendering: SHoP Architects

Developer: Dream and Humbold Properties
Architect: SHoP Architects and Adamson Associates Architects
Application date: December 10th

One of the tallest buildings proposed for Toronto this year, Dream and Humbold Properties are looking to construct a 79-storey rental tower with 588 units, plus office, retail and restaurant space. Accounting for 1.1 million square feet of real estate, the project would also incorporate three heritage-designated properties along King Street West to form the base of the high-rise.

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