From a densely built industrial warehouse and factory district of near a century ago, to a run-down and half-abandoned area thirty years ago, Toronto's Liberty Village has experienced major reinvestment and new growth in the past decade. With transit options including the King Streetcar and Exhibition GO Station bounding the north and south sides of the site, while buses from Dufferin and Ossington subway stations ply neighbourhood roads, residential buildings have densified the area in the form of low, mid, and high-rise development. Many of the once-abandoned industrial buildings have converted as office and studio space, while new clubs, restaurants, and retailers have added the mix of uses needed to bring Liberty Village to life.
Rendering of the southeast side of the office building, image retrieved via submission to the City of Toronto
Growth will continue as the City of Toronto has received an application for the construction of a 7-storey office building on a site that faces the rail corridor and Gardiner Expressway between Fraser and Jefferson Avenues. Addressed to 7 and 15 Fraser Avenue, property owners 2429590 Ontario Ltd, would build on the east side of the site, while mostly preserving an existing warehouse on the west side which is listed on the City's Heritage Register.
Designed by SvN Architects, with ERA Architects overseeing heritage aspects, and HOK Architects handling landscape design, the office building would front onto Jefferson Avenue. 28 metres/92 feet high, it would consist of 16,221 m² of gross floor area (GFA) above ground, with two levels of underground parking providing 223 spaces. Access to the garage would be from Jefferson, while a loading dock would be accessed from a private lane on the south end of the site. The office tower is being designed to meet Tier One of the Toronto Green Standard, and would include bird-friendly glazing.
South and East Elevations, image retrieved via submission to the City of Toronto
To deal with the congestion in Liberty Village that the new density has brought, the City of Toronto undertook a study to examine a potential east-west street that would run the length from Dufferin Street on the west to Strachan Avenue on the east. As covered by UrbanToronto this past summer, the new street would complete the grid pattern along the south side of Liberty Village to improve traffic flow in the area.
Aerial of the site, image courtesy of Apple Maps
In the study, the alignment would require the City to acquire a number of parcels of privately-owned land, including the southern strip of the 7 and 15 Fraser Avenue property. In the owner's redevelopment plan for the site, the proposed private lane would run along the alignment of the Liberty Village New Street, built to the same standards as the proposed street, but with parking built below it.
Streetscape elements from the City's plan that have been integrated into the proposed private lane plan include two 3.3m wide traffic lanes; a 5.2m wide south boulevard with a 3m wide multi-use path; a 15m right-of-way (ROW) with a setback of 1.6-4m along the north side; and a 5m wide boulevard on the north side of the street, which would include a pedestrian clearway, tree planters, lighting, and street furniture. The loading dock for the office building, which would be accessed from the roadway, has been designed so that trucks will not have to back onto the road to re-enter it after leaving the loading area.
Illustration of the proposed new street, image courtesy of the City of Toronto
This proposal's unique approach for providing a portion of the future east-west street will surely make for interesting discussions with City staff. In the meantime, we will be sure to keep a close eye and keep you updated as more information becomes available. Want to leave a comment? Feel free to drop a comment in the space provided below, or join in the discussion in our associated Forum thread.