A 50-storey tower could join all the other new developments slated for Toronto's Bay Street Corridor. Currently, there are 13 new towers in the downtown area across all phases of development, including The United Building Condos by Davpart and The One by Mizrahi Developments according to BuzzBuzzHome.
Livabl Market News states that in late July, a Site Plan Approval application was submitted to city planners to construct a 50-storey mixed-use building with 465 units at 10 St. Mary Street. The site also includes 79-85 St. Nicholas Street and 710-718 Yonge Street. ArchitectsAlliance is the architect on this project. He has previously worked on condo towers in the Bay Street Corridor, including Lumiere and 1000 Bay Condos.
Eight properties currently occupy the land, including an eight-story mid-century office building at 10 St. Mary Street, five commercial buildings at 710-718 Yonge Street and a two-storey brick former stable building at 81-85 St. Nicholas Street. All of these properties are designated under the Ontario Heritage Act as per the application's Heritage Impact Statement.
The 10 St. Mary Street site was previously owned by Lifetime St. Mary Inc. After submitting a rezoning application to the City for demolishing the existing office building, the application was appealed to the Ontario Land Tribunal in 2015 for failure to make a decision within the prescribed timelines under the Planning Act.
The current owners acquired 10 St. Mary Street in 2016 along with 79-85 St. Nicholas Street and 718 Yonge Street. They also assumed the previous application and appeal. The OLT approved the zoning by-law amendments for a portion of the site in 2017. After that, the owners expanded the area by acquiring a private laneway and nearby heritage properties along Yonge Street. A new settlement offer was endorsed in 2019 by the City and then updated proposed zoning by-law amendments for the additional properties were then approved.
The owners are now proposing the following minor revisions to the settlement plans:
- The tower has been reduced by one level (from 51 storeys to 50)
- The number of units has increased by nine to a total of 465 with a total gross floor area of 350,688 square feet.
- Includes 25 bachelor suites
- 211 one-bedroom
- 45 one-bedroom-plus- den
- 118 two-bedroom
- 16 two-bedroom-plus-den
- 50 three-bedroom units
- Along St. Mary Street, the tower would retain existing office building at 10 St. Mary Street with retail spaces along Yonge and St. Nicholas Streets behind heritage facades
- Main residential lobby would front onto St. Nicholas Street
- Amenity spaces would be between the second and fourth floors
- Include two outdoor areas and an indoor pet spa
- Multi-level underground parking structure for 105 vehicles along with bicycle and locker storage
- A parking shuttle elevator
According to Urban Toronto, the project also calls for enhanced streetscape along St. Mary Street and the conservation and retention in-situ of the office building on 10 St. Mary Street.
The proposed development is set back from Yonge, St. Nicholas and St. Mary streets with the tower's massing articulated as shifting boxes. According to Heritage Architect ERA, the overall approach for the site is rehabilitation with select areas of restoration.
The retained portions of the existing buildings at 81-85 St. Nicholas Street and 710-718 Yonge Street would be incorporated into the proposed development. The office building at 10 St. Mary Street would have the windows and lobby glazing replaced while observing the original pattern. The mosaic tile in the lobby and on exterior columns would also be repaired and reinstated. The ground floor for the expanded retail space would also be altered.